REDCAR – Death From Exposure

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 20/03/1886.

DEATH FROM EXPOSURE AT REDCAR

           On Saturday (27/02) an inquest was held at the Stockton Hotel, Redcar, before Mr. W. Robinson, Deputy Coroner, on the body of a man named John Pattison, 68 years of age, who was found on the sands near the Redcar Pier on Tuesday (02/03) morning.

          The first witness called was Jane King, Redcar, who said that the deceased resided at Lazenby, and was formerly a miner, but for the past five or six years he had been living on his means, and for about six weeks had been lodging at her house. He was brought to her at £,30 on Tuesday morning and died at half past six on the following Friday.

          P.C. James Wood deposed that at 12.30 on Tuesday morning he was on duty in company with a Coastguard named Wm. Brawl near the Redcar Pier, when he heard some one a short distance off moaning and saying “On my back.” They found the deceased on his hands and knees on the sands, with his head resting against the cliff wall. They asked how he got there, and he replied that he had taken a drop to much drink, and it had made him rather daft. His stick was buried in the sand and the place looked as if he had been struggling for some time. He was asked to be taken to Mrs King’s, King Street, and with there assistance he managed to walk to the house. He stated he had been to the Jolly Sailor Inn until 11p.m., but could give no account of his proceedings after that time.

          Mrs Fall the landlady of the Jolly Sailor, said she first saw the deceased in her house about 6 p.m. on Monday night and he stayed there until about 10.30, leaving by the back door. He drank nothing but beer, and was in her opinion quite capable of taking care of himself.

          Dr. McKinlay, Coatham said he was called to the deceased about noon on Tuesday. He found him lying in bed and complaining very much of a pain in his back and thigh, and his right wrist was badly sprained. He examined him, but found that, though he was suffering considerable pain his injuries were not at all serious, but the pain was due to exposure to the cold. On Wednesday (03/03) it was evident that he had acute inflammation of the lings, and from this complaint he died.

          The jury found that death had resulted from acute inflammation brought on by exposure,

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dean October 21, 2011 Redcar