Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 for Wiltshire

Harding, Jane      1887 April 30^th             Winterbourne Gunner

An inquest was held on Monday relative to the death of Jane Harding, a domestic servant in the employ of Mr Field. It appears that at about six o’clock on Saturday evening she was in her usual health and went upstairs to dress before taking in dinner. As she did not come down her fellow servant went up, saw her stretched upon the bed with her face upon a pillow, and on turning her over found that she was dead. The mother of the deceased stated that the latter was in the habit of having hysterical fits.

Mr Harcourt Coates stated that he could not certify as to the cause of death without making a post mortem examination, which he had not done. His opinion was that death resulted from suffocation whilst she was upon the pillow.

The jury did not consider a post mortem examination necessary and returned a verdict of death from natural causes. It is thought that the poor young woman had a fit and fell with her mouth towards the pillow. If rumour be correct the banns of her intended marriage were to have been published on Sunday last.