Compton, John 1909 Mar 3rd
Aged Man Dies at Breakfast
An inquest was held at the Salisbury Workhouse on Monday morning by the City Coroner (Mr S B Smith) on the body of John Compton, an aged inmate, who died suddenly at the breakfast table on Sunday morning.
Thomas Barrs, the porter, stated that he was on duty in the dining hall on Sunday morning while the men were having breakfast. He heard one of the men call out “Porter,” and he immediately went towards the deceased. He saw he was dying, and before the superintendant nurse arrived he died. As far as he knew, the old man – who was 79 years of age – was in his usual health. At any rate he had not complained of feeling unwell. The witness added that the deceased was a French polisher by trade.
Miss Bessie Anscombe, superintendant nurse at the Workhouse, said that on Sunday morning at about twenty minutes to eight she received a call to the dining room, as someone had been taken ill. On arrival there a few minutes later she found that Joseph Compton was dead.
Dr Luckham, the medical officer, stated that he received a notification of the death, and as he had not attended Compton for a very considerable time he was unable to certify the cause of death. He had since made a post mortem examination, and had found that death was due to heart disease.
The jury returned a verdict accordingly.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 