Having spent a wonderful day at Wolverhampton Archives looking at inquest files, I thought the location and scope might be of interest to others.
The Black Country History website http://blackcountryhistory.org/ holds catalogue details for a number of archives in the Midlands area. Its search engine can be a bit clunky but I found just using a surname in the simple search box produced the best results. Amongst the results it will show headings of Inquest files, clicking on this will bring up a list of individuals. It will show which archive they are kept at as well as a cause of death.
The files themselves (at least at Wolverhampton) are the original documents, usually consisting of the Inquisition certificate, witness statements, police witness summons and sometimes post mortem statements. Wolverhampton allow you to photocopy the documents.
I was suprised to find two individuals in hubby's tree had inquests, one was a little girl run over by a lorry, and the other a middle aged man who had a heart attack in the street and died within minutes. It also gives information about next of kin, adresses and general observations about the individual which can be very interesting!
I hope this is of interest to someone and do give Wolverhampton Archives a visit as they are one of the most helpful, friendly and down to earth offices I have been in.
The Black Country History website http://blackcountryhistory.org/ holds catalogue details for a number of archives in the Midlands area. Its search engine can be a bit clunky but I found just using a surname in the simple search box produced the best results. Amongst the results it will show headings of Inquest files, clicking on this will bring up a list of individuals. It will show which archive they are kept at as well as a cause of death.
The files themselves (at least at Wolverhampton) are the original documents, usually consisting of the Inquisition certificate, witness statements, police witness summons and sometimes post mortem statements. Wolverhampton allow you to photocopy the documents.
I was suprised to find two individuals in hubby's tree had inquests, one was a little girl run over by a lorry, and the other a middle aged man who had a heart attack in the street and died within minutes. It also gives information about next of kin, adresses and general observations about the individual which can be very interesting!
I hope this is of interest to someone and do give Wolverhampton Archives a visit as they are one of the most helpful, friendly and down to earth offices I have been in.
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