Baby

The body of a decomposed newly-born child was found in an ashpit in Compton Street, Holmewood.

The cause of death was given as asphyxia caused either by inattention at birth or by strangulation. There was an impression around its neck lending support to the theory that it had been strangled.

A doctor said that the body was that of a fully-developed male child weighing about 8lbs.. He said that based on the fact that its lungs were fully expanded the child had probably lived, but not for more than a few minutes.

He said that in his opinion that child had been dead for between four and six weeks.

The child's body was found by a carter who worked for the Hardwick Colliery Company. He said that he had been working at Nos. 61 and 63 Compton Street when he got the child's body on his shovel. The body had been wrapped in thin brown paper but had broken through the wrapping and he said that as he lifted the remains up for examination its head and an arm dropped off.

A verdict of Found Dead was returned with death being probably due to asphyxia.

Compton Street has since been redeveloped.