Annie Elizabeth Lush 1879-1879 - Granville Street Park Sheffield

Turners Hill leading down to Granville Street Sheffield

This small article appeared in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated  Saturday 27th December 1879 and it refers to a death that occurred the previous Saturday - 20th December 1879

The death of a baby or young infant by accidental suffocation was not an uncommon occurrence, Given the grinding poverty and houses that were little more than hovels many families resorted to body warmth as a means of keeping young babies and children as warm as they could. Sadly the death of their child through suffocation was always a possibility and in this case the risk manifested itself

The inquest on Tuesday 23rd December 1879 was held at night at the long gone Station Hotel on Granville Street. Night inquests were not uncommon either - the jury members were employees and could not take time off work to attend inquests during the day. And by holding the inquest in a pub which again was a common feature of the time they could refresh themselves as well as conduct their duties as jurors.