Researching an accidental death
Q
I am seeking information about David Suttle, who I think died on 17 February 1918, when a milk churn fell on him. I have the address of 11 or 12 (I can’t recall which) Montpelier Road, Kensington. I understand that he left about £12,000. I would like to know:
• Did he leave a will?
• Was there an inquest?
• Where can I find out more information about his death? Vivienne
A
The first step, as always, should be to obtain a copy of the death certificate – then if there was an inquest into the death you can see whether any coroners’ records might survive.
SEEKING A DEATH RECORD
The GRO Index of Deaths has two deaths of men called David SUTTLE in 1918 – one, of David Frederick SUTTLE was in the Ipswich District in the April-june Quarter, but the other was registered as just David SUTTLE, age 69, in Hammersmith in the January-march Quarter of the year which would fit with the date of 17 February that you have.
This would seem to be the David SUTTLE who is a ‘milk carman’ living in Kensal Road, North Kensington in the 1911 Census with his daughter Florence May SUTTLE, and which would fit with your description of a possible accident involving a milk churn.
To be certain this is the correct death, a copy of the entry should be obtained. A PDF copy can be ordered from the General Register Office www.gro.gov.uk at a cost of £7, or a paper certificate for £11. A
paper certificate can also be ordered from the Hammersmith and Fulham Registration Service (www.lbhf.gov.uk/birthsdeaths-and-marriage) through their online ordering service or by calling 0208 753 2140. This will clarify the cause of death and if it was due to an accident and an inquest was held then the coroner should be the informant recorded on the registration.
VERIFYING THE ADDRESS
There doesn’t appear to have been a Montpelier Road in the Kensington area (the nearest would be in Ealing), but there are Montpelier Streets, Places, Squares, Mews and others in central London but I can find nothing in censuses or electoral records to link to the SUTTLE family.
WAS THERE AN INQUEST?
Generally coroners’ records are closed for 75 years, unless access is specially granted by the coroner, which can be applied for by family members. However, survival of these records is patchy in many areas – those from Hammersmith would be part of the Middlesex records held at the London Metropolitan Archives. They (the LMA) have an extensive help guide on the subject of coroners’ records they hold (https://search.lma.gov.uk/rg_pdf_creator/index. php?research_guide=65).
Often the best source for inquest information is found by searching newspapers. I have looked for any reference to the death of David SUTTLE in 1918 in those papers available online in the British Newspaper Archive (www. britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) and found nothing of interest.
DID HE LEAVE A WILL?
If he left a will and probate was granted, or he didn’t leave a will and someone was given ‘letters of administration’ to administer his estate then the details would be available in the probate records (https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/) and a copy of any grant or will could be ordered for £1.50.
I can see no record of any will or grant being made in respect of David SUTTLE in 1918, or later. AM