My first impressions on reading the newspaper article regarding the death of Thomas Baker was that he was an elderly gentleman. It was not until I checked the burial registers that I realised he was just 33 years old.
His wife said he had never been a healthy man and his occupation as ‘watercress seller and umbrella maker’ suggested (to me) that he was an older man, possibly retired.
This newspaper report continues that Dr LeWarren checked for ‘marks of violence’ and decided that ‘the immediate cause of death was heart disease’.
Corner of Belle Vue Road looking down towards Christ Church
Sudden Death – On Tuesday, Mr W.E.N. Browne, County Coroner, held an inquest at the Bellevue Inn, Victoria Street, Swindon, on the body of Thomas Baker, a watercress vendor and umbrella mender, lately residing in Bellevue Road, and who died suddenly early that morning. Mr Job Day was chosen foreman of the jury.
Emily Baker, wife of deceased, was called and said her husband had never been a healthy man. He had often complained of pains in his chest. He earned a livelihood by mending umbrellas and selling watercress.
The previous day (Monday) deceased went out and came home to dinner at one o’clock. He then went out again and returned to tea at five o’clock. Afterwards he went to the Old Town Station to see if some watercress had arrived which he was expecting. At 9 p.m. he came home. He was quite sober, and had a half pint of stout and went to bed about ten o’clock. At a quarter past five in the morning he awoke her and said “Emily, I’m going to die.” She thought he had a fit, and she called to James Major, who was lodging in the house, and he came and said deceased was in a fit. They then sent for a doctor and also called in P.C. Crook, who was on his beat in that neighbourhood.
James Major, a watercress vendor, the man referred to by the previous witness, said Mrs Baker called him up, saying that her husband was dying. When he saw deceased he said, “Mrs Baker I think he’s dead.” He then went for a doctor, but on his return Baker was dead. He (witness) went to the Old Town Station with deceased the previous evening; they were expecting some watercress from Marlborough. Deceased had two glasses of stout whilst in his company Deceased was on good terms with his wife. Witness had heard him complain of pains in his side and chest.
Dr Frank LeWarne, assistant to Dr J.C. Maclean, said he was called to deceased about twenty minutes past seven that morning, and he went immediately, but found the man was dead. He examined the body, but found no external marks of violence. In his opinion the immediate cause of death was heart disease. He knew nothing of deceased, but had heard that he was medically attended about a year ago for influenza. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.
The Swindon Advertiser, Saturday, February 29, 1896.
Thomas Baker of 21 Belle Vue Road was buried on February 29, 1896 in grave plot E7245. He was 33 years old.
Radnor Street Cemetery 