FLORENCE MARY WILLIS

DEATH FROM BURNING

A melancholy accident occurred on Monday, when a little girl named Florence Mary Willis, daughter of William Willis, tailor, of 10 Union Chapel-yard, Bartholomew-street, was badly burnt by the upsetting of a lamp.

It appears that the father got up about half past four o'clock that morning to finish some work which had to be sent home by seven o'clock. Shortly before he left the deceased and her brother, about seven years of age, came downstairs and on leaving for a few minutes to take the work which was then completed, he allowed the two children to stay downstairs, giving them strict instructions not to touch the lamp or the board on which it was placed.

In the meantime, the mother, who was unwell, not having fully recovered from her recent confinement, heard screaming from below, and ran downstairs in her nightdress, and saw the deceased's bed-gown had taken fire, and her little girl wrapped in flames. She endeavoured to extinguish the fire and took it to the front door when Francis Holder, a neighbour hearing the screams, came to the assistance of the mother and succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The father, who had been away only about ten minutes returned, and at once fetched Mr. M. Palmer, but the poor little thing died on the following morning. The mother was badly burnt about the hands and arms, and so injured as not to be able to do anything.

The inquest was held on Wednesday morning, before the Borough Coroner, T.H. Hawkins, Esq., and a jury of whom Mr. H. Smith was foreman.

A verdict was returned of “accidentally burnt by the upsetting of a lamp.”

Newbury Weekly News 4 December 1874

Buried 4 December 1874 aged 2.