HENRY CHARLES COOPER                                            26^th September 1879

          A schoolboy from Albion House Academy died on this day, the result of a fight.

          The two boys, Mr. Cooper and Mr. Deane were seen fighting in Oxford Street with a dozen other school children watching. Deane struck Cooper in the face at least once and on one of the blows Cooper fell to the floor. On getting up witnesses say he staggered, going around in circles and moving back and forth. A man passing by told them to go home and it appeared that they might have started on their way as they started walking together. A short distance later though Cooper fell to the ground. Mr. Thomas Fidler, who was nearby rushed over, picked the boy up and took him into Mr. Langley's house which the boys were outside of. Mr. Montague Palmer, Surgeon, was sent for, by the time he got there, only a few minutes later, the boy was already dead. A post mortem showed the boy to be in generally good health. Cooper's brother, George, noted that four years previous there had been an incident where Cooper lost his sense.

          An inquest the following day recorded a verdict of death caused by the congestion of the brain, which could have been a number of medical conditions including a stroke and meningitis. Deane was lucky not to be charged and was given a warning.

Bk 1868  p. 200 No.3999

Buried 30 September 1879

Henry Charles Cooper aged 14

From “Newbury 365”  by Dr. Nick Young ISBN 978-1-326-20841-7:2015

Reproduced by kind permission of the author

A SCHOOL BOY TRAGEDY.

FATAL FIGHT.

An inquest was held on Saturday morning by Dr. Watson, J.P., Borough Coroner, in the Schoolroom of Albion House, Oxford-street, upon the body of Henry Charles Cooper, aged 14, son of Mrs. Cooper, widow of the late Mr. Charles Cooper, of Shaw-mill. The deceased attended Albion House Academy, and among other pupils was one named Deane.  Differences occurred in school which continued afterwards, and in the course of the quarrel Cooper fell, was picked up and taken into Mr. Langley's, where he died almost immediately. The Jury sworn upon the inquest were: Messrs. W. Penford (foreman), J. Langley, C. Webb, W. Hall, R. Legg, R. Ravenor, W. T. Knight, W. E. Lewendon, R. Wilson, G. Wintle, P. Applegate, and E. Harris.

The Coroner said they had met together to enquire into the death of Henry Charles Cooper who met with his death last night. The case would require their closest attention. Three witnesses would be produced before them, and he had also considered it necessary to have a post mortem examination, the result of which they would be made acquainted with.

Arthur BENHAM said – I am a stableman out of place and live at Prospect-place, Speenhamland. Last night between six and seven o'clock I was in the road just above Mr. Langley's house, and saw a boy named Deane and the deceased quarrelling. Deane struck the deceased in the face, knocking him down upon the curb stone. Deane then took hold of him by the " scruff " of the neck and said " You hit me in the school, and I'll hit you now you're out."  A man passing told them both to go home. They both got up and walked down us far as Mr. Langley's door, about 20 yards, when the deceased fell.  The deceased walked as if he were in pain—badly and staggering. Deane ran away and the boy Cooper was picked up by Mr. Fidler and carried into Mr. Langley’s house.

By the foreman—Deceased fell backwards and struck the ground. He was without cap or hut. He fell very heavily.

By the Coroner—The blow was a very heavy one in the face. The pavement slopes a good deal where the occurrence took place.

By a Juror—The boy was struck in the face and knocked backwards. Was it the force of the blow or the slope of the pavement that caused him to slip? I cannot say. Deane did not fall. Cooper tried to hit Deane in return but did not succeed. They were evidently fighting. They did not speak to each other when they walked down together as far as Mr. Langley's.

EDWIN SEWARD, of Hazell's-buildings, aged 12, said—l am a scholar at the Wesleyan SchooL  Last night shortly after five o'clock I was coming down the Speen hill with a hoop, and saw Cooper and Deane together; they were both fighting. Cooper in trying to get on to the pavement fell down. I saw a blow struck but by whom I do not know. Cooper fell sideways. When he got up he began walking backwards and forwards and round and round. The two were talking to each other, but I could not hear what they said ; they were evidently quarrelling. After Cooper slipped down I went up Speen hill again, and on my return in five minutes afterwards saw Cooper being taken into the yard. The time I was away would be about five minutes.

In reply to questions from the Jury witness said it was a slip of the foot which caused Cooper to fall.

By the Coroner – Cooper slipped when he was picking up his hat. I was at the top of the hill when I saw the blow struck. His hat was held by a boy. When the deceased got up he walked backwards and forwards on the pavement. I did not see the whole of the quarrel as I was trolling my hoop.

Mr. THOMAS FIDLER, of Porchester-villas, said— Last night at ten minutes past five o'clock I was standing with three gentlemen immediately opposite Mr. Langley's house with my back towards it. One of the gentlemen who was looking across the road seeing the boy lying with his face on the pavement close to Mr. Langley's with half-a-dozen other boys round him, said " That boy must have had a fit ; see, he's on the ground." Two or three other boys were attempting to lift him. I then crossed the street to where they were, and lifted the deceased up and carried him into Mr. Langley's house. The boy was perfectly unconscious and very pale. I laid him on the sofa, undid his necktie and collar, and sprinkled some water on his face. He did not speak at all but was breathing irregularly and laboriously. I said to Mr. Bundock who followed immediately after me, "We must send for the doctor ; this is a bad case." I did not see Deane run away at the time.

Mr. Montagu H. C. PALMER, , deposed:— Last night I was called by Mr. Fidler, about five o'clock, to go to Albion House, and found the body of deceased lying dead on the sofa, in the front room. His face was very congested, pupils widely dilated, and hands drawn up and clenched. I should imagine he could not have been dead more than five or ten minutes, as the body and hands were quite warm . By order of the coroner, I made a post mortem examination. The body was well-nourished. There was not the slightest indication of bruises anywhere whatever on the body. The right cheek was slightly marked, but I could not say that arose from a blow. On opening the head I found the whole of the surface of the brain very congested. The brain tissue itself quite healthy ; no extravasation of blood in any part ; no indication of any bruises of head at all, neither within nor without the skull. The lungs were healthy ; heart—left ventricle firmly contracted, containing a clot of dark blood; valves all quite healthy. Right ventricle filled with dark fluid blood. General walls of the heart thin. The kidneys were very congested, but with that exception the whole of the abdominal organs were quite healthy. I should think that deceased had acute congestion of the brain, followed by a fit, which caused death. I attribute the congestion of the brain to the row he had had with the other boy. On a previous occasion the same boy was obliged to be taken out of the Guildroom, when he was in a very exhausted state. The back part of the skull did not in any way indicate a blow. The excitement of the affair might bring on the congestion.

George John Cooper, brother of the deceased, said:—About four years ago my brother had a blow from some boy and was knocked on the pavement, and brought home by the Rev. Mr. Bunting insensible, and remained so ten or fifteen minutes. No medical man was then called in.

Mr. Palmer, recalled, said—l have heard the evidence of Mr. Cooper as to a similar condition of insensibility of the deceased from a blow four years ago, from which he recovered. I have known a similar case of death from the result of a blow, then the post-mortem changes were clear, but in this case there were no signs of change at all. It is my opinion that death arose from excitement possibly accelerated by the blow.

The Jury having thought the evidence insufficient,

CHARLEs MAY, carpenter, living at Speenhamland, was sent for. He said—Yesterday afternoon, soon after five o'clock I was in Speenhamland, and saw about a dozen boys collected together, and two commenced fighting. I saw one knock another down. The boy got up and they went on fighting again. This was opposite Miss Boseley's. Before I got up close to them they had left off and were then standing still. One, whom I recognised as the deceased, said, "You began the row, now I've finished it." The other said, " I hav'nt done yet." Directly after that the deceased fell down on his face. I said to him, " Are'nt you well and he said, "Yes." I then went indoors and saw no more, but the deceased walked down the street. When I saw the deceased knocked down from the blow he fell on his back. The disturbance was in the middle of the road. I saw two or three blows struck on each side. When the deceased fell down a second time there was no one near him, and so I asked him if he were well. There was no blow struck to hurt. The Coroner said this was the whole of the evidence. The testimony of Mr. Palmer happily did away with the fear that the blow was the direct cause of death. There was no extravasation of blood within the skull, which was important negative testimony. The law was this :—Manslaughter was unlawful killing without malice; excuseable homicide was death by misadventure or on the principle of self-preservation. Manslaughter was a felony ; but not so excuseable homicide. In his, view there was no ground for the former verdict ; it was for them to say whether or not they would return the latter or adopt a still more favourable, but not inconsistent view of the case. The Jury retired, and after being absent about a quarter-of-an-hour, returned with the following verdict :—" That the deceased Henry Charles Cooper died from congestion of the brain, accelerated by violent excitement occasioned by the quarrel."

The CORONER said he quite concurred in the verdict.

The FORMAN—The Jury are also of opinion that the boy Deane should be called before you and admonished. He has had a very narrow escape of being found guilty of an offence which would have rendered further proceedings necessary. It may be a lesson to him and others to avoid quarrels. The boy was then introduced and suitably admonished by the Coroner. Mr. Deane, who accompanied his son, expressed the deep regret he felt at the occurrence, and promised to do his best to impress what had been told him upon the memory and conscience of his son.