MARY ANN TAYLOR
THE LATE MRS. TAYLOR
 FATAL FALL IN NEWTOWN ROAD
The inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Mrs. Mary Ann  Taylor, of 3 Montague-terrace, Newbury, was held on Thursday evening at the Police Court, by the Borough Coroner, Dr. W.B. Heywood, and a jury, of whom Mr. A.C. Bishop was foreman. Mr. Martin Taylor, who is in business at Devizes, gave evidence of identification, and said his mother was 84 years of age. He last saw her alive on  Tuesday morning, when he left for Devizes after being home for the holidays. He said she enjoyed good health for her age.
THE FATAL FALL
The next witness was a little girl named Frances Swayne, living at 4, Railway Cottages, Argyle-road, who gave her evidence in a precise manner. She stated that about five o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, she saw an old lady coming down the Newtown-road towards the town. She was walking in the gutter near the Cemetery wall, when all of a sudden she fell. The little girl went across to her, and she was still breathing. Then a lady came out of the almshouses, and also came across, whilst someone went for Dr. Graham. The deceased was put on a rug, and carried into Mr. Bishop's garden. Miss Daisy Ella Seward, of 11, Church Almshouses, said when she was going to business, sh saw someone lying by the side of the road. She crossed over, and found it was an elderly lady with a mantle over her face. Upon removing this, the witness saw that there was a terrible bruise on her forehead. Thinking the deceased had had a fit, Miss Seward said she unloosened her garments at the throat. Mr. Yeomans also came along in his side-car, and also gave her assistance, putting Mrs. Taylor on his rug, and carrying her into Mr. Bishop's. He also wen for Dr Graham, who came within a few minutes. Whilst witness was by her side, s. Taylor seemed to give three gasps, and when Dr Graham arrived, he said she had ne. She died about 15 minutes after her fall.

THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE
Dr. R.G. Wylie said he had attended the deceased for over 20 years. She had undergone several operations for cataract, and for the last few years her eyesight had been very bad. She was feeble, but would get about and go for long walks. Often she used to stumble owing to her defective eyesight. From his knowledge of the general state of her health, and from his examination of the body after death, he had no hesitation in saying that she stumbled and fell heavily on her forehead, causing two nasty bruises, one over the left eye and one over the temple. One side of her eyes was much blackened, which was proof to him that she must have lived some little time after the fall. In his opinion death resulted from the fall caused by the failure of her heart.

The Coroner: In your opinion death was caused by the fall, and not the fall caused by the failure of her heart? Dr. Wyllie: The stumble brought on the failure. If the failure had preceded the fall, I think she would have died more quickly.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."
Newbury Weekly News 22 May 1913
Not in Mrs. P. Buriedl6 May 1913 Bk. 1899 p. 244 no. 9151