WILLIAM NEWBURY*
… Another inquest was held before the same coroner (J. Alexander, Esq.), on Monday, the 8th inst., at the “Nag's Head," Gravel-hill, in the parish of Speen, touching the death of William Newbery (sic), aged 70 years, who died the evening previous, whilst attending chapel.
—George Talbott, on being sworn, said that he had known deceased six years, and often accompanied him to Chapel at Stockcross; he did so the preceding evening. On the road, Newbury said he had a pain about the chest and heart during the morning, but it was all gone off. He appeared cheerful and well for an old man. The chapel service lasted about hour and a half; during this time he did not complain. The preacher then came down and shook hands with witness, and then with deceased, and while conversing with the preacher, Newbury fell down and died instantly.
— Maria Gillam deposed that deceased had resided in the same house with her family since March last; during that time he had occasionally ailed, but kept about, and ate his meals with a good appetite. He had complained the day before of pain about his heart and chest, but he soon got better, and he left for chapel with the last witness in the evening, in very good spirits, and in his usual health. This witness on being asked if she knew his age, handed in what was supposed to be a certificate on this point.
The coroner, on examining it, said: " Why this is a medical certificate by a medical man at Newbury, signed this morning, certifying that the deceased had died of apoplexy; and it appears that the last time he was seen the party certifying, was in October; “this," said the coroner, "looking at the place and circumstances of death, I find it my duty to say was a loose and reckless mode of certifying the cause of death: it was most objectionable. Had the Registrar acted on the virtue of such a certificate as this, I should probably have exhumed the body at a great expense to the ratepayers of the county."
The jury, after some little discussion, returned verdict of " Sudden death from Natural Causes.”
Reading Mercury - Saturday 13 December 1862
* Shown as “Newbery” in Mrs. P., but “Newbury” in Accounts Book (No. 1642).
