Leicester pub history index
Directory of Pubs in the UK historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Leicester, Leicestershire.
The following entries are in this format:
Residents at this address
1820/James Ward/../../../Pigots Directory
1829/Jas Davis/../../../Pigots Directory
1878/Robert Taylor/../../../Wrights Directory
1881/William Scotney/Licensed Victualler/29/Stamford, Lincoln/Census
1881/Rosetta Scotney/Wife/29/Leicester/Census
1881/A J Stone/Boarder, Gentlemans Servant/31/Wiltshire/Census
1881/H W Squires/Boots/22/Newark, Nottingham/Census
1881/Ellen Cunningham/Domestic Servant/19/Donnington, York/Census
1881/Ellen Walker/Domestic Servant/20/Wolverhampton/Census
1881/Ellen M Watts/Domestic Servant/21/Loughborough, Leicester/Census
1887/William Scotney/../../../Wrights Directory
1899/Jn Clark/../../../Wrights Directory
Herbert Edwin Hammond, born at Barnsdale Lodge, Oakham, was the sixth son of
our Great-Grandfather, James Hammond (second son by his second wife, Emma,
our Great-Grandmother). *
24th February 1900/Mr. W. A. Clarke, the Deputy Coroner, held an inquiry at the Infirmary on
Thursday evening, into the cause of the death of Herbert Edwin Hammond, aged
33, employed as the “boots” at the Fox Hotel, Humberstone Gate. Mrs. Clarke,
wife of John Clarke, licensed victualler, said deceased had been at the
hotel as “boots” for some time. He was a very steady man. On Tuesday
afternoon she found that the deceased had not done some work he ought to
have done and she went to look for him in the saddle room. She there found
him asleep, but did not disturb him. When she next saw him early in the
evening he seemed in a very sleepy state. Thinking there was something wrong
with him, she sent for a doctor. In the meantime the deceased was put in
bed. He was conscious, and she asked him what was the matter with him. He
said he had been taking nothing to drink, and added that he did not know why
she had sent for the doctor. When the doctor came he had the man dressed,
and ran him up and down the yard to keep him awake. She did not know why the
deceased should have taken poison. A cab driver named Skill, living on the
Melton road, said on Tuesday evening he went into the saddle room at the Fox
hotel to see Wadd, the ostler. He saw both Wadd and the deceased, deceased
was about to drink from a bottle (produced) containing a polish, and witness
asked him what he was doing. Deceased said “That’s my business”. Witness
however took the bottle from him, having heard just before in the vaults at
the hotel that deceased had been taking poison. Deceased said that he had
not had half enough. Wadd was present, but was the worse for drink and
probably would not remember what happened. Deceased also apparently had been
drinking. Mrs. Clarke presently came to the saddle room, and took the
deceased away. In answer to the foreman Skill said it might have been the
effects of the poison which made him think the deceased had been drinking.
Helen Horsman, barmaid at the hotel, said deceased was alright when she saw
him during the Tuesday morning. In the evening Wadd the ostler came to her
and told her that the “chap in the saddle room had been taking something”.
He was not sober when he said this. She went to the saddle room, Wadd
following. She found a bottle of laudanum on the shelf, and this she
possessed herself of. The other bottle had contained a polish for
brass-work, made up of ammonia and other ingredients. Deceased was not
intoxicated. She shook him and asked him if he was well, and he said he was
alright. She informed Mrs. Clarke. Thos. Wadd, the ostler, also gave
evidence, and spoke of a conversation with the deceased in the saddle-room
on Tuesday afternoon. Deceased asked witness why he used laudanum to horses,
and the witness explained. At this point the witness's evidence became
confused. No connected statement could be constructed from it as to what had
happened in the saddle-room, and the jury had to rely on the evidence of the
other witnesses. The Witness denied that he was drunk on the afternoon in
question. Dr. Frazer said on Tuesday evening deceased was admitted to the
Infirmary suffering from symptoms of narcotic poisoning, probably opium. He
died the same night from the effects of the poison. Deceased was certainly
not suffering from ammonia poisoning. He thought the poison was laudanum, as
he had tested the contents of the deceased’s stomach, and found indications
of opium. The Coroner said there could be no doubt that the deceased had
died from narcotic poisoning, and probably the jury would be satisfied that
it had been self-administered. Although deceased was only seen to drink from
the bottle containing polish, there was little doubt he must have drunk from
the laudanum bottle during the earlier part of the afternoon. The witness
able to afford most information had not been in a fit state to remember what
took place. Therefore they would probably never know the exact circumstances
under which the poison as administered. The jury returned a verdict of
suicide, adding that there was no evidence to show the deceased’s state of
mind at the time./Leicester Chronicle *
1909/Harry Waterfield/../../../Post Office Directory
1916/Henry Westerman/../../../Post Office Directory
1928/R Wyllis Hincks/../../../Post Office Directory
* Provided By Roland Hammond
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