Henry Smith

This picture, '1867 Henry Smith', was taken in Morton (Bingley) and sourced from Certificate - Death. Picture Notes Died 20th Feb 1867 Cause of death was "Poisoned by swallowing a quantity of Wilkinson's vermin killer - died in half an hour". Information received from Thomas Brown, Coroner for Yorkshire, Skipton. Inquest 22-Feb-1867. Registered 23-Feb-1867. This picture, '1822 Henry Smith', was taken in June 1822 in Bingley and sourced from Certificate - Baptism. Picture Notes Henry Smith Born 25 May 1822 in Allerton, in the Parish of Bingley Baptism 23 Jun 1822 Son of the late William Smith (Farmer) and Jane Smith This picture, '1867-Feb-23 Inquest p1', was taken on February 23rd, 1867 in Keighley and sourced from Newspaper - Henry Smith Inquest. Picture Notes Microfilm copy of Keighley News Newspaper. Saturday February 23, 1867. INQUEST. - Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held by Mr. Thomas Emmott, Busfield Arms Inn, Morton before Mr. Brown, coroner for the district, on view of the body of Henry Smith, farm labourer, who recently lived at the Old Lime Kilns, Cross Flats, near Bingley, who died about ten o'clock on Wednesday evening at Mr. John Stebbings', farmer, Cliffe, Morton. The first witness called was his wife, Sarah, who deposed:  My husband was 44 years of age.  He was an out-door labourer.  On Tuesday morning, about two o'clock, I awoke out of my sleep, and I heard him crying and sobbing.  About seven o'clock he got his breakfast, and afterwards went to his work.  He continued at his work up to Wednesday noon, when he came home, the work being done.  He got a little dinner, but appeared to be in trouble.  After dinner he said "I will go up to James Tomlinson's, an Morton, and I might go to Keighley before I come home again."  We got our tea about six o'clock, and a little before nine we got ready for bed.  I went up stairs.  He said he wanted to go out, and he would fasten the door.  He went to the door, but in a very short time returned and called out "Is there any more tea in the pot than what the children will want in the morning?"  I told him I thought there was.  Soon after and came up stairs and said, "Well, children, I hope you will do your best to your mother, for I shall not be alive in the morning." and he came to the bed-side and undressed himself.  He told not to be at any particular expense in burying him, and I said to him, "You have been taking something."  He answered, "I have taken poison.  I have it in me."  I got up and knocked at the other house and ran down stairs.  He was down as soon as me, and he let us out of the house and got away.  I sent for a doctor; and when we were looking for him, a young man came and told us where he was.  I went: and when I got there, between nine and ten o'clock, they were holding him up.  I just saw him alive in his last struggle.  He was in convulsions.  He did not speak to me, but he fixed his eyes upon me.  I did not know what he had got.  I scraped some powder of the table and gave it to the policeman. Charles Francis Malvern, a youth deposed: I live at Keighley, and am an apprentice to Mr. Wilkinson, chemist.  On Wednesday last, about half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, I saw a labouring man in our shop.  I served him with sixpenny-worth of vermin powder, and he paid me for it in silver, and walked out of the shop.  The bill now produced is one of our bills, and similar to the one in which I wrapped the packet of vermin powder; and also the label on the broken packet is our label. John Stebbings deposed:  I live at Cliffe, Morton and am a farmer.  On Wednesday evening, the deceased came into our house, a little after nine o'clock, and he said to me, "Will you let me sit down a little.  I feel poorly:"  and he sat down by the fire-side.  I asked him if he had any drink, and he said "No."  He seemed to be very ill.  I asked him if he would have some tea, and he said "no." and seeing that he was ill, I asked him if I must send for his wife, but he said "No," and he stretched himself out in the chair and called out "I am going to die."  I thought he was in a fit.  In a bit he came round a little; he asked me if I had a bed at liberty, so that he could lay himself down.  A bed was got ready, and he was taken up stairs.  By this time a good many people had got in.  He died upstairs about ten o'clock. Police-constable Hainesworth deposed: On Wednesday night I received information of the death of Henry Smith.  I went to the house of Mr. John Stebbings, where he was.  I had him removed to his house.  I searched him, and found the papers produced and examined by Mr. Wilkinson's assistant. The jury, after a little consultation, returned a verdict that the deceased poisoned himself when in a fit of temporary insanity. This picture, '1867 Henry Smith (Crossflats)', was taken on February 24th, 1867 in Crossflatts and sourced from Burial Record. Picture Notes Henry Smith of Crossflats buried 24 Feb 1867 at All Saints, Bingley, aged 44

• Birth Notes

  Aged 27 on 1851 census (b.1824), Bradford
  Aged 40 on 1861 census (b.1821), Bingley
  
  The 1851 census has Henry born in Bradford in 1824, while the other members of the family are born in Bingley.  According to the 1861 census he was born in Bingley, Yorkshire in 1821.
  
  The record for Allerton is a good match, as it is near Bradford, but also under the district of Bingley.
  
  The Christening at Bingley records:
  Name: Henry Smith
  Birth Date: 25 May 1822
  Parish: Bingley, All Saints
  Baptism Date: 23 Jun 1822
  Father's Name: William Smith
  Mother's Name: Jane Smith
  Note: Henry, Son of the late William & Jane Smith
  Allerton, Par: of Bradford, Farmer
  
  So his father William had only recently died.  

• Death Notes

  Name: Henry Smith
  Estimated Birth Year: abt 1823
  Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1867
  Age at Death: 44
  Registration district: Keighley
  Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
  Volume: 9a
  Page: 127 
  Abode: Cross Flats
  
  
  Henry was 44, a labourer when he died.  The death record shows Henry Smith died in Morton.  East Morton is less than half a mile from Crossflatts, so is probably where he was working as a farm labourer.  Cause of death was "Poisoned by swallowing a quantity of Wilkinson's vermin killer - died in half an hour".  The information was received from Thomas Brown, Coroner for Yorkshire, Skipton.  An inquest was quickly held on 22-Feb-1867 and the death registered the following day.
  
  
  Microfiche copies of the burial records held at Bradford show:
  Henry Smith was buried at All Saints, Bingley.
  Date: Feb 24 1867
  Ref No. 1449
  Residence: Cross Flatts
  Age 44
  
  
  Theres a Henry Smith (1838-1867) who died at Calverley, who married Ann Walton. This is another!

• Marriage/Union Notes

  Marriage soleminized in the Parish Church at Calverley in the County of York on 2 Oct 1848
  Henry Smith, 26, Batchelor, Farmer, Farsley, Willaim Smith, Farmer
  Sarah Pickles, 22, Spinster, -, Farsley, Thomas Pickles, Labourer
  
  Marriages Dec 1848   (only W Yorkshire match, 1841-50 for Henry Smith and Sarah Pickles/Pighills)
  PICKLES  Sarah     Bradford Y  23 249   
  Smith  Henry     Bradford Yk  23 249   
  

• Family Notes

  Sarah had left Colne and was living in Marlow, Bingley in 1841.
  
  Can't find record of Marriage of Sarah Pighills, but Henry Smith and Sarah Pickles were married at St. Wilfred, Calverley (NE Bradford)  in 1848.  Their ages match Henry 26, and Sarah 22.  Henry was from Bradford (according to 1851 census)
  
  If this is the correct marriage, then Henry's father was William Smith and both were Farmers.  Sarah's father was Thomas Pickles, a labourer.  They were living at Farsley.  DNA evidence from the descendants of Ann Elizabeth Smith, Henry's sister, supports this theory.