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| Folios 191-195. Letter from Edward Senior, Assistant Poor Law Commissioner, to the Poor Law Commission, enclosing a copy of a letter from [N Sculthorpe] Clerk to the County Magistrates, and an extract from the Nottingham Review concerning the death of William Parkes [John Parkes]. Sculthorpe's letter says that Sandford Tatham Davison, Surgeon, and William Gill, Overseer for Stoke Bardolph, Basford Poor Law Union, appeared before Colonel Rolleston MP and Thomas Nixon, Magistrates, on [17 February 1841] to answer charges that they caused, or accelerated, the death of John Parkes, a pauper, by removing him from Gedling to the Basford Workhouse when he was in an unfit state and requiring medical attention. They are to appear before the next assizes to answer the charge. Sculthorpe also asks if the Poor Law Commission have authority to order the Basford Poor Law Union to pay legal expenses and expenses of the witnesses, the County Treasury not being liable in felony cases. Included is the cutting from the Nottingham Review reports the inquiry into the death of Parkes before Rolleston, Nixon, W B Martin and F Wright Parkes died from exhaustion and exposure, having inflammatory erysipelas. The jury considered that Davison and Gill were guilty of neglect and that Parkes did not receive sufficient care and diet when he reached the workhouse. The inquest was attended by C Swann, Coroner, and the following gave evidence: Mr Morley, Surgeon; Mr Robinson, Surgeon's apprentice; Mr Davison, Surgeon; Richard Salvin, Gill's servant; Robert Jerram, Guardian of Stoke; Mr Johnston, Governor of the Basford Workhouse; William Ashton, Clerk of the Basford Poor Law Union; William Maltby, pauper; Samuel Parkes, brother of the deceased. The evidence given concentrates on the move of Parkes to the workhouse and his treatment upon reaching there. Morley states that Parkes should not have been moved on such a cold day and that he would have given him spiced port wine but had no authority to do so without previous sanction from the guardians. This was confirmed by Johnston. Robinson had prescribed medicine for Parkes. After seeing Parkes on Friday Davison had directed that his parish be informed as he needed medical help. Salvin, on behalf of Gill, had asked Davison to see Parkes on the following Monday to determine if he could be moved to the workhouse. He was told that he, Davison, could not see him but that if Parkes was no worse he could be moved but he must be well wrapped up. Jerram had advised Gill to ask Davison's advice and, on seeing Parkes being put into a cart, thought Davison had given his permission for him to be moved. Ashton confirmed Davison's appointment as Surgeon for the Basford Poor Law Union at an annual salary of £30. Maltby saw Parkes in the workhouse and thought he was close to death. Parkes' brother, Samuel Parkes, sent his nephew to tell Gill that his brother was not fit to be moved but Gill refused to see him. Rolleston concluded that there was sufficient evidence to require Gill and Davison to answer charges at the next assizes and that the evidence showed that Parkes died because of lack of medical attention. Paper Number: 2002/B/1841. Poor Law Union Number 334. Counties: Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. |
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