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Attached is the Colne Times report into the death of Edward Birtwistle, the brother of Peter Birtwistle, Colne's benefactor.
A SKELETON IN THE BIRTWISTLE CUPBOARD
For the past few years I have been researching the Birtwistle family of Colne and Trawden (my mother being a Birtwistle) and especially the life of my grandfather's great-uncle, Peter Birtwistle, who willed a great deal of money to Colne at his death in 1927. This money was held in trust for 21 years before being released to the Council in 1948, whereupon the Peter Birtwistle Trust began a programme of building houses for the aged and deserving poor, as well as setting up the Peter Birtwistle Centre on Keighley Road. Peter also bequeathed a 4 ½ carat diamond ring, which is now set in the Chain of Office of the Mayoress of Pendle. The research into Peter is still on going, although I have placed a work-in progress piece in the branch library.
However, I thought it best to tie up a few loose ends regarding Peter's brother, Edward, who was my great-great Grandfather. The reason behind this is that since coming to the branch meetings I have met a descendant of Peter's sister Jane, Mrs Pat Colman, from a branch that I had heard about but did not know existed into the twenty-first century. I had checked the FreeBMD site and knew that Edward died in the last quarter of 1895, so instead of paying for a death certificate, I decided to look in the pages of the Colne Times to find out whether there was an obituary notice. Sure enough, there was a brief note of his death, published on the 18th October, saying that he died on the 29th September.
The three week gap between his death and the notice in the paper intrigued me, so I began to trawl through the issues of The Colne Times between the dates mentioned. The reason was there, on the 11th October, my own family skeleton in the cupboard emerged, and below is a transcript of the paper's report:
SHOCKING DEATH AT TRAWDEN
THE AFFAIR NOT DISCOVERED FOR TEN DAYS
THE BODY IN A SHOCKING STATE
About seven o’clock on Tuesday night the police received intimation of a sad and fatal affair at Trawden. It seems that P.C. Stables was appraised of the fact that a man named Edward Birtwistle, well-known in Trawden and Colne, had happened a fatal accident, and on going to his house the constable found the body of Birtwistle lying face downwards at the foot of the stairs with the feet on the staircase. He was quite dead and from the awful state of the body it was conjectured that he had been dead some days. It was stated that his body was not fit to look upon so far had decomposition taken its hold. Deceased had for a short time been living alone, his wife having died some two years ago. The news of the occurrence quickly spread throughout the neighbourhood, and a good number of curious people gathered round the house, which is situated on the roadside close to the Primitive Methodist Chapel. It was stated that the reason why he was not looked after was that until inquiries had been made at Colne his friends at Trawden thought he was drinking at Colne, and his relations at Colne had an idea he was at Trawden. An inquiry at a certain place caused a man to ask another to “come and look through ‘Ned o’ Burt’s’ window, he has not been seen for mony a day.”
THE INQUEST
The inquest was held yesterday morning (10th October 1895) at the Sun Inn, Trawden, before Mr. Coroner Robinson. Mr Hindle was foreman of the jury.
James Riley, warp dresser, Back-lane, Trawden, was the first witness. He said he was deceased’s son and identified the body. Deceased was a cutlooker, and was 49 years of age. He lived alone at 99, Colne-road, Trawden. Witness last saw him alive a fortnight ago last night. Deceased was a man who took a good deal of drink at times. He had been working all the week up to the time witness saw him. Witness had not heard of him being missing.
P.C. Stables said he went at 6-50 on Tuesday night (8th October 1895) to the man’s house. Somebody had seen the deceased through the window. Witness burst the door open, the key being inside, and the window fastened. Deceased was laid at the bottom of the stairs. His feet were on the stairs and his head on the floor. There was a drop of blood on the fourth step as if he had struck that step first. There was a curve at the top of the stairs, and he appeared to have taken the curve and fallen. His neck, face and breast were very much decomposed.
The Coroner: How came it he never was missed?
Witness: He was a man who occasionally struck spree and went out of the neighbourhood. Deceased had been working all the week up to the Saturday dinner time previous to death (28th September 1895).
Mary Spencer, Dent House Farm, Trawden, said she saw the deceased last on Sunday, Sept. 29th. At 2-20 in the afternoon. He was entering his own house. Another man, a stranger to witness, followed deceased in. Witness could not say what state deceased was in because she only caught sight of his back.
The Coroner then asked P.C. Stables was deceased dressed.
Witness said he was, and that his cap was on the bed, which seemed to point out that he had been laid down.
The Coroner: What was the nature of the injuries?
Witness: his neck appears to have been broken and there was a wound on his forehead through apparently having struck the step in falling. He seemed to have been dead ever since Sunday week.
The Coroner said it seemed to be quite clear that the man had come to his death by falling downstairs and breaking his neck.
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”
Colne & Nelson Times, 18th October 1895, p5, col5.
So this is the fate of the brother of Colne's Benefactor. This story is not in my immediate family's oral tradition, and was news to the family I have spoken to. It is probably the reason why they did not know anything about their ancestor, in that Edward's son, Edward was a Trustee at Providence I.M. Church, Waterside, and felt that in this case, ignorance is bliss.
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