David Hudgell

1864-1865

Son of Daniel Hudgell and wife Caroline Wotton

Hertfordshire Mercury

Widford

1st April 1865

Death From Fire

  An inquest was held at the Swan Inn, Widford, on Monday, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of a child named David Hudgell, about nine months old, which was suffocated in its cradle on Friday.

      It appeared from the evidence of the mother that she left the child asleep in the cradle while she went to the shop, setting it about a yard away from the fire, and on her return she found the cradle turned over, and the child lying with its head over the fender close to the fire, and the rug in which it was wrapped, on fire and smouldering.

     The child's left arm was burnt. It was quite dead. Mr. F.M. Smith, of Hadham, stated that he was called to the child and found it quite dead; there was a wound on the back of the head, caused no doubt by the fall, but there was no doubt death was caused by suffocation from the smouldering rug.

     The Coroner made some very strong remarks on the carelessness shown by the mother leaving the cradle so near the fire without any person to look to it.

Verdict - Accidentally suffocated.

This report is from the local newspaper of the day - Hertfordshire Mercury unfortunately the Coroners papers covering Widford for 1865 do not exist anymore.

 David Hudgell born June 1864 was the fifth child of Daniel Hudgell and Caroline Wotton of Widford Hertfordshire. At the time of David's death they were living at Heather Street Widford, and after his death his parents went on to have 6 more children including George Hudgell who rose through the military ranks to become a highly acclaimed Captain.