02 March 2020

Henry Taylor, killed by a coffin?

The following was tweeted on Saturday.

𝕮𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝕮𝖑𝖚𝖇 (@CemeteryClub) tweeted at 6:39 a.m. on Sat., Feb. 29, 2020:
A memorable funeral...! Henry Taylor, pallbearer, killed by a coffin in 1872. He tripped over a stone, the other pallbearers let go & one tonne of wood, lead and body descended upon him in Kensal Green Cemetery. The widow of the man inside it was understandably distraught! https://t.co/odq28SyVU1

The Illustrated Police News of Saturday 02 November 1872 gives his age as 60.
This sourcc gives his age as 36.
The Morning Advertiser, reporting the inquest on 28 October gave his age as 66.

How old was he when he had the unfortunate accident?

The GRO death index has the following record
TAYLOR, HENRY    66 
GRO Reference: 1872  D Quarter in PANCRAS  Volume 01B  Page 18

The Morning Advertiser was the closest date to the event, consistent with putting more reliance on the most contemporary report. It also attributed the death to "bronchitis after the injuries" and not being crushed to death as some sources reported.


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