Co/Inq2

Inquests

Administrative background. ------------------------------- This series contains inquests four distinct groups based on administrative areas. These are as follows: **Borough of Bedford - The series runs from 1952 to 1974 when cases were merged with the County series. The Borough Coroner was also Coroner for the district of North Bedfordshire. **District of North Bedfordshire: The series runs from 1952 to 1972 when cases were merged into the County series. The North District Coroner was also Coroner for the Borough of Bedford. **District of South Bedfordshire; The series runs from 1964 to 1972 when cases were merged into the County series. ** County of Bedfordshire: The series runs from 1972-1980 when the North and South districts were combined. Inquests were held in the area which the deceased died. Thus if a resident of Podington had died in a road accident on the B557 in Aspley Guise, the Coroner for South Bedfordshire would hold the inquest. If, however, the injured person was taken to Bedford South Wing and died there, the Coroner for the Borough of Bedford would conduct the inquest. Documentation Guide. -------------------------- There is no such thing as a 'standard file', each case may have differing documentation. However, certain documents are commonly found on the majority of files. These include: Inquisition Sheet; Report to Coroner of Death; Post-Mortem Report; Pathologists' Report; Witness Statements; Notice of Requirement to Attend an Inquest; Sketch Maps/Plans; Photographs [where included this is noted by an asterisk * on the individual case entry; other documents can include letters from the deceased's doctor, Coroner's notes on procedure etc., suicide notes', letters from insurance companies and forms allowing a body to be removed from England for disposal. Note: Many files were found to have been heavily weeded presumably by the Coroner himself. In these cases, very little remains apart from the Inquisition Sheet and Report to Coroner of Death, these cases have been highlighted with a 'plus' sign [+]. There is a 75 year Embargo on all material, access is only by permission of the Coroner.

series

DEATH, statistics, inquest