On the evening of Tuesday, 12th July 1910, Margaret Taylor, proprietor of number 29 Back Bank Terrace, upon noticing a terrible smell coming from somewhere within her house, would make a shocking discovery.
After wandering around from room-to-room to find the cause of the smell, Mrs. Taylor would eventually make her way down into the basement. In there she spotted an array of items, from clothing to furniture that had been left behind by a previous tenant.
After rummaging around for a short...
On the evening of Tuesday, 12th July 1910, Margaret Taylor, proprietor of number 29 Back Bank Terrace, upon noticing a terrible smell coming from somewhere within her house, would make a shocking discovery.
After wandering around from room-to-room to find the cause of the smell, Mrs. Taylor would eventually make her way down into the basement. In there she spotted an array of items, from clothing to furniture that had been left behind by a previous tenant.
After rummaging around for a short time, she came across a small tin-box. The smell at this point had gotten much stronger and it seemed to be coming from within the box.
Curious as to what was inside, she managed to break it open.
Recoiling from the odious smell that instantly escaped from the box, Mrs. Taylor, cupping her nose and mouth with one hand, leant back over and peered inside.
What she found inside the tin was a cardboard box, and inside that and wrapped in a dark blue coloured cloth and clothed in a white nightgown, were the feet of a young baby that peered through.
Horrified at the discovery, Mrs. Taylor immediately left the basement and went into town to inform the police of her find.
Quickly, Sergeant Walker made his way to number 29 and after investigating the basement, he took possession of the tin box, lifting it onto a table top. Opening it, Walker discovered the remains of a baby, but with decomposition in such an advanced state, he was unable to determine the sex.
The following morning, on Wednesday, 13th July, Dr. Harrison performed a postmortem ready for the inquest that would take place that afternoon.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Walker whom had spoken to Mrs. Taylor had made his way over to Loveclough, a small village in nearby Rawtenstall and based on information given to him, he called at the home of Sarah Hannah Barnes.
Informing Sarah of the tin-box being found and after asking if she owned such an item, Sarah asked him, "Do you think they will send me to prison?"
Sergeant Walker, obviously could never answer her question and instead asked if she would accompany him back to Haslingden so she could attend the inquest that afternoon.
In front of Mr. Robinson, the inquest into the body of the baby being found at number 29 Back Bank Terrace would take place in the Haslingden Town Hall.
First up would be Sergeant Walker who would tell of when Mrs. Taylor first approached him about the finding of the tin-box in the basement and how he took possession of it. He would also mention his subsequent visit to Loveclough to speak with Sarah Barnes.
Next up, Mrs Taylor would take to the stand. Along with detailing the events that took place the previous day, she would mention of how Sarah Barnes had been a neighbour living next door to her and her husband William from Christmas until around the end of February. When leaving, Sarah had asked Mrs. Taylor if she could leave behind some items of furniture which she would remove at a later date to which Mrs. Taylor had agreed too. She had known Sarah for around twelve-months and saw no reason to deny her request.
A couple of months passed and Sarah then returned to number 29 on Saturday 9th July, to drop off some more items, such as a flock bed and some bed clothes as well as a tin box.
Two days later and on Monday 11th July, Sarah returned, this time to pick up some items.
