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A GAGGLE OF GANDERS

  
 
 
 

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4.6 DEATH OF THOMAS WILLIAM - A CORONERS INQUEST

homas William lived till he was 77. Born in the reign of King William IV, he lived all through the reign of Queen Victoria and died when King Edward VII was on the throne.

He sadly came to a rather undignified end. On 4 April 1412 he died in the Southwark Infirmary, Champion Hill, Camberwell (now Dulwich Hospital) over 3 months after an accident in the street. His last address previous to hospital admission was 8 Layard Road*, Bermondsey and occupation given as 'formerly a carman'. It is not known if Thomas William had been living on his own or with one of his sons or daughters.

Deaths resulting from street accidents warrant a coroners inquest. Sadly the official court records have now been destroyed but the following paragraph appeared in a local newspaper: The South London Press for 12 April 1912:
 

Sophia may possibly have married aged 26 or 27 in the registration district of St. Olave, Bermondsey in the September Quarter of 1896, but if so the Registrar General's records index her name as Sophie Gander.

Thomas James possibly married twice, in the September Quarter of 1893, aged 22, in the district of St, Saviour and/or the December Quarter of 1901 aged 30, in Southwark.

On 10 Feb 1902 Emma Jane died at the age of 65 at her home at 141 Grange Road, Bermondsey. It seems quite possible that the twins Florence and Minnie now aged 29 were still living at home. Thomas William was now 67 but seemingly still working as a carman [again Carman (Journeyman) is given on the death certificate]. Strangely Thomas William was not the informant of the death.

Minnie was probably married round about the same time as her mother's death; a marriage is recorded for the March Quarter of 1902 in the district of St. Olave. (There is also a marriage of a Minnie Gander shown in the June Quarter of 1892 but this was in Fulham and is probably not 'our' Minnie).

Florence probably married at the age of 31 in the June Quarter of 1905 in Camberwell.
   
 

Pavement Dangers


On Wednesday at Lambeth, Mr. G.P. Wyatt held an inquest on the body of Thomas Willison (sic) Gander, late of 8 Layard Road, Bermondsey.

On Christrnas morning deceased was walking along Grange Road, Bermondsey when he slipped up on a piece of orange peel and fractured his thigh. He was taken to Champion Hill Infirmary where he died on Thursday from senile decay accelerated by the injury.

The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death.

  
   

* Charles Booth's Descriptive Map of London Poverty (l889) included in his Life and Labour of the People of London described household incomes for Layard Road as 'poor, 18s to 21s a week (90p to £1.05) for a moderate family'
   
 

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