Inquests from the Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury 15/03/1790 Saturday se'nnight the body of a seafaring man, with several marks of violence on his head was taken out of the river at Twerton; in his pockets were upwards of 30 lbs weight of stones supposed to have been placed there in order to sink the body. Mr Layng, one of the coroners for Somersetshire having sat on the body the jury returned their verdict - wilful murder by some person or persons unknown. 14/06/1790 Friday, a lad whose name is George Reed, was run over by a cart in Milborne Port and killed. 05/07/1790 Bristol. Friday night about seven o'clock a son of Mr Meredith at the earthenware house on the Quay fell off the quay wall into the river. He was taken out in about a quarter of an hour when every means was tried to restore life but unfortunately without success. 12/07/1790 Saturday se'nnight, in the evening, Miss Uhthoff of River St Bath, sister to the Rev Mr Uhthoff, coming in cold from a walk and stirring the fire, it unfortunately caught her cloaths and burnt her so dreadfully, that she died the next morning in great agonies, notwithstanding every medical application. She was a young lady of very amiable manners and is most sincerely lamented. 19/07/1790 Wife of ships carpenter in Bristol gave her infant child oil of vitriol instead of Dalby's Carminative in consequence of mistaking one bottle for another. The poor child died in great agonies and the mother was so affected that her recovery is doubtful. 23/08/1790 On Thursday last as a carter of Mr Blackar of Radstock Somerset was adjusting the harness of a young horse at the brick kiln near Frome he received a violent kick as to deprive him of life. A few days since, a woman of Yeovil by the name of Gray, fell into a fire and was so much burnt that she died. She had been subject to fits. A few days since died at Wellington, Charles Loney, one of the sheriffs officers for the county of Somerset; his death was occasioned by a fall from a horse as he was riding to summon witnesses 4 days before the last assizes at Wells; he survived the fall 3 days in the most agonising tortures but speechless. 30/08/1790 On Monday morning as a lad of Mells in the County of Someset was endeavouring to get up at the tail of a cart laden with edge tools, which happened not to be pinned down before, the cart tilted, and the whole load fell on him and killed him on the spot. Wednesday last Alexander Pearce for setting his master's house on fire at Yeovil, and John Taylor for robbing Mary Marsh of 50s were executed at Ilchester. Both denied the offences for which they suffered. 13/09/1790 Thursday se'nnight Mr John Lloyd treasurer of the Bath and Bristol theatre, walking the streets of Bristol in apparent good health and spirits was suddenly taken ill and died within two hours afterwards. Monday evening last as Mr Thomas Martin who keeps the Three Choughs Inn in Yeovil was returning home from this town, one of his stirrups broke on Babylon Hill in consequence of which he was thrown from his horse and killed on the spot. The next day the coroners inquest sat on his body and brought in their verdict - accidental death. 20/09/1790 A few days since an inquest was taken on the body of a child about eight years of age, in the parish of Huish Champflower Somerset who was found drowned in a pit of water, it is supposed she left the house in search of blackberries - verdict accidental death. A few days since a poor woman was leazing in the fields near Glastonbury. She was suddenly taken ill and found dead soon after. A few days ago a little boy about five years of age, son of Mr Cary of Allhampton in the County of Somerset was amusing himself by attempting to fish in a mill pond in that parish. He unfortunately fell in and was drowned. 27/09/1790 Saturday se'nnight as one Spurrel, servant of Mr Richards of Milverton, (who had been after coal at Watchet the same day) was returning home from a smith's shop, where he had been to have the horses shoed, that which he rode unfortunately fell down upon him; the poor animal endeavouring to rise fell again on his rider, and crushed him in so dreadful a manner, that he survived but a few hours. The best assistance was procured but in vain. 04/10/1790 On Tuesday last as one Thomas Cordwent, a young man about twenty, of Hemyock, Devon, was on a visit to a relation at Bishop's Lydeard, he, with two other young men (for a trifling wager), tried who could ride fastest. Mr Cordwent's horse meeting some pigs, fell over one of them, which bruised his rider in so terrible a manner, that he languished till eleven that evening, in great agonies, and then expired - he was the only son of Mr John Cordwent of Hemyock aforesaid. 11/10/1790 R Hudd a labourer of Twerton was killed by the falling in of a quarry of stone on Friday se'nnight, near the Fire Engine on the Bristol Road. He has left a wife far advanced in pregnancy and five small children; to whose relief the smallest charitable donations would operate as a cordial in the hour of deep affliction. 25/10/1790 On Friday se'nnight as James Knight, a shipwright was going from his work at Limekiln Dock Bristol he was so violently kicked by a stone-horse which was standing in the road, as to drive him against an adjacent wall and the horse continues kicking in so true a direction that had he not been seized by the head by a haulier and taken away, he must have been killed on the spot. Knight was taken to an adjoining public house and attended by several gentlemen of faculty, who recommended him to be taken to the infirmary where he died on Saturday evening in great agony. He has left a wife and three children to bemoan his loss. 06/12/1790 The rivers were so much swollen on Thursday se'nnight that a boy, who was driving a waggon through a stream between Ilminster and Broadway, was drowned and likewise three of the horses. Several people were in the waggon who fortunately escaped. 13/12/1790 On the day of electing a coroner for the Western Division of Somerset at Ilchester a spirited opposition was unexpectedly made in favour of the late coroner; but, on Mr Ball's arrival with a number of respectable gentlemen freeholders, the contest was given up and Mr Ball was accordingly elected. 20/12/1790 Saturday se'nnight, an inquest was taken by Mr Ball, one of the coroners of Somerset on the body of Mr G Prowse, a gentleman of property of Pitminster, who cut his own throat in a fit of melancholy. The jury brought in a verdict of lunacy. The next day, another inquest was taken by the same coroner in the parish of Elworthy, on the body of Farmer George Upham, who had the day before been assisting in cutting down some brand trees on a leasehold estate which he held only for his own life, one of which fell on him and crushed him so much that he died soon after. The jury's verdict was accidental death. Saturday se'nnight, one Gordon, who had lived in a gentleman's service, drowned himself in the river near Bath. He is supposed to have committed this rash action in consequence of having lost money in the lottery by insuring tickets, to which he is known to have been addicted. Wednesday, William Davies of West Camel labourer was found dead in bed. The evening before he went to bed apparently well. A few days before he died he paid a small bill for bread and then declared he had not sixpence in the world; but above 50 guineas have since been found in his pocket and box. 31/01/1791 We hear that Mr Ball of Williton near Watchet, coroner for the Western division of Somerset has taken four inquests within this month, viz. On Robert Yeandall of Wellington , found dead - verdict, visitation of God. Hannah Westlake, of Fitzhead, who drowned herself in a fit of lunacy; Thomas Cooksley, of Wiveliscombe, supposed to have received a violent blow from his son, but Mr L. an eminent surgeon, who attended him, declared his death to be occasioned by an inflammation in the bladder - verdict, natural death. - And William Westlake, of West Monkton, who was found suffocated in a small pond. - verdict Accidental Death.