Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter, Saturday 16 February 1889.

Penge. Sad Death of a Woman.

On Tuesday last an inquest was held at the "Watermans Arms," Penge, by Mr. W. P. Morrisons, Coroner for the Croydon division of the County, on the body of Elizabeth Prescott, a married woman, of 10, Clifford Grove, Penge, who died on the previous Sunday morning.

John Prescott, a stoker, employed at the Crystal Palace, said the deceased was his wife. She was 37 years of age, and had had seven children, the last one being born on the previous Thursday. A midwife named Mrs. Overall was engaged to attend on the deceased the fortnight previously. The child was stillborn. A doctor attended the birth. The nurse was instructed by him to send for a doctor when required.

Bernard Charles Scott, M.D., deposed that he was called to 10, Clifford Grove on Thursday morning about 10 o'clock. He found deceased in a very dangerous condition. The midwife was then present. The deceased had lost a large quantity of blood, and was consequently very weak. Medical assistance ought to have been called in before. When he he arrived on Thursday deceased was in a very low state, and her pulse was very feeble. After the birth of her child of the deceased gradually sank, and died on Sunday morning. In his opinion the loss of blood previously to the birth was a cause of death. If he had been called in earlier the mother would, no doubt, have stood a much better chance of her life, but he could not positively say that she would have lived.

Ellen Dyer, a married woman, of 9, Clifford Grove, Penge, was the next witness. She said she was called into Mrs. Prescott's on Thursday. Deceased told her she had been bad for a fortnight, and that if she had had medical aid she would have got on much better. The midwife told witness that it was a very bad case. She (the witness) was with deceased everyday afterwards till her death.

Sarah Dyton, of 12, Clifford Grove, Penge, said she was with Mrs. Prescott on the Friday, when the midwife was first sent for. Mrs. Prescott was then in a very dangerous condition, and witness sent for Mrs. Overall, the midwife. When Mrs. Overall came she told Mrs. Prescott she would not undertake the case without a doctor. Mrs. Prescott only answered, "Oh! Dear." The next morning Mr. Prescott came home about 8:15, and Mrs. Overall then told him she could not undertake the case with a doctor. Mr. Prescott told her to get a doctor, and he would find the money and pay it. Witness was in the house again before the child was born. Mrs. Overall told her deceased was very bad, and said again that she could not undertake the case without a doctor. Witness said to her, "You know Mr. Prescott told you to get a doctor when there was one wanted, and he would pay for it." Witness did not see Mr. Prescott till Thursday night.

By a juryman:- Mrs. Prescott wanted a doctor and told Mrs. Overall to send for one and her husband would pay the money.

Alice Overall, married, age 21, Raleigh Road, Penge, was next called and said she was a midwife. She had practised for 37 years in Penge, but she had no certificate. Witness told deceased she could not attend to her without the help of a doctor, and offered her five shillings towards paying for one. But she would not consent to have one. Did she say deceased told her she had not got the money. No one else was present, and she remained with deceased until about 4 in the morning. The husband came home about 9 the next morning, and she went to him and told him that the babies clothes were in pawn, and he got them out. She did not think Mr. Prescott knew they were there. He gave 5 shillings to get them out, and the things were in the house when she went back again. He gave her no authority on that day to get a doctor, and the deceased would not consent to have one. The objection to have a doctor was on the wife side. On no occasion did Mr. Prescott give her authority to have doctor, because the wife would not consent to have one. On Wednesday the husband gave her 10s. to get a doctor, and deceased gave her consent on Thursday morning about 2:30. Witness fetch the doctor about 9:30 or 9:45 on Thursday morning. Deceased was not a woman who drank. Deceased herself told her that she had pawned the babies clothes. The Witness told Mr. Prescott that she could not attend deceased without a doctor he gave her 10 shillings to get one with. The witness Sarah Dyson was not in the house when she was sent for, but came there late on Friday evening. The next morning witness was there before 7, but she had no conversation with Mr. Presscott any further than telling him she wanted the babies clothes. The evidence of Sarah Dyson about Mr. Prescott giving witness authority to get a doctor was untrue. Witness could not say exactly when she first told Mr. Prescott that it was necessary to have a doctor. On Friday morning she asked whether he would have a doctor and he said he would leave it to his wife. The conversation took place between 9 and 10 on Friday morning. Witness believe the husband with her to have a doctor, but he said she would not. Mrs. Dyton was not present at the conversation.

By a juryman:- It was unusual to pay the doctor at the time.

Dr. Scott, recalled, said that it was usual for a woman to pay the doctor when he attended, but if Mrs. Overall had come to him and represented the dangerous condition of the deceased he would have gone at once.

John Prescott, recalled, said his wages were 5d. an hour. He carried on the average about 30s. per week. He allowed his wife about 22s. per week for housekeeping, etc. He was not aware that the babies clothes were in pawn. He gave her the money to get them out. He believed he gave the money to Mrs. Overall, but he was not certain. His wife did not drink. He saw the midwife when she first came, and she asked him to send for a doctor a day or two afterwards, but his wife did not want one. The midwife did not tell him she must have a doctor till the day of the birth, when his wife consented it to have one. On Saturday morning the midwife said his wife was very bad, and he said that if anything was required she was to let her have it.

The room was then cleared, and after a few minutes consideration, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. They also severely censured the midwife for attending to the case at all without the doctor being sent for.