Q 02 - Posted June 2006 by E Southam.
Looking for an Inquest. Can you help on where to look for them please ?
A 02 CORONERS INQUESTS
The following is an extract from
“The Family Historian Enquire Within” by Pauline Saul (ISBN 1-872094-83-X) :-
“Unfortunately many records of coroners' inquests have been destroyed, though there are exceptions. Those for the City of London have survived and are in the Guildhall Library (q.v.). From the late 19th century more are available. It is worth enquiring at your local CRO(For East Sussex - Lewes County Record Office, The Maltings, Lewes. BN7 1YT Tel: 01273-482359).
Newspapers often give very detailed reports of Coroners' Inquests and it is worth checking the relevant newspaper in the absence of any other record.
If an inquest into a suspicious death was held and adjourned then the death cannot be registered until the inquest has been closed. In certain circumstances this may be several months later and will account for why the death registration does not appear in the GRO indexes when you would expect it to (i.e. at the time of actual death).
The FFHS has published A Guide To Coroners' Records in England and Wales compiled by Jeremy Gibson and Colin Rogers”.
Next try the National Archives website at
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ then go to the top menu and click on Search the Archives, from the drop down menu select the catalogue, then click on Research Guides and then select ‘C, cursor down and select, coroners inquests. This guide can be downloaded free of charge and will help you to understand the structure and operation of these courts.
