Francis Salter (1824 – 1870)

Francis Salter was born circa 1824 in Newbury, the son of Francis and Ann, nee Shourey, Salter.

In the 1841 census Francis and his parents Francis and Ann were living in Northbrook Street in Newbury. Both Francis and his father were recorded as labourers.

Ten years later in the 1851 Francis and his parents Francis were living in Toomers Yard, off Northbrook Street in Newbury. Both Francis and his father were still labourers, while his mother Ann was a laundress.

In the 1861 census Francis was a lodger living with Sarah Maskell and two of her children at Hazells Yard off Bartholomew Street in Newbury and he was working as a labourer. Sarah was a char woman.

Francis died on 6 December 1863 aged 46 while living at Waterloo Place in West Street and he was buried on 10 December at Newtown Road Cemetery.

An inquest was held into Francis’s death which started on 7 December. Francis had cohabited with Mrs Maskell and with her earnings and a little money the deceased had invested in Post Office Savings Bank they maintained themselves. He occasionally complained of a pain in his left side, and was subject to shortness of breath and swelling of the feet. He was paralysed on one side. On the morning of the 6^th Mrs Maskell left home at 7 o’clock and on returning at half past two in the afternoon, finding he had not got up she went to his room, where she found the deceased in bed and quite cold, evidently having been dead for some hours, and thereupon called P.C. Justice. Deceased was 46. He had been in the employ of Mr. Toomer, of Northbrook Street, for upwards of 20 years, till within 3 months of his death, when having a little drink one evening he left and did not return again, it appears he had been addicted to drinking habits. The above was given in evidence by Mrs. Maskell, and a man named Harry Griegg stated he saw the deceased on Monday at half past 12, when he made no complaint of ill health. The inquiry was then adjourned until the evening, for a post mortem examination to be made. 

The inquest continued on evening of 7^th December at Mansion House. Mr. F.E. Ryott, surgeon, who made a post mortem examination, to procure which led to the adjournment, stated he had known deceased for years and attended him in August last for a carbuncle and general debility. The post showed that the heart was unusually large weighing 13 ½ ounces, and in his opinion death arose from fatty degeneration. The coroner briefly addressed the jury, who returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.

Francis’s parents Francis and Ann were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 16 January 1863 and 9 July 1855 respectively.

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