Person:Catherine Cox (23)

Catherine Cox was born on 25th February 1875 at Barnack in Northamptonshire, daughter of Elizabeth Cox, formerly Ward, and her husband Thomas Cox, a wheelwright. The 1881 census finds Catherine living with her parents and siblings in Barnack. When Catherine was nine years old her father Thomas died, after which she was brought up by her mother, who in turn was financially supported by Catherine's older brothers.

Catherine went into domestic service. In 1891 she was living at South Kyme, Lincolnshire, with her sister Elizabeth, who had married a publican called Samuel Taylor Coulson. By 1901 she was working as a parlour maid for a clergyman named Charles Cartwright, who was rector of Seaton, Rutland.

In 1904, she was engaged to a man named Richard Alfred Manton from Seaton, who died whilst under anaesthetic having an operation to remove an abscess in his leg. Catherine never did marry.

Catherine's mother died in Barnack in 1906.

By 1911 Catherine was working as a parlourmaid for the Bishop of Leicester, who lived at Canonry House in Peterborough.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Catherine had returned to South Kyme, living with her sister Martha and her husband. Catherine was still described as a parlourmaid at this time.

Catherine lived to be 89 years old. She died in 1964 in the Sleaford district, which included South Kyme.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Catherine COX, June Quarter 1875, Stamford Registration District, Volume 7a, 319, mother's maiden name Ward

2. ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Barnack (Northamptonshire). Parish registers, 1695–1974. (Northampton, England: Northamptonshire Record Office).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Barnack in the County of Northampton in the Year 1875
   No.	When Baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents' Name		Abode	Quality, Trade, or Profession	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   			Christian	Surname
   996	1875 March 28th	Catharine	Thomas & Elizabeth	Cox	Barnack	Wheelwright	H. Mitchell, Curate

3. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 3194; Folio 38; Page 5, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Back Lane, Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, head, married, male, 48 [1832/3], Wheel-wright Mast[er] Emp[loying] 1 man, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Elizabeth Cox, wife, married, female, 46 [1834/5], Wheel-w[righ]t's wife, b. Great Hale, Lincolnshire
   William Cox, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1862/3], Wheel-w[righ]t's son, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Thomas Cox, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Butcher's boy, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John H. Cox, son, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Catherine Cox, daughter, female, 6 [1874/5], Scholar, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Martha Cox, daughter, female, 2 [1878/9], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire

4. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 2577; Folio 195; Page 16, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Sam[ue]l Coulson, head, married, male, 45 [1845/6], Innkeeper, employer, b. South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   Eliz[abeth] Coulson, wife, married, female, 26 [1864/5], b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Susan Coulson, daughter, female, 9 mos [1890], b. South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   Catherine Cox, boarder, single, female, 16 [1874/5], Domestic Servant, employed, b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   John Collingwood, boarder, single, male, 19 [1871/2], Labourer, employed, b. Leverton, Lincolnshire
   Martha Faulkner, boarder, single, female, 18 [1872/3], Domestic Servant, employed, b. Billlinghay, Lincolnshire

5. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 3018; Folio 55; Page 5, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: The Rectory, Seaton, Rutland
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Charles W[illia]m Cartwright, head, married, male, 55 [1845/6], Clergyman (Church of England), employer, b. Brandon, Suffolk
   Alice Mary Cartwright, wife, married, female, 51 [1849/50], b. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
   Arthur H[enr]y Cartwright, son, single, male, 25 [1875/6], b. Tostock, Suffolk
   Francis Geoffrey Cartwright, son, single, male, 20 [1880/1], b. Mileham, Norfolk
   Lydia Ann Spencer, Servant, single, female, 28 [1872/3], Cook (Domestic), b. Stanion, Northamptonshire
   Catherine Cox, Servant, single, female, 26 [1874/5], Parlour Maid (Domestic), b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Betsy Skelton, Servant, single, female, 16 [1884/5], Housemaid (Domestic), b. Stapleford, Leicestershire
   Ernest Hippey, Servant, single, male, 19 [1881/2], Groom (Domestic), worker, b. Norcott, Rutland

6.   Grantham Journal, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Saturday 13 Feb 1904.

   THE DISTRESSING FATALITY UNDER CHLOROFORM AT SEATON
   DEATH BY MISADVENTURE
   An inquest was held at the Three Horse Shoes Inn, Seaton, on Saturday night, before V.G. Stapleton, Esq., coroner for the southern division of Rutland, concerning the death of the young man, Richard Alfred Manton, who died unexpectedly while under an anaesthetic, on February 4th, as reported in last week's Journal. The following jury was empanelled, viz., Messrs. Wm. Crowden (who was chosen foreman), Robt. Crowden, Jno. Thompson, Jno. King, Harry Hudson, Hy. Barfield, Arthur Stanger, Wm. Watkin, Jno. Kirby, Wm. Burns, Geo. Stanger, Geo. Drury, and Wm. Thompson.-Mrs. Sabina Bradshaw, of Mowacre Hill, near Leicester, a married relative, identified the body as that of Richard Alfred Manton, whose home was at Seaton. He was a carpenter, and aged twenty-four last August. The deceased did not live at home with his father and mother; he had been at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, but came home three weeks ago last Thursday, on account of illness. Death took place about 12.30 on Thursday afternoon. Witness last spoke to deceased after the doctor had got into the room, and told him he was going to give him chloroform: this was about ten minutes to twelve. Deceased did not like the thoughts of it. When Dr. Bell came in first, she was not in the room; witness and her sister followed him up. He asked the doctor if he should suffer much afterwards, and he replied, "Only a little soreness." The doctor told him he was going to administer chloroform before witness got into the room. He said he did not like the thoughts of going under the operation. The doctor stated that the operation would not take many minutes, and deceased eventually consented to have it done. Witness came out of the room, and her sister likewise left. Her sister was not well, and asked the doctor if he would wait until another day, but he seemed unwilling. The patient would have got well without the operation but it would have taken longer. Dr. Bell called them after he had performed the operation, and her sister went and held the basin for him to wash the wound out. Then Dr. Bell thought he was coming round. But deceased began to retch: he was not sick - and she asked if she should hold his head up? Dr. Bell pulled his head and shoulders off the bed, and tried to bring life back again. He seemed to choke: she could tell the sickness came up into his mouth and kept going back again. Witness then went for his father, who, on getting there, took his head from the doctor and laid it back on the pillow. He was quite dead.-Kenneth Bell, registered medical practitioner, residing at Uppingham, deposed that he had seen the deceased on nearly alternate days during the last three weeks. He was suffering from a large abscess in the thigh. It was supposed to have arisen through a slight injury, but they could not say that for certainty. Witness went to see him on Thursday about twelve o'clock. He spoke to the mother first, and told her that he had come to perform an operation by chloroform. He had told her some days previously that it would probably come to that. When he saw deceased on Thursday, in his opinion the time had arrived for the operation: it had to be done some time. The abscess had been opened; the operation was to lay it right open, in order that it might drain properly. That was the usual procedure in cases of that description. He saw the deceased upstairs after seeing his mother, and told him he proposed to operate. Naturally, he did not like the idea at first, but as he pointed out that it would have to be done sooner or later, he then seemed quite willing to have it done. He did not object to having it done after witness had explained things: in fact, he consented. Deceased's aunt and mother came in towards the end while witness was persuading him. They left the room when he began to administer chloroform, as they did not like the idea of it, and he told them he could get on at present without them. He administered the chloroform in the usual way on a towel, and he should think deceased had about two teaspoonfuls altogether. Then he opened the abscess. As soon as he had done the cutting, he called deceased's mother in to help him. He did not remember speaking to him. Deceased was beginning to come round, and he then commenced to retch. Witness did not think he was sick at all: he thought he was only retching. Next witness noticed that he had stopped breathing, immediately after he began to retch. He pulled his shoulders over the edge of the bed, in order that his head might hang down, this being done to let the blood get to the head. No result followed, and witness thought he was practically dead as soon as he noticed him. Witness tried artificial respiration later, but without success. Witness had been in practice nearly six years as a doctor. During his College career and in practice he had administered anaesthetics by himself before. He considered, in this case, that he used the customary precautions, and did it quite properly. Deceased was not a strong man, but, beyond that, he did not think there was any disease anywhere. In his opinion, the cause of death was heart failure, due to the after-effects of the chloroform.-The Coroner: I suppose the chloroform was given to deaden the pain?-The Doctor: Yes; to render him unconscious, so that he should not feel anything.-The Coroner: Then I am to understand that the chloroform was given in the usual way?-Dr. Bell: Yes; in the usual way.-The Coroner: Without any hurry?-Witness: Yes.-The Foreman of the Jury: Was he quite strong enough to have the chloroform administered?-The Doctor: Yes, I think he was.-A Juryman (Mr. Kirby): Is it usual for one doctor alone to give the chloroform?-The witness said that very often it was done in minor operations; but in serious cases, if they wanted to keep them under the anaesthetic, they required two. It was customary to do so; it was very often done.-The Juryman: Is it a usual thing to give chloroform on a full stomach?-The Doctor replied that he did not consider it proper to give it thus as a rule. He did not consider this man had a full stomach; he had been living on "slops."-The Juryman: Was it Mr. J.T. Manton's wish this operation should be done?-The Coroner: At twenty-four, deceased was supposed to have a mind of his own.-Another Juryman (Mr. W. Thompson) said he believed deceased had rheumatic fever several years ago, and if this left his heart debilitated, would it not render him unfit for the anaesthetic?-The Coroner asked the doctor whether he had attended him for rheumatic fever?-Witness stated he had attended one of the sons of Mr. Manton for something, but whether this was the one he could not say: it would be two or three years since.-This juryman also asked, as Mr. Kenneth Bell was acting with his father (Dr. T. Bell) in business, whether the father was cognizant of the operation?-The Doctor replied that his father had discussed this question, and he told witness that (Thursday) morning he might as well do it that day.-Mr. J.T. Manton, jun. (of Peterborough), a brother of deceased, but who was not present at the commencement of the inquiry, asked-"Is it possible for a doctor to perform an operation and administer chloroform at the same time?" He also enquired as to who gave consent to the operation being performed?-The Coroner, by way of reply, reiterated those portions of the depositions of Mrs. Bradshaw and the doctor having reference thereto.-A Juryman (Mr. W. Burns) said he always thought that it was a general rule to have two doctors when chloroform was administered? He himself had been under operations.-The Coroner said he had made independent inquiries the day before of medical gentlemen, and found it was done in minor cases by one.-A Juryman (Mr. Drury): Who consented for the chloroform to be given?-The Coroner said he wished the jurymen would pay attention, and he then proceeded to read the evidence of Mrs. Bradshaw, where consent was given by deceased in her presence.-The Doctor, further questioned, said he told the deceased at the time, but he did not tell him before that day. He had, however, acquainted Mrs. Manton with the conditions days before.-Mr. J.T. Manton further inquired if it was possible for the wound - it was a gash - to be bleeding for some hours afterwards, as this was the case when he got to his parents' home at night? Would the jurymen like to go and see the wound?-It was not thought necessary for the jury to do so.-The Doctor: Blood would be oozing from the cut vessels.-The Coroner: Was it an artery cut?-The Doctor: Very likely it was: a small artery might have been cut, but not such a one that would cause death.-Mr. J.T. Manton: I should like to say it is my father's wish to have a post-mortem examination.-The Coroner said he would take the evidence of deceased's mother if they wished; but the jury were able to spare her pain, as the depositions of the aunt and doctor coincided, and she was not called. The Court was then cleared, and the Coroner very ably summed up the evidence. He said that he did not consider it necessary, from the report which reached him, to order a post-mortem examination, but if they thought it advisable, they could have the inquest adjourned for that purpose. In his opinion, there was no necessity for it. (The jury expressed assent to this view.) It seemed clear, on the evidence of the aunt, that the deceased quite understood that he was going to have the operation under chloroform. In regard to the operation, it went off all right, and, apparently, it was when the deceased was "choking" that he seemed to stop breathing. The doctor's evidence in no wise differed from that of deceased's aunt, and it seemed from the evidence of the aunt and the doctor that the operation was performed in a proper way. It was true there was an unfortunate ending to it, but, occasionally, these things did happen in cases of this sort. It was well said - It is God that gives, and man only administers medicine. If the doctor had not been guilty of gross ignorance and neglect, it was simply a death from misadventure: it was simply a very unfortunate accident. If they were satisfied there was neither ignorance nor neglect, it was their duty to return their verdict accordingly.-After some deliberation, the jury unanimously returned a simple verdict of "Death from misadventure."-The inquiry lasted nearly two hours.
   
   The unfortunate young man's end in so distressing a manner elicited the greatest concern and sorrow, not alone in Seaton, but throughout the district, and much commiseration was expressed with the bereaved relatives. The funeral was on Monday afternoon, in Seaton churchyard. The Rector (Rev. C.W. Cartwright) being away, the Rev. R. Waltham, R.D., Rector of Glaston, read the burial office. Nine couples of mourners followed, viz., Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Manton (father and mother), Mr. H.T. Manton, Miss Ellen Manton, Mr. Herbert Manton, Mr. Edward Manton, Miss Myrtle Manton (brothers and sisters), Miss Kate Cox (deceased's fiancee), Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Manton (Lyddington), Mr. A.E. Manton (Lyddington), Miss Kate Tyler (Edithweston), Mr. Albert Roach (Leicester), Miss Lizzie Woodward (Edithweston), Mr. T. Cox, and Miss Martha Cox (Barnack), Mrs. Arthur Cox (Leicester), and Mrs. A. Roach. Four young men - Messrs. Cecil Baines, J. Cooper, G. Hudson, and S. Lack - were the bearers. Wreaths and crosses of lovely white flowers were sent as follows:-"From his heart-broken brother Tirrel, and Family"; "To my dear Alf., from his sorrowing Kate, 'Not gone from memory, or from love; but gone to our Father's Home above'"; "With love and deepest sympathy from Ellen and Martha" (Misses E. Manton and M. Cox); "From the Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Cartwright, with deep sympathy"; "From his loving Aunt Sabina, with deepest sympathy"; "With deepest sympathy from Sarah Ann and Arthur Manton"; "With deepest sympathy, from his fellow workmen, F. Owen and R. Hood" (Ashby-de-la-Zouch); "With deep sympathy, from Mr. and Mrs. W. Crowden"; "Mr. and Mrs. A. Cox, Leicester, with deepest sympathy. 'Leaving him to sleep in trust till the Resurrection-day'"; and "From Mr. and Mrs. Hudson and family, with deepest sympathy and respect."

7. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 8676; Schedule 309, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: Canonry House, Peterborough, Northamptonshire
   17 rooms occupied
   Lewis Clayton, head, male, 72 [1838/9], married, Bishop Suffragan (Established Church), b. Middlesex London Marylebone
   Katharine Clayton, wife, married, female, 67 [1833/4], married 39 years, 4 children born alive, 4 children still living, b. Middlesex London Brompton
   Eliza Ann Osborn, servant, female, 27 [1883/4], single, Cook (domestic), b. Langham, Rutland
   Katharine Cox, servant, female, 34 [1876/7], Parlourmaid (domestic), b. Barnack, Northamptonshire
   Rose Ellen Barns, servant, female, 22 [1878/9], Housemaid (domestic), b. Peterborough, Northamptonshire
   Winifred Farington, servant, female, 15 [1895/6], Kitchenmaid (domestic), b. London Battersea

8. ↑ General Register Office. 1939 Register
   East Kesteven Rural District, 29 Sep 1939.

   Address: Low Road, South Kyme, Lincolnshire
   Potter, Arthur / male / 3 Aug 1879 / married / Farm Labourer
   Potter, Martha / female / 13 Jul 1878 / married / Unpaid domestic duties
   Potter, Neville A. / male / 24 Jan 1908 / single / Haulage Contractor - ARP Warden
   Cox, Catherine / female / 25 Feb 1875 / single / Domestic Parlourmaid

9. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Catherine COX, June Quarter 1964, Sleaford Registration District, Volume 3b, page 115, aged 89 [1874/5]