JOSEPH SOUTH(2)

Joseph South(2) 1850-1897 died on 25 February 1897. The Tottenham & Edmonton Weekly Herald of 5 March 1897 reported the inquest and the funeral together with details the principal mourners.

THE LATE MR SOUTH - DEATH CAUSED BY A SPRAIN On Saturday, Mr A C Langham, the deputy coroner held an enquiry at the Cemetery House into the circumstances connected with the death of Mr Joseph South, aged 46 years, brick merchant and builder, 29 Fore-street, Upper Edmonton. Mr A J Avery, solicitor, represented the family of the deceased. Mrs South, the widow, said that her husband enjoyed good health until Tuesday, January 26th, when he met with an accident. He left home that day at breakfast time to go to his brickfield, and just before one he returned by tram and said that he had sprained his foot. She looked at the limb, but beyond a slight swelling she noticed nothing unusual in appearance. At dinner time he complained of feeling sick and faint, and afterwards he lay down for a time. He went out again in the afternoon but came back in about an hour. He told witness that he nearly fell over a rut in the brickfield and so sustained the injury. The following day the deceased visited his field, but had to come home. He rode to Dr. Green's surgery by tram, and had his leg examined that day and also on the following Friday. After this date the doctor saw him every day at his house until his death, which occurred early on Thursday morning William Webb, foreman on the employ of the deceased, said that he was walking with Mr South in the brickfield on Jan. 26th, when the deceased slipped over a rut and fell against the witness. The ground was hard in consequence of the frost. The deceased said that he had hurt his leg, but after some rubbing he walked to the office. A little later he complained of pain and went home. Dr. Green said that the deceased told that while walking over a frozen road his foot slipped on the top of a rut and he twisted his leg. The inner side of the leg was swollen, but there was no injury to the bone or ankle joint, and he thought it must be a sprain or slight tear of the muscle that the deceased was suffering from. Subsequently a clot of blood formed at the seat of the injury, and afterwards extended higher up the leg. In his opinion a portion of the clot became detached and was carried on by the blood stream until it blocked up the pulmonary artery, thus causing death. By Mr. Avery: In the absence of any proof to the contrary he should say that the clot of blood arose from the injury. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned. The deceased was interred at Edmonton Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon amid very general manifestation of regret. In Fore-street most of the shops and houses were shaded, and although the weather was boisterous, a fairly large number of people assembled at the burial place, Among those present were the Revs L. G Fry, G E Thorn and  d Russell, Councillors Lacey, Rowe Kilsby and Wrampling, Messrs. Ingledew, Bath, Plowman, W Brown, Knight, Bennett and representatives of Tottenham PSA.. The service was impressively conducted by the Rev. T Bagley, minister of Snell's Park Congregational Chapel, and the Rev. R R Cornell, formerly minister of Northumberland Park Primitive Methodist Chapel. The wreaths, which were very beautiful and must have numbered nearly thirty. These included an everlasting wreath sent by the deceased's employees, many of whom accompanied the cortege to the cemetery. Mrs. South and family desire to thank those who sent messages of sympathy.