BRIDE BURNED TO DEATH

Western Star, 2 October 1936, Page 2

BRIDE BURNED TO DEATH

LIGHTING FIRE WITH OIL. Married only two mouths, Mrs W. Catterall, aged 31, of Whittle Green Farm, Charnock Richard, Lancashire, died in distressing circumstances in Wigan Infirmary recently. The young husband, William Catterall, a dye workers’ colourmixer, stated at the inquest that when he went to feed the chickens in a field adjoining the house he left his wife preparing tea in the kitchen. Returning after about half an hour, he heaid her screaming, “Billy, Billy,Billy!’’ He ran to the house and saw her standing in the doorway. All her clothing had been burned off. The husband took her inside and applied olive oil. All her body was burned, and he immediately put her to bed and wrapped her up. Some considerable time elapsed before a doctor could be found, and Mrs Cattarell was then taken in a ear to the infirmary.

She stated on the journey that because the kitchen fire was nearly out she used some paraffin to rekindle it. Witness had previously warned her of the great danger of this practice. In returning a verdict of “Accidental death,’’ the coroner sympathised with the husband, and remarked that he was afraid the paraffin expedient to which the unfortunate woman resorted was all too common.