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Agnes Mann

Age: 14

Sex: female

Date: 23 May 1927

Place: LMS Canal, Pendleton

Agnes Mann was found dead in the LMS shipping Canal at Salford on 23 May 1927.

She was found in the canal four days after she had gone missing.

The police called for a man that had been seen walking with a girl that matched the description of Agnes Mann along the LMS Railway Canal at Windsor from the direction of Pendleton at about 7.45am on 20 May 1927 to contact them. They said that it may be that the man was legitimately passing along the towing path, possibly going to work but that they would still like to interview him. They said that he was about 46 years of age, clean shaven, had a fair complexion and had been wearing a muffler and cap. They also said that he had been dressed in dark clothing and boots and that he had walked with a decided limp.

A doctor said that he was satisfied that she had not fallen or jumped into the canal. He stated that death was due to asphyxia and that there was no evidence to suggest that it had been caused by natural causes. He also said that the condition of the lungs and stomach did not suggest that her death was due to drowning.

He said that in his opinion Agnes Mann must have gone into the water when in a state of unconsciousness, if she were not already dead at the time.

An employee at a workhouse where Agnes Mann also worked said that he had seen her wearing a wedding ring and said that she had told him that with others, including her sister, she had played at mock marriages. He said that on 19 May 1927 he had seen Agnes Mann and said that she appeared to be ill and downhearted.

Her sister said that Agnes Mann had obtained a wedding ring from the house and said that Agnes Mann used to lark with it.

The Coroner said that the only inference was that she had met somebody at the canal bank and that that person had by some means produced a state of unconsciousness in her and then pushed her into the water. The Coroner asked the doctor whether, if she had been chloroformed there would be any traces of chloroform in her body and the doctor said that there wouldn't. The doctor also said that changes in the colour of her face and neck would have hidden marks caused by strangulation.

Agnes Mann had lived on Hayfield Street in Pendleton near Manchester.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Leeds Mercury - Saturday 28 May 1927

see Shields Daily News - Thursday 02 June 1927

see Portsmouth Evening News - Saturday 28 May 1927

see Nottingham Evening Post - Saturday 28 May 1927

see Blyth News - Monday 30 May 1927