Age: 20
Sex: female
Date: 28 Dec 1930
Place: Llanover, Twentywell Lane, Sheffield
Alice Ethel Layton was found dead with a head injury in a garden. It was thought that she might have fallen out of a window.
She was a domestic servant and had worked for a man who lived at Llanover, Twentywell Lane, Sheffield.
She was found in the yard at the house where she worked with a wound to the back of her head. She was taken to the Sheffield Royal Infirmary where she later died.
The police investigation revealed nothing of a suspicious nature.
She had lived in Rutland Terrace in Barlow, Sheffield.
Alice Layton's mistress said that on 28 December 1930 she, her husband and their children went out for the day and thought that Alice Layton was going by the 3pm train to Dronfield.
The mistress said that they got back at 6.45pm and noticed that there was no light in the house and that three windows of the bottom house windows were open which was unusual. She said that she then heard groans and moans and then saw Alice Layton lying on her back on the ground.
She said that when she went into the room at the back of the house where a window was open she found that the bed had been pulled away from the window and a chair that had stood near the window was on the bed. She said that she thought Alice Layton had fallen out of the window.
The mistress said that Alice Layton was very quiet and that all the time that she had worked for her she had not spoken much. She added that on the Saturday Alice Layton had been forgetful in her work.
The post-mortem stated that death was due to cerebral laceration resulting from a fracture to the base of the skull. He said that her injuries were consistent with her having fallen out of a window and when asked by the Coroner if the injuries could have been sustained during an assault he said that it was unlikely.
However, an open verdict was returned.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Sheffield Independent - Friday 09 January 1931