Mary Ann Kilcoyne

Mary Ann Kilcoyne was found injured in the street, but it could not be determined how she had received her injuries.

She was found in Wards End off Lancaster Road on the Saturday night on 24 August 1940 and was taken to Preston Royal Infirmary where she died the following day, Sunday 25 August 1940.

Her cause of death was given as being due to a fractured skull.

Her brother-in-law said that Mary Kilcoyne had lived with him in Meadow Street in Preston since her father had died. He said that she was a retired weaver and a native of Kirkham.

He said that when Mary Kilcoyne failed to return to Meadow Street on the Saturday night he and his wife didn't worry, adding that it was not unusual for Mary Kilcoyne to visit relatives in Kirkham and to stay with them overnight. He said that it was not until he read the report in 'The Lancashire Daily Post' on the Monday morning that he realised anything was amiss.

An ambulance driver said that when he got to Ward End, he found Mary Kilcoyne lying unconscious on the pavement and bleeding from the mouth and nose. However, he said that none of the people about at the time could tell him what had happened.

A policeman said that Mary Kilcoyne bore no injuries to indicate that she had been struck by a vehicle or that she had been the victim of an attack. He said that he made inquiries but said that he was unable to find out how she had received her head injuries.

The Coroner said that Mary Kilcoyne had probably fallen, but that there was no evidence to that effect and an open verdict was returned.