Skeleton

A skeleton was found in a plantation near Birchills in Bakewell.

The plantation ran between the Bakewell to Baslow Road and the Hassop Road at Birchills near Bakewell.

The skeleton was found by a forester as he was felling timber.

He said that his attention was drawn to a pair of brown shoes that were under a bush in the undergrowth and that when he investigated further, he found the skeleton.

When the police examined the scene, they found that it had been under the bush for a considerable time and that only the bones remained, with some of the clothing having disintegrated. They said that there was very little in the pockets to help with identification and stated that they thought that the skeleton was that of an elderly man of the tramp class.

They noted that in peace-time, the Bakewell to Baslow Road had been frequently used by tramps going between the Bakewell Institution and Chesterfield and Sheffield.

The police said that the skeleton was about 75 yards from the Bakewell to Baslow Road and that the place was secluded.

A doctor that examined the remains said that the skeleton was denuded of flesh and that he took it to be that of a man of about 5ft 8in tall, of average build, and at least 60 years of age. He noted that in life the man would have suffered from arthritis.

He added that he thought that the body had been there for between eight to ten years.

He said that there were no marks of violence on the bones.

An open verdict was returned.