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Amelia Kirkby

Age: 76

Sex: female

Date: 28 May 1957

Place: Sod Hall Lane, Midge Hall, Leyland, Lancashire

Amelia Kirkby was found dead on the railway line near Sod Hall Lane in Midge Hall with injuries that could not be explained.

She had lived in Fulshaw Road in Ashton.

When she was found she had flowers in her hand.

Her death was stated as being the result of haemorrhage of the brain due to laceration of the skull, but the only damage found on her body was a large area of bruising to the back of her head and a fracture of the skull although the cage of her body was crushed. It was noted that there were no gross injuries as were usually found in railway accidents but that they were quite consistent with a fall against the railway line.

Her son said that Amelia Kirkby's health had deteriorated mentally during the previous six years but said that she liked to walk about.

He said that on 28 May 1957 that Amelia Kirkby told him that she was going out for a walk and he said that he advised her to stay in the garden. However, he said that shortly after he left the house and said that when he got back she had gone.

Her body was found the following day, 29 May 1957.

When she was found she had a bunch of wallflowers in her right hand and the police said that it appeared that she had been picking them from an allotment 30 or 40 yards away.

When the Coroner summed up he said that it was hardly likely that her injuries had been caused by a train and that her injuries were more consistent with a fall and equally with a blow.

He added that it was possible that Amelia Kirkby had been blown over by the draught of a passing train.

An open verdict was returned.


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

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 25 June 1957, p7