Skeleton

The skeleton of a woman was found in a cavern at Castle Mills in Dudley on 16 May 1961.

The police said that they were unable to identify whose remains they were.

A set of dentures were found with the remains and the police released photographs and a description of them but with no result. Details had also been sent to all dental journals.

It was heard that the remains completely matched the description of a woman that had been missing for 25 years and who had been known to be a frequenter of the caverns, however, the police said that they had been unable to make the final link between the woman and the remains found.

The Coroner concluded that the remains were those of a woman of average build, aged between 30 and 35 and between 5ft 5in and 5ft 8in in height. He noted that her dentures were cheap but had been repaired by an expert.

He noted that the upper jaw had been fractured and that there were traces of blood on the inner and outer skull but that it was impossible to tell whether that had been inflicted before or after death.

He then said, apart from the factual evidence, everything else was pure speculation.

An open verdict was returned.