Child

The body of a female child was found on the banks of the River Avon near Sea Mills on the morning of Wednesday 20 May 1903.

It was found by a labourer that had lived in Hotwells at about 7.30am as he was walking to the docks. He said that it was just below Black Rock.

He said that it was wrapped up in brown paper tied up with string and about 30 feet from the water's edge and that at the time the tide was coming in. The paper was wet and it was said to have been in the water.

He said that he then took the parcel to Clifton Police Station and handed it over to the police.

The divisional police surgeon that carried out the post mortem said that he formed the opinion that the child had been between two and three months old. He said that the child was greatly emaciated and had not been in the water for more than 12 hours. 

He said that death was due to malnutrition from intestinal degeneration. 

He said that there was no evidence of drowning and nothing to show that the death was the result of foul play. 

The jury returned an open verdict of Found Dead.