Mary Elizabeth Jones

Mary Elizabeth Jones died in a fire at her cottage in Denbigh on 23 November 1984.

Mary Jones was described as an elderly recluse and to have lived in an isolate 4 bedroom cottage at Ty Nant near Corwen.

Her inquest heard that although positive identification of the human remains found in the cottage was impossible, that the Coroner was satisfied that they were those of Mary Jones.

Her cottage, which was burnt out, was found on the morning of 23 November 1984 by a farmer, however, it was noted that that was the first that was known of the matter, with no one being aware of the blaze the night before.

Her cottage was described as a fire trap. It was also described as being in a secluded spot, out of view of any nearby properties.

Her son, a shepherd at Glynllifon Agricultural College near Caernarfon, said that he sometimes took her shopping to Cerrigydrudion, but that she otherwise kept very much to herself.

There was no mains water to her cottage and she used candles for lighting. Her only source of heat was an open fire for which she stored logs and coal in the house.

A detective that described the cottage stated that it was a fire trap, and that the blaze could well have been started by a spark from the fire or even a log falling out.

When the Coroner recorded an open verdict, he added that no one would ever be certain what had happened.