Crime on the Walsall Canal-1870
In the 19th century the canal was a busy place of legitimate work, even on a Christmas day, but it could also be the scene of a crime, injury and even death. This is the unfortunate story of a young boat boy who during the winter of 1869/70 was cruelly mistreated by a boatman named William Parker.
On the 11th of March 1870, an inquest was held at a public house on Bath Row Birmingham regarding the unfortunate death of John Goodwin, a boat boy sixteen years. Presiding over the meeting was Dr John Birt Davies, Borough Coroner. The boy was the son of William Goodwin, farm labourer at Delvey's Green near Oldbury, and till the time of his death had been residing at the house of Sarah Hadley near the Blue Gates Smethwick.
It had been alleged that the deceased had been subjected to some undue violence by a man with whom he worked named William Parker, boatman from the Blue Gates. The incident had occurred on Thursday the 20th of January at the side of the Birmingham/ Walsall Canal near the Bridgeman Street bridge, Walsall (by Walsall Town Wharf at the bottom of Walsall Locks) and the boy had finally died as a result of his injuries at the Queen's Hospital, Birmingham. As a consequence, a warrant had been issued by Chief Superintendent Cater of Walsall for Parker's apprehension. The latter had been arrested and taken before the magistrates in Walsall and remanded to await the result of the inquest by the borough coroner.
The first witness to be called was Sarah Hadley, with whom the deceased had lodged for about five months. She said that on th20 thth of January the boy returned home and complained of being extremely ill; in his own words he said that he was afraid that he was going to have an attack of the rheumatism, similar to that which he had experienced some two years previous. On the same day he sent out for two pennyworth of rum which he drank neat. The next day he said that he was too ill to go to work and stayed at home. On Saturday he went out with a boat to work, but on the Sunday he was unable to eat and continued unwell until the Monday morning. On that day, an assistant to Mr Sutton, a surgeon of Smethwick, was called in. The boy complained of an injury to his right thigh, and leeches were applied. Then on the recommendation of the assistant surgeon, Goodwin was taken on the 27th of January to the Queens Hospital, but never reported that his injuries had been the result of violence.
When called to give evidence about his son, the father, William Goodwin stated that on the 26th January, he had seen his boy lying on sofa at his lodgings. He had complained about his knee, and there were twelve leeches on his thigh, which was swollen.
When Goodwin asked his son where the scabs on his lip had come from, the boy replied that they had been caused by the boatman with whom he worked, William Parker. He went on to add that Parker had knocked him down and kicked his knee, his back and once on his belly. This had occurred near a bridge by the James Iron Foundry at the side of the canal near Walsall. The boy explained that Parker had treated him so because he had had an accident with a boat rope and hadn't done his work properly. On concluding his statement, the father could not account for boy having spoken to Sarah Hadley regarding the rheumatism, for he had never heard of it before.
The next witness was Thomas Spinks, an annealer who lived in Pleck Lane near Walsall. He said that he was employed at James factory on the morning of the 20th January. At four O clock, he, in company with a youth named Samuel Bird had heard a cry of "O good Lord" after which he had watched the deceased walk over to a fence near the Bridgeman Street Bridge. The boy was crying very much. A moment or two later, Spinks saw a man - he could not say whether it was Parker or not - walk toward the deceased and threaten to "give him some more", if he did not go on. The boy, who was still crying then walked over to the boat and got in it. As the boat moved away Spinks shouted to the lad to ask him what the boatman had done to him; the boy replied that he had been kicked by him.
The inquest then moved on to testimony from persons at the Queens Hospital to discover the final steps leading up to the death of the boy. Doctor Tolly, House Surgeon stated that the boy had been admitted to the hospital on the 27th of January. He had a large fluctuated swelling to the right thigh, and was also suffering with a fever. The abscess was opened, after which the patient progressed tolerably well for the next three weeks. It was then decided that it was necessary for the leg to be amputated. After the operation, Tolly stated that the boy had rallied for a while but had finally died from pyaemia. Such effects might have occurred spontaneously and might or not be connected with any previous injuries.
The coroner then summed up the facts. He remarked that there was no legal evidence against anybody. He then asked Parker, who had been present throughout the proceedings if he had anything to say. Parker was duly cautioned and sworn in. He stated that on Christmas morning at about four O clock, he and the deceased had been boating toward the Perry Barr Locks and had sent the boy on to fill the lock, and while at the lock, the boy had had an accident with the boat horse, after which he said that he was unable to work.
The Inquiry was then adjourned, and unfortunately I was unable to find any follow up to the story in later editions of the newspaper. Of course one can only imagine the account and come to ones own conclusions as to what really happened nearly one hundred and forty years ago. In the end, the boy died of Pyaemia, a type of septicaemia (blood poisoning). Let us hope that Parker truly regretted his part in the boys down fall. In any event, the case certainly gives us something to think about the next time we pass through Walsall or Perry Barr locks.
Robert Davies
