Leeds Mercury – Saturday 12 November 1938

Killed By Firework

Thurnscoe Baby’s Sad Death

How a halfpenny firework resulted in the death of a child was related at an Inquest at Thurnscoe today on Brian Crofts, the 21-months-old son of George Henry Crofts, collier, of Low Grange Road, Thurnscoe.

A verdict of Accidental death was returned, the Coroner saying the father seemed to have taken every reasonable precaution.

The father said that on November 5 he lighted a firework and threw it down the garden away from his wife and child. It flew back and went under the boy. Witness took him into the house, where he removed his clothes and sent for a doctor. There were burns on the stomach.

The boy was all right until Wednesday afternoon when he had a fit just after the doctor had seen him. Witness sent for another doctor, and the first doctor came again at night. The child had two fits in between. He had another fit at about 11 o’clock, and yet another at about 3.30 a.m. He died shortly afterwards.