South Yorkshire Times  January 20, 1933

Lazy Mother

Denounced By Her Own Mother

Strange Thurnscoe Case

The Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) at Thurnscoe on Saturday held an inquest on William Henson, son of William and Freda Henson, Tudor Street. Thurnscoe, who died from abnormalities of the brain on Jan. 12.

Freda Henson, who had been married 15 months, said she went to bed on Wednesday evening with her husband and the child. The latter was troubled with a cough on Monday night, and was taken to Dr. Boyle, who gave her some medicine for the baby.

It was midnight when she went to bed on Wednesday, and she went to sleep with the baby still awake. She usually went off pretty quickly. During the night they were all awake a good deal coughing, and about 10 a.m. on Thursday, when she woke again, the child declined to be fed. She went to sleep again, and was awakened by her mother at 1-30 p.m. The baby was then dead by her side.

In reply to the Coroner, witness said she Lad to have the baby in bed as there was no room for a cot. The bed just fitted. She had been warned about the practice.

Mrs. Marion Macfarren, Freda Henson’s mother, who lives at the same address, said she had been helping to look after the child. He was much better on Wednesday evening except for his cough, and she advised her, daughter to take him to the doctor. She was too lazy to do so. When she was lying  down there was no getting her up. On Thursday she woke her daughter by shaking her. She could not rouse her by calling her name. The chill was dead when she awoke.

“I have told my daughter about the danger of children sleeping with their parents. There was no room in their bedroom for a cot, and there were 11 people in the house.” ,

The Coroner: You have heard what your mother says about this.

Freda Henson: Yes, that’s right.

The Coroner: Why didn’t you go for the doctor, then.

Macfarren: She was too lazy. That’s the talk and bottom of it. I’ve told her what her laziness would lead her to.

The Coroner: Was it laziness?

Freda Henson: I can’t say, sir.

Mrs. Macfarren: There was nothing to hinder her going for the doctor,

Freda Henson: I was really too tired to go anywhere.

The Coroner: You are the parent and you should have looked after the child. Your mother has had more experience than you. Why didn’t you go? Simply idleness?

Freda Henson made no reply.

The Coroner: You can’t play with babies’ lives, you know.

Turning to William Henson, the Coroner asked: What have you got to say about this?

William Henson: I thought the child was getting a little better. It was getting late in the day, or I would have been down with him.

The Coroner: Your mother told you to get the doctor on Tuesday and you did nothing all day.

William Henson: I have been nearly dead. I have been simply terrible with cramp and cold.

The Coroner: Is your wife lazy?

Wm. Henson: Yes, sir. She’s none too fond of work.

Mrs. Macfarren! She’s born idle. I haven’t patience with her.

The Coroner (to Freda Henson): Do you realise how serious this is?

Freda Henson: Yes, sir.

The Coroner: Why don’t you pull yourself together? Are you lazy?

Freda Henson: Yes, sir.

The Coroner: You admit it ?

Frida Henson: They say I am.

The Coroner: What do you do with your time?

Mr McFarlane: she sits like a lump, as though she is not right.

The Coroner: I don’t know what to do with you. You sit there and don’t attempt to give any explanation of this.

Mr McFarlane: You might as well talk to a stone trough as talk to her.

The Coroner: So I am beginning to think. (To Frida Henson): You had better pull yourself together. You have got a very good character here this morning. You admitted yourself that you’re too idle to do anything.

Doctor F. J. Boyle said he saw the child on Monday when it was suffering from a slight cold. He was called in on Thursday, when the baby was dead. It had died from abnormalities of the brain, which I produce convulsions. It might have lived for years though in a state of imbecility.

Summing up, the Coroner addressed Frida Henson. “Perhaps it is as well for you that if the doctor had been called nothing could have been done for the child. It doesn’t excuse you, and it is up to the parents to see that their children are properly cared for and not to neglect them by failing to call the doctor when necessary. If you have any more children you will be more careful. Get out of this laziness that your mother complains of. It isn’t very pleasant for your mother to give you the character she has done.