View the Peterborough County Inquest Database List…» (1840’s to 1930’s)
How to Use this List
Critical information from the detailed finding aid for the inquest series has been transcribed into a skeletal database for viewing here on the web site. The list records the name of deceased, cause of death as established by inquest, year of death and the geographic location of death. This information is sorted alphabetically by last name.
Retrieval of the actual inquest documents can be arranged through the City Archivist at the PCMA. More recent inquest reports (i.e. after 1930s) may be available through the Archives of Ontario in Toronto.
Description of the Coroners Inquest Series
The inquest series within the Peterborough County Court fonds consists of several hundred coroners inquests prepared between 1841 and the 1930s. Each report (most of which are hand-written) indicates the name of deceased, the clinical cause of death, name of coroner or medical officer authorizing the inquest and other details. Many later reports also include autopsy reports and court transcripts.
Some of the more typical causes of death include: drownings, suicides, work-related accidents, arson fires, alcohol poisoning or intoxication, exposure, dying while in the custody of the County gaol (jail) and even a few murders.
Examples of specific inquests include: winter exposure death of "an unknown negro man" because he was refused lodging (1853); shooting of William Montgomery by R.N. Roddy at Roddy's Hotel (1878); death of Helen Brown who died after being treated by Dr R.E. Brown (no relation to victim) – compounding this tragedy is the fact that Dr Brown later committed suicide over the incident (1915); James Fox (alias William Brenton) relating to his 1873 hanging in the County Gaol (Jail); additional inquest reports look into the causes of suspicious fires in Peterborough such as: Caisse Hotel (1858), fire at law offices of Dennistoun and Hall (1874), along with several house fires caused by "incendiaries".
The Peterborough County Court was established in the 1830s. In 1838 the Newcastle District was divided in two, with the creation of the Colborne District (covering what is today Peterborough County). Peterborough was named the district seat.
In June 1838 planning began to build a courthouse, with the cornerstone being laid in August of that year. A jail (gaol) and later a registry office were also built. Court proceedings and the records generated by them were processed and managed by the Clerk of the Peace at the Courthouse.
The Clerk of the Peace managed Peterborough County court records generated in the 19th century: William Wrighton (1840's), Charles A. Weller (1850s and 1860s), among others.
These records were stored at the Courthouse until the late 1960's when the Court flagged them for disposal. The records were 'rescued' by Judge Russell Philp and stored off-site until the PCMA was opened. They were donated to the PCMA about 1967 and processed in 1971-1972. (Information from a 1972 paper prepared for PHS meeting by Colleen Madden).
