Genealogy Chat

A story from an Ann Boulton born 1906, told a family member 25 years ago, and passed to me through facebook 2 weeks ago, that her mother suffocated by accident a child in bed and there were many stories & a big fuss in the local press. Today I discovered the story was a fact and received the death certificate of Ann's brother

Jeremiah Boulton died 8 weeks old 10/2/1912 at 107 Greenway Street.
Occupation: son of Joseph Boulton
Cause of death: Suffocated in bed with mother Accidental Death.
Signature: Certificate from Lenne, Jenne or Irene (?) Bradley Coroner for Birmingham Inquest held 12/2/1912

Amazing to discover that Ann at 6 and she remembered and shared at approximately 85 years on and passing on the family history. Struggling to find any reference in Birmingham papers on-line I wonder if any of the search experts can help me find if the facts were in the Birmingham papers. I am visiting Birmingham/ Birmingham library in 2 weeks, so wonder if they may help as its a new aspect of research I have never explored. And any advice would be much appreciated.

According to the British Newspaper Archive, the newspapers at that time in Birmingham were the Birmingham Daily Mail, Daily Post, and Gazette.

Unfortunately, there's nothing older than 1914 on their website re those papers.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/home/newspapertitles

Birmingham Library has (or did have) a good collection of coroners reports, so you may be lucky enough to find the report of the inquest. Pretty sure there is a closure limit on them, but not sure if it´s 75 years or 100 years.
Overlying was a very common cause of death of infants where the baby slept in the same bed as the parents.

Thank you wisechild, I still can't find any newspaper reference but I received a quick reply from Birmingham library concerning the coroners report. Part of the reply below:

"You will be pleased to hear that we do hold that particular inquest file and you would be more than welcome to come and view it here at the Library of Birmingham. The inquest will give you quite some detail regarding the death including the post mortem report and witness statements as well as the coroner’s verdict on the cause of death. For your information, the current closure period for the inquests we hold is 75 years (i.e. at this moment, any file from 01 January 1939 onwards is closed)."

I can't wait to see them. I really feel I'm in a "Who Do You Think You Are" Episode. I could have had a complete series with the history I'm still finding in mine and my wife's family :-)

Glad the info was useful.
Sounds as though they have put the reports in order. When I last searched them, I was just presented with a box containing about 5 years worth in no particular order & I had to search through them.
I was filthy when I finished & it took hours because I kept finding interesting ones & had to stop & read them, even though they were nothing to do with me.
Hope you get the info you are looking for.