Sussex Advertiser - Monday 30 November 1840

CUCKFIELD. An inquest was taken here on Saturday last, Nov. 28, before F. H. Gell, Esq., coroner, on view of the body of Henry Hammond. Deceased, who was a travelling man, as he was walking along a footpath at the northern part of the town of Cuckfield about eight o'clock in the evening of Tuesday last, fell in the carriage road.

Deceased immediately arose and walked on to the Ship Inn, where he asked for lodgings, and went to bed in about half an hour. He was quite sober. He complained very much in the night of being in great pain, and Mr. Byass, the surgeon at Cuckfield, attended him until his death, which took place next Thursday evening.

Mr. Byass stated that, in his opinion, death was caused intersusception of one or more of the intestines, brought on by some shock, probably a fall. The path, from which deceased fell, is raised about a foot and a half above the road, and deceased stated that was not aware that the path was higher than the road, and the darkness of the night prevented his seeing it.

—The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death,” and called the attention of the Trustees of the Brighton and Cuckfield Turnpike Road to the dangerous state of the footpath owing to the want of a proper fence, and of light there during the night.