Mexborough and Swinton Times January 12, 1918

Burning Fatality.

Mexborough  Child’s Shocking Death

A inquiry concerning the death of Winifred Oakes, aged three years, daughter of Thomas Oakes, of 2 Pym Rd, Mexborough, an engine driver, employed by the Great Central Railway who had been fatally burned.

The Coroner, in opening the inquiry, said it was urgent that parents should know they should provide fire guards, especially when no one was in the house to look after little children. There could not be too much publicity given to that fire.

Annie 0akes, the mother said she left the child in the house at 3-20 on the previous afternoon. No one else was in. There was a fire in the kitchen.

There was no fire guard.

Matches were on the mantelpiece, and some also in the scullery. The mantel piece would-be 5 foot high. She left the seas seated in a chair. Chair. Witnems cleared away all paper before she left.

The- child was wearing a woollen frock .and flannelette petticoate corsets. She returned home, after being absent about half an hour. The child was then In the scullery, burnt to death.

PC Ingleby said he visited the house at 5.11 p.m. on the previous day. He saw the body. It was burnt all over—head and body down to the knees. The stockings and boots were still on.

The Coroner staid it was a sad case, He was loth to talk to the mother under the circumstances though it was an oversight, that should not occur.

A juryman: Such a case is one in a thousand

The Coroner: I wish I could think so

A verdict of “accidental death” was returned