Towards the end of 1892 Masbrough Street, Rotherham was full of dubious courtyards containing closely squashed, poorly built houses. Overcrowding was rife and so anyone who had a spare room available would generally take in lodgers to maximise their weekly income. Such a woman was

widow Mrs Ann Wood who lived at number ten, Square Yard, Masbrough Street. This small house contained herself, her son Albert aged nineteen and provided lodgings for a seventy-two year old rat catcher called James Middleton. On Monday 31 October, Albert returned back home from his work at Messrs Harrison and Camm’s waggon works. His mother asked him what he wanted to eat and he thought for a minute before asking her for some ‘hasty pudding.’

This was a thick oatmeal porridge which was sweetened with treacle. So Ann smiled as she prepared it for him and mother and son enjoyed their meal together. Afterwards there was some left, so when the lodger James arrived back some time later, Ann watered it down into a gruel and served him the same. However the rat catcher couldn’t finish it. In fact he was just half way through when he lay down his spoon and complained that it tasted bitter. A few hours later all three people were vomiting and extremely ill and a local surgeon, Dr Alex Murray was summoned to the house. He immediately diagnosed poison and came to the conclusion that somehow the oatmeal had been to blame.

It had been bought for the family by the rat catcher about two weeks previously and had remained in the cupboard since that time. Ann Wood remembered how her lodger had pulled it out of his jacket pocket to give it to her. Then crucially, she also remembered that in his trade he often carried arsenic around in the same pocket. The rat catcher was so ill by this time that he was taken a couple of doors away to where his married sister, a Mrs Lockwood lived. She had arranged to look after her brother. Shortly before 3 am young Albert Wood died and the Rotherham Police were notified. Police Sergeant Powell went to the house and after hearing what had transpired, he searched James’s pockets.

In one of the them he found a bottle containing arsenic, which James used to kill rats. The officer also took possession of the large pan in which the porridge had been made, as well as the plates and basin which had contained the remains. Much later around 9.45 am, James Middleton also died at his sisters house. Both deceased men had demonstrated signs of being in complete agony just before their deaths. Therefore Police Sergeant Powell had both bodies removed to the Rotherham Mortuary and the Coroner for the district, Mr D Wightman was notified. Needless to say the matter soon became the talk of the neighbourhood, as both men were very well known around Masborough.

Albert had been a member of the Rotherham Volunteers and was due to be married shortly, and James was well known because of his trade. Thankfully, by this time Ann’s condition was reported as ‘improving’ although she was rightly devastated at the death of her only son. The inquest on the two men therefore was held at the Phoenix Hotel, Rotherham on Wednesday 2 November 1892. Dr Murray told the Coroner, Mr D Wightman that thankfully by this time it was thought that Ann would soon make a full recovery. He described for the jury how he had been called to the house on Monday evening and saw the deceased man, James vomiting near the back door. Inside the house was James Middleton lying on the sofa, also vomiting.

After the two deaths, the surgeon stated that he had completed the post mortem and externally saw no signs of violence. However, with the use of simple tests it was confirmed that the contents of the bottle found in the rat catchers pocket did contain arsenic. Mr Wightman, in his summing up, told the jury that as far as he could tell there was no suspicion of the poison being mixed with the food ‘with any felonious intent.’ He told them that the best proof of that was the fact that James Middleton ate some of the oatmeal himself. It therefore looked as though it was a case of neglect or thoughtlessness on the rat catchers part. Police surgeon, Dr Cobban told the inquest that he had attended the post mortem with Dr Murray and confirmed his conclusions.

He told the inquest that he had known James Middleton personally and was well aware that he often carried poison with him in his pockets. He also stated that although Ann Wood was still very poorly, he had high hopes of her full recovery. After hearing all the evidence the jury went out to consider their verdict. They eventually returned and passed a verdict that:

‘On the said November 1, the deceased James Middleton and the deceased Albert Wood both died from poisoning by arsenic. It had been inadvertently administered in food and without any felonious intention by any person or persons whatsoever.’

On Sunday 6 November 1892 the remains of Albert Wood were interred in the Kimberworth Cemetery with full military honours provided by his colleagues in the Rotherham Volunteer detachment. Major Hirst led the men in playing ‘the Dead March’ as the young man’s body was lowered into the ground. Thankfully it was also reported that his mother Ann was well on her way to recovery, although her private thoughts on losing her only son in this tragic manner were not described.