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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: Mygenes2006 on Wednesday 23 November 11 22:21 GMT (UK)

Title: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: Mygenes2006 on Wednesday 23 November 11 22:21 GMT (UK)
Hi, I found the following entry in the Singapore Straits Times newspaper...


8 June 1889
‘Mr W. H. Derrick, Superintendent of the Pahang Corporation, Sungei Lembing, has been appointed a honorary coroner for the district, and Dr. Rolph an honorary deputy coroner’

My great great grandfather had no medical training that I am aware of.  Could anyone tell me what this role might involve? I am trying to put together a family book for his niece for Christmas (or at this rate her 90th birthday next May!!).

Any help welcomed.  thanks
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: Victor Harvey on Thursday 24 November 11 07:38 GMT (UK)
I think you'll find it means an "unpaid position".
Victor
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 24 November 11 08:04 GMT (UK)
A coroner simply investigates unusual and suspicious deaths - no medical knowledge is necessary!
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: Redroger on Thursday 24 November 11 13:22 GMT (UK)
Often in Britain at least a Coroner has had legal training. Does this apply to your ancestor?
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 24 November 11 14:29 GMT (UK)
Redroger - only in modern days!

Often it was a policeman, or someone closely associated with the police.
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: AskAnExpert on Thursday 24 November 11 16:56 GMT (UK)
The item was in The Singapore Free Press, 8th June, 1899, not as described.

You can find it here. http://newspapers.nl.sg/

A 1927 article has what appears to be him as a Justice of the Peace.

Askan
Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: Mygenes2006 on Thursday 24 November 11 19:48 GMT (UK)
Hi thank you for all the replies.  I had the date wrong, it was 1899 so thanks for that AskAnExpert, the link you sent is a resource I have used a lot, have found lots of entries relating to William and his family and am in the middle of transcribing some of them into a booklet for my Gran as a Christmas present as I know she will enjoy reading them.  Am on page 30 so far!

William was an accountant but believe he might have been a solicitor as well ....he and his brother George set up a company Derrick & Co which eventually evolved into part of Ernst & Young and was the first company of its kind set up in Singapore.  A book was recently published talking about his role in setting the company up etc.

Thanks once again, I was having visions of him carrying out autopsies!  Thought it was a bit old.  Obviously I have been watching far too much CSI.  So really he was a sort of investigator.  Sounds really interesting.   thanks.

Title: Re: What does honorary Coroner mean?
Post by: Redroger on Friday 25 November 11 18:34 GMT (UK)
At my grandmother's inquest in Boston 1901, the Coroner was a local surgeon.