Kings Court Hotel death 1947

[delta59]

Hello

I have just received my GGrandfather's death cert and after taking a punt on it being the wrong one I discover it isn't.  Edward Meredith died in the King's Court Hotel Leinster Gardens London on 4th May 1947.  Whilst you may think this is not unusual I am amazed that a coal miner from Lancashire would go to London, presumably alone, when money was very scarce and I would like to learn more if possible.

My question is, does anyone out there have any information about the hotel and does anyone know if there was anything going on in London in May 1947.  I have looked for newspapers online but have come a cropper.  He had no family that I can trace in the south.  So it is a mystery to me.

Del

[lizdb]

How did you confirm it was the right one?

Does it specify he was a guest at the Hotel? Could he just have been walking past, taken ill, taken in to sit down in the lobby whilst help sought, and died?   Or maybe working there, if he had given up mining and went to London to seek a different life after the War.

[barryd]

Some of these hotels were the last residence for the people who had seen wealth but were still had some money to pay for their room. Google the hotel with address and see what you can find. In a brief search I found a London Gazette article. I remember in the mid 60's I was in between moving house and single and paid 30 shillings a night for a bed and breakfast near Kings Cross Station.

[dawnsh]

Could he have received treatment at the nearby St Marys Hospital and was convalescing before going home?

[delta59]

Thank you for your replies. 

I sent for the Death cert expecting it to be the wrong one, but his address given was correct for Atherton Lancs also his son Frank of Tyldesely Lancs registered the death 6th May, so I have no hesitation in confirming I have the correct person.  The 'when and where died' was 4th May 1947 Kings Court Hotel Leinster Gardens and he died from heart attack.  A PM was held in London but no inquest.

Del

[lizdb]

Heart attack suggests suddeness, especially as the death occurred at the hotel, suggesting no time to get him to a hospital.
So my suggestion that he was not necessarily staying at the hotel, but just taken there off the street after collapsing, is  maybe a possibility.

[delta59]

You may be correct.  It is certainly a possibility but I would love to know why he was there.  His children and grandchildren had a thing about travelling, especially Canada.  The son I mentioned Frank, travelled to Canada several times and his grandson (my granddad) died in a mining accident in Canada in 1930.  They all travelled from Liverpool or landed in Liverpool as it was the nearest port not London.  I could take a look in our local newspaper archive and see if they have anything about his death.

Del

[delta59]

Thank you everyone.

The clue was in the date.  On the 3rd of May 1947 it was the Challenge Cup played at Wembley and from our marvellous local history archive I now know why he was in London.  I hope he saw the game.

Del