Joseph son of Joseph Eager of All Saints Lewes, butcher, and Martha (baptismal record)
----------------------------
At the time of the 1871 England Census Joseph Eager, age 35, born in Lewes, milkman & butcher, and wife Ann Eager, age 29, born in Alciston, were living in North Street, South Malling Sussex. With them were children: Mary M (7) of Alfriston, scholar, Alice (5) of Lewes, and Thomas M (4) of Lewes.
----------------------------
Joseph Eager of Maidstone died aged 44 years (burial record).
----------------------------
ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED IN THE MEDWAY.
An inquest was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon, by Mr. J. B. Stephens, borough coroner, touching the death of Joseph Eager, a butcher, who was drowned in the River Medway on the previous night.
The jury, of which Mr. E. J. Dickenson was chosen foreman, having viewed the body, which was lying at the Lord Nelson public-house, St. Faith's-street, Horace Standen, a journeyman butcher, residing in Carey-street, deposed that he knew the deceased. On the previous evening he acccompanied witness in search of a missing calf. They proceeded as far as the London, Chatham and Dover Railway Bridge, where they separated, witness going one side of the arches and the deceased the other. It was very dark, and witness was carrying a lantern, by the light of which, when passing through the bottom arch, he observed the deceased standing near the water. He called out to him not to go any further that way or he would fall in the river, and almost immediately afterwards he heard a splash in the water, and then saw deceased struggling in the river. Witness laid down on the bank and held his stick towards him, but deceased did not take hold of it, although he appeared to try to catch hold of something else. Deceased then got further away from the bank, and immediately afterwards went under the water. Witness, who did not go into the river as he could not swim, called loudly for assistance, but none arrived, and he then ran for the police, who directed him to go where the drags were kept. Witness accordingly returned to the Lord Nelson, and some bargemen having in the meantime procured the drags the river was searched for the body. Deceased was perfectly sober.
Richard Cropper, an upholsterer, living in Union-street, identified the body as that of Joseph Eager, aged about 40 years, who had lodged in his house for the past seven or eight years. He had a wife living, but they had not lived together for some time past. He also had two daughters, who were living at Lewes, to the eldest of which witness had written informing her of the sad occurrence. The boy in court was the deceased's son, and had lived with his father in witness's house.
The Coroner enquired what would be done with the lad, and witness replied that he proposed keeping him.
The Coroner said he was glad to hear it, and Mr. Cropper might depend upon it that he would lose nothing by his kindness.
Stephen Osborne Westover deposed to recovering the body at seven o'clock that (Tuesday) morning, and Police-sergeant Waghorn said he searched the body, upon which he found two silver watches with chains attached, £4 in gold, 11s. in silver, and other property.
The Coroner said it was very seldom so much property was found upon a body, and as his wife had lived apart from him, the difficulty would arise as to whom it should be handed over to, as the Guardians, by whom he supposed deceased would be buried, would claim some of it.
Mr. Cropper observed that the deceased should not be buried by the parish if he could help it; besides, he was in a club, and eventually his death allowance would be received.
The Coroner then said that that being the case, if the wife did not apply for the money in a reasonable time he should order it to be handed over to Mr. Cropper, to meet immediate expenses connected with the funeral and the children's mourning.
Dr. Meredith having given evidence as to the cause of death, the jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally drowned."
Kent Times, 15 November 1879, p. 5
Research Notes: