9 OCTOBER

1847 Today's Northern Star reported great excitement in Bolton at rumours that John Rothwell, aged 72, an inmate of the workhouse, had been flogged to death by one of the male nurses. At an inquest into Rothwell's death, fellow inmate James Rostron testified that Rothwell had been afflicted with dysentery and was moved into the workhouse infirmary where the nurse, Henry Bicknell, was in the habit of beating the inmates with a whip. Once, when Rothwell had refused to go to bed, Bicknell had said if he did not go, he would make him. He fetched his whip and beat Rothwell's legs, then struck his ribs and back with the butt end. Rothwell, who was wearing only a shirt at the time, got into bed and cried out 'Murder,' upon which Bicknell got hold of a sheet, and tied it over his mouth to prevent him being heard. A few days later, at about two in the morning, Bicknell beat him again to get him into bed, but when Rothwell refused he struck him several times over the temples, making him fall on the floor. Mr Sharp, the surgeon, said that a post mortem indicated that the cause of death was dysentery, but he considered the conduct of the nurse towards the deceased was most brutal. The jury recorded 'their abhorrence of the brutal and inhuman conduct of Bicknell' and recommended his immediate dismissal.