An inquest was held on 19th March 1885, at the Cock Inn, Raunds, before J. T. Parker, Coroner, to decide the cause of the death of Albert Eli Eaton, a child of one year, seven months, who had been found drowned in a well the previous day, 18th March.

Esther Eaton: I am the wife of John Eaton, shoemaker, of Raunds. The deceased was my child. He was playing around the house, in the middle of the garden path, at 11.30 a.m. yesterday, with his cousin who is two and a half years old. I left him there to go and wash a pinafore for him, with my sister. I went back about ten minutes later, and I couldn't see my child. I asked the little cousin where he was, but he said he did not know. I found Albert in the well. He was face down. I pulled him out. He was apparently quite dead. In the confusion, I do not know who took the child into the house. I sent for the doctor. I rubbed the child and put him in a bath, and tried all means to restore life, but to no avail. I had a brother who fell into the same well nineteen years ago.

Priscilla Gilbert, a single young woman: I saw the child playing in the garden in front of his mother's house, about fifty minutes past ten, and I saw him again at 11.40.1 took the child from his father. He was then quite dead. I saw the parents trying to re-animate him.

Doctor Holloway: I have no doubt that death was from suffocation by drowning.

The jury found a verdict of "ACCIDENTALLY DROWNED" and the Foreman expressed their opinion that the "dip well", which was only used for swilling purposes, and was unprotected, should be closed. The Coroner concurred with that, especially if the water was bad, and the well useless. "The owner of the property is Mr. J. Brawn. His agent is Mr. E. J. Whitney, and he should represent the matter to him".