Bondicar Dig, Rescued from the sea. Low Hauxley

[Coquet]

Received the following message regarding one discovery of remains in the dunes:

Re the Skeleton on the Beach reported on the online forum, have a look at the first case study in 'Heads and Tales' by Hill and McLeod. The body was found May 1972, and a facial reconstruction was carried out which is in the book. The artefacts and the lack of Strontium 90 in the bones convinced the archaeologists it was dated around 1890's to 1900's. [Sue]



Many thanks for that Sue. I was unaware one of the local skeletons had been assessed in this way - another book to find!

[janwhin]

Facial reconstruction sounds good Given the dates it must be one of our shipwrecks/drownings.

[Coquet]

is 1890 - 1900's not a bit uncomfortably recent for an undiscovered shipwreck victim? Did we have any 'disappeared' persons during this time??

I'm always after high drama!

[hollydog]

1972, I remember it being reported on Look North, a skeleton of a lady in the dunes between Amble and Hauxley and I saw the area from the road at the time. It caused a bit of a stir as it was a fairly recent burial. Often wondered if anymore came of it.Its a long shot, but now some of us have access to newspapers archives, are there any reports of missing persons in the 1890s ish or is that just too wide a search?

[Coquet]

"lady in the dunes"

that rings a bell now you mention it.

[Coquet]

Originally Posted by hollydog

Its a long shot, but now some of us have access to newspapers archives, are there any reports of missing persons in the 1890s ish or is that just too wide a search?

It could be possible now newspapers are searchable digitally. I would imagine they did the local ones back at the time of the discovery and failed to make a connection with a missing person (or we'd probably know about it?) so you would have a better chance if you spread your net wider.

Could be someone that has spent years as a vagrant and not even recorded as missing of course.

[Coquet]

was there not something notable about this skeleton, a disfigurement or something? or is my memory playing tricks on me?



I suppose I'll have to buy the book.

[Coquet]

Google books doesn't show anything but "Case Study 1. The Amble Bones Mystery"

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=P..._cloud_r&cad=6


sometimes you can read a few pages.

[Derilda]

Originally Posted by Coquet

Received the following message regarding one discovery of remains in the dunes:

Re the Skeleton on the Beach reported on the online forum, have a look at the first case study in 'Heads and Tales' by Hill and McLeod. The body was found May 1972, and a facial reconstruction was carried out which is in the book. The artefacts and the lack of Strontium 90 in the bones convinced the archaeologists it was dated around 1890's to 1900's. [Sue]



Many thanks for that Sue. I was unaware one of the local skeletons had been assessed in this way - another book to find!

I am sure that the discovery was reported to the police at the time, and reported on in Northumberland Gazette.
If there was an investigation there must have been a conclusion or assumption before passing the skeleton to Northumbria University for further examination by archaeologists. Are there any archives that could reveal the outcome of police enquiries, or is it still held confidentially?

[Coquet]

I don't think there was any 'Forensic Archaeology' for crime scenes in the 70s, so it would probably be bones into a box and off to the forensic pathologist. I would imagine the police would await news from that and when the pathologist came to the conclusion they were of considerable age I would expect the police would not spend much time on it from then? Someone would still have to write a police report on the affair though as you say?

[Derilda]

Originally Posted by Coquet

I don't think there was any 'Forensic Archaeology' for crime scenes in the 70s, so it would probably be bones into a box and off to the forensic pathologist. I would imagine the police would await news from that and when the pathologist came to the conclusion they were of considerable age I would expect the police would not spend much time on it from then? Someone would still have to write a police report on the affair though as you say?

You may be correct in that Northumbria did not use 'Forensic Archaeology' but certainly forensics were used in the 1880s, during the investigation into 'Jack the Ripper' murders. In fact Archimedes was one of the first in history to use science in this way.
In the case of the body in the dunes of the 70s there would be no scene of crime as we know it today as the surface would be sand and unlikely to produce evidence of intrusion by a suspect e.g. footprints, bodily fluids, or other. I believe it was discovered following Northumbrian "Light Airs", (Force 10) and therefore, again, unlikely to produce anything other than the skeletal remains.
With all this, I can understand why you say "Bones into a box and off to the forensic pathologist," but not technically correct.
That is my five pennorth to the subject, and probably adds nothing!

[hollydog]

Well following "further information received" the lady in the dunes was found 200 yards south of the furthest caravans which were then on the seaward side of the road to Hauxley. Looking at the Amble Rifle Range map and my pacing it out roughly this morning! places the body somewhere beween the 350 and 200 yard mark? Presumably the body was put there pre-rifle range? http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/ambl...read.php?t=426