A calm peaceful summer's night in Southwick, Sunderland July 21 1894. Mr James Chilton a 40 year old ships engineer and his friend Thomas Fenton were returning to Mr. Chilton's home from the pub. Mr Chilton who was known to be of good character was at home confined to shore so he could study and improve his skills.
He was also known to be unhappy with his wife Catherine's behaviour, she was often drunk and the 3 children were left to their own devices. The friends who had had a few drinks but were far from drunk arrived at the 3 roomed house no. 28 Wellington Street around 11pm, when most people including the children would be asleep. When Mr. Chilton and his friend Mr. Fenton walked into the house it was to find Mrs.
Chilton drunk and hysterical. The argument that followed was so loud that it woke the children up. The children aged 16, 11 and 4 frightened by their father shouting I'll give you hysterics! walked in to see him throw a bucket of cold water over their drunken mother trying to calm her down. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect. Now soaking wet and in a fury Mrs Chilton grab a paraffin lamp that was burning nearby and threw it at him. The lamp smashed against him and as it exploded engulfed him in flames, as his blazing figure staggered out into the street the screams of his children and himself were so horrifying the neighbours came rushing out to see what had happened.
As the flames leaped into the night sky a passing police sergeant Frazer rushed to his aid. Mr. Chilton's face was burned beyond recognition and his shirt burnt off his body, the flames had been so bad that sergeant Frazer was left with severely burnt hands just putting the flames out, and as the neighbours ran for help Mr. Chilton lay on the ground writhing in absolute agony.
The severely injured Mr Chilton was taken to Monkwearmouth and Southwick Hospital and was not expected to last the night but he lasted 2 weeks before dying on 1st August of tetanus. As Mrs. Chilton had been arrested their 16 year old daughter Jane had to identify what was left of the body of her father. The next day 36 year old Catherine Chilton was charged with murder. On November 22nd 1894 before Durham Assizes she was charged with wilful murder, dressed in black all Mrs. Chilton could do was cry uncontrollably.
On the 24th November the jury found her not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, hearing the prisoner was expecting a fourth child to her now deceased husband the judge delayed sentencing until the next day. The judge decided that with such hard labour as her condition allowed she was sentenced to 12 months in prison. It is not known what happened to Mrs. Chilton or her family during her imprisonment or after her release, but it is still known as one of the most tragic cases in Southwick's history.
