A NEW Coroner’s Court for Cheshire has been officially opened in a historic town centre building at Warrington.
The opening ceremony was not unlike one held 100-years ago when the building was originally opened as offices for the local Board of Guardians.
Then, the chairman of the board said: “May the building and its staff be a convenience and blessing for all time”
HM Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish used the same words at the end of the opening ceremony to mark the re-opening of the restored building as a coroner’s court.
In the years since the first ceremony, the building has been used for a number of purposes, including the Registry Office and the offices of the former Warrington Rural District Council.
The opening ceremony celebrated the 100-year history of the Museum Street building and brought together archivists and historians to share the memories of the building, the history of the Coroner, and the historical relationship between the Coroner and Cheshire Police.
Coroners are Judges who are independently appointed and are responsible for investigating deaths to find out how, when and where they occurred.
They investigate deaths and hold a court hearing if it was unnatural or suspicious, the cause of death is unknown or if the person died in any form of state detention, such as a prison or police custody.
A plaque was unveiled at the ceremony, which thanked Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester and Halton Borough Council for their support in refurbishing the building.
The refurbished building offers larger space for visitors, the coroners and coroner staff, as well as three courtrooms to hear inquests.
Warrington Borough Council’s chief executive, Professor Steven Broomhead said: “It was a privilege to attend the opening of the new Cheshire Coroner’s Court, which now sits within the historic building on Museum Street.
“This 100-year-old landmark has been beautifully restored to serve our community once again, blending its rich heritage with updated functionality and new, state-of-the-art courtrooms to serve the people of Cheshire.”
Coroner Devonish said: “This esteemed building has been brought back to useful stately employ to serve the Cheshire community. I am proud to have been entrusted to lead this important public service.”
