The Times, London, England, July 5, 1816

On Wednesday an Inquest was held at the sign of the White Horse in Cow-cross, before Mr. Stirling, on view of the body of Thomas Kirk, who died suddenly on Sunday last. Mr Chipperfield, of White Horse-alley, Cow-cross, undertaker, being sworn, deposed, that the deceased was about 40 years of age, a sea-faring man, and an acquaintance of witness, who invited the deceased to dinner on Sunday last about one o’clock, just as they were sitting down, the deceased fell from his chair, and immediately expired without a groan. A surgeon in the neighborhood was sent for, who opened a vein, but without effect, he being quite dead. The jury returned a verdict of Died by the visitation of God.