Danford Thomas

George Danford Phillips Thomas (1846 – 5 August 1910) was the coroner for Central Middlesex in London who estimated that he conducted around 40,000 inquests during his career. He was appointed to hear the enquiry into the human remains found in the basement of Dr. Crippen's home but he died before the enquiry could be completed.

Early life and family Danford Thomas was born in London in 1846, the son of the Reverend Richard James Francis Thomas (died 1873), curate of Hammersmith and headmaster and chaplain of Bancroft's Hospital, Mile End Road, and from 1855 vicar of Yeovil. Danford received his general education at Bath and afterwards entered as a student at St Mary's Hospital, and became member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1871. Some five years later he earned his MD at Brussels, taking honours in medical jurisprudence. He also studied at the Inner Temple, and was admitted to the bar.

He observed the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) as an officer of the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War, a predecessor of the British Red Cross, and his name was mentioned in various reports on the war operations by French authorities, leading to the award of the French Order of Merit in acknowledgement of his services. Their son, Richard, also became a coroner.

Notable cases Among the notable inquests held by Thomas were: The murder of Matilda Hacker at 4 Euston Square, 1879. (The "Euston Square mystery") The Rainham Mystery of 1887. The murder of Archibald Wakely in 1906. (The "Westbourne Grove Studio Murder") The shooting of William Whiteley, 1907. The murder of Emily Dimmock, 1907. (The "Camden Town Murder") The Dr. Crippen case, 1910.