From the Shepton Mallet Journal 8 March 1889:
A shocking accident occurred in Bath Tuesday morning, by which a boy named Henry Cohen lost his life. The deceased, who was 14 years of age lived with his father, a tailor, at 4, St. John’s Place, adjoining which is butcher’s shop, at present unlet, which opens into tho Seven Dials yard, and is surrounded at the back with wooden pailing, about 8ft. in height.
Just before one o’clock the deceased went upstairs, and, by means of a window, stepped on to the roof of the house adjoining and began clearing away the snow. There is no parapet to the roof, and almost soon as he commenced shovelling he must have slipped, falling into the yard beneath, and pitching upon two the points of the wooden pailing, one of which entered his body, and the other was broken off. No one witnessed the accident but hearing the fall several persons rushed out and saw the poor boy on the ground bathed in blood.
Two men, named Bethell and Harris, at once conveyed him to the Hospital, where it was found by Mr. Helps that the deceased was dead, and six inches of the pailing had entered the left side just under the armpit. The distance the boy must have fallen is about 30ft.
The boy’s father was out at the time of the accident, and had not given his son permission to go on the roof, nor did he know that he was there. The boy has on other occasions been seen on roof and cautioned as to the risk he was running. He was not in any employment, except that he was engaged to sell refreshments at the theatre.