WALTER HENRY BOX

SAD DEATH OF A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR

An inquest was held in the Magistrates’ room, Municipal Buildings, on Monday evening, before Dr. Watson, J.P., Borough Coroner, concerning the death of a boy named Walter Henry Box, who was drowned on the previous evening. Mr. Comyns was elected foreman. The evidence went to show that the deceased child, six years of age, had been to the centenary service in the Corn Exchange, and was returning home to West Mills, with a lad named George Titchmarsh. He was kneeling on the bank looking at the fish when the deceased toppled over, and Titchmarsh ran and told a man who came and tried to save him. A lad named William Henry Bishop said he was on the other side of the grass and saw him tumble in. John Ferris, a labourer, living at the lock-house, said that he heard there was someone in the water and he looked carefully and saw the body of a child lying at the bottom. He obtained a rake and pulled the body out, taking it into the Conservative Club reading room and assisting in attempting to restore animation, but all attempts were useless. The body was a little warm but lifeless. Dr. Ryott deposed finding the child apparently dead from drowning and used means for resuscitation for a little over half-an-hour, but his efforts were of no avail. He had no doubt the child was dead when taken out of the water, and could state his belief that it had been in the water, twenty minutes. It appears the child got under the railings near the lock-shutters house, and tumbled in and was carried by the stream under towpath bridge close to the Conservative Club. The jury returned a verdict – “Death from accidental drowning.” The little fellow was a scholar in the Wesleyan Sunday School and had that afternoon attended the service in the Corn Exchange. The Jury asked the Coroner to recommend that a drag be kept by the Corporation at the Conservative Club or other place in that vicinity, the nearest drag at present being in the Town Hall. The Coroner concurred, and promised to forward the recommendation to the proper quarter.

Newbury Weekly News 1 July 1880

Not in Mrs. P.    Buried 30 June 1880 aged 6.

Death of a Child by Drowning. —The borough coroner (Dr. Watson), held an inquest at the Municipal Buildings, on Monday evening, on the body of Walter Henry Box, aged between five and six years, who unfortunately fell into the Canal, at the back of the Conservative Working Men's Club House, on Sunday afternoon, unobserved except by two other little boys, and some little time elapsed before the occurrence became known, and the body was recovered. Dr. Ryott was sent for and promptly arrived, accompanied by his assistant; and Mr. Birch (Dr. Ryott's partner), attended soon afterwards. The body had been removed to the reading room of the Institute, where the usual means for restoring life in such cases, were patiently employed for more than half an-hour, but the endeavours of the medical men proved of no avail, and Dr. Ryott said he had no doubt the child was dead when taken from the water, although the body was fairly warm. The two boys who were in company with deceased, named George Titchmarsh and William Bishop, were questioned by the Coroner, and it appeared from their statements, that deceased was kneeling down on the grasses by the water side, looking at the fish, when he fell into the stream. Some passers by saw a child's hat floating on the surface of the water, and when the occurrence became known, the body of the poor child was observed lying in the bed of the Canal, and a man named John Ferris, recovered it with a rake. It was his opinion that by this time the child must have been in the water for at least twenty minutes. The father of the boy, a travelling bookseller, said the deceased had been very fond of playing by the water side. On Sunday afternoon deceased had been attending the Children's Service in the Corn Exchange. The jury (of whom Mr. F. Comyns was foreman), returned a verdict of accidentally drowned, and expressed their opinion that drag should be kept at the Conservative Club-house, this being dangerous part of the canal, greatly frequented by children. The jury also thanked Mrs. Mundy, keeper of the club-house, for her kindness in the case, and by their request, the Coroner awarded her the sum of 5s. The Coroner cordially acquiesced in the suggestions of the jury to the drag, and promised to write to the Town Clerk on the subject.