Home Crime Suicide Found In Pond – Piccadilly Man who Worried –  Illness And Depression

Found In Pond – Piccadilly Man who Worried –  Illness And Depression

August 1929

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 August 1929

Found In Pond.

Piccadilly Man who Worried.

 Illness And Depression

An inquest was held at Swinton on Monday, by Kr. J. Kenyon Parker, on George William Ward (63), Colliery surface worker, of 81, Piccadilly, Swinton, who was found in the pond at the Old Pottery Yard, Swinton, on Sunday afternoon.

Bertha Turton Jackson, wife of James Smith Jackson, 80 Piccadilly, said her father left home at 7 a.m. on Sunday. He was always “worriting.” and had been at home off work with a rupture for 15 weeks. He had been told that he could not be operated upon.

Samuel Ward, son of deceased said he last saw his father alive on Saturday night, and on Sunday morning about 11 o’clock be went out to look for his father who was in the habit of going out early on Sundays for a walk. He went along the Wentworth Road, and then to the pond. as a road labourer told him he saw deceased walking that way. Witness found him in the pond about 1.15, and he was got out about 29 minutes later. In this opinion deceased drowned himself through depression, following illness. He suffered from hernia and another complaint which the doctor did not tell them about.

Walter Smith, road labourer, of Tickhill, said he knew deceased by sight. On Sunday morning at 7-15. witness saw Ward walking along the Wentworth and Warren Vale Lane. They did not speak and witness saw him turn about as if undecided as to the way in which he would go. He usually spoke to witness. He was going towards the Woodman Inn. Witness did not know where the pond was, in which deceased was found.

P.c. Noble, of Swinton, said he went to the pond after deceased was found there. It was apparently a case of drowning. Deceased was a respectable and sober man. Witness tried artificial respiration but it failed. Footmarks showed that deceased had walked into the water.

The Coroner recorded a verdict of ‘Suicide by drowning while suffering from mental depression and ill-health.” He also complimented P.c. Noble on his report, saying. “This new Death Report form has been very well filled in and I congratulate him on the way he had done it. It is one of the best I have seen for some time.”