Mexborough and Swinton Times April 19, 1929

Canal Drama.

Two Hours’ Talk Ends in Suicide

Sad Wombwell Story

An inquest was held at the Wesleyan Schools, Wombwell, yesterday relating to the death of Edward Dawes (62)

labourer, 60, Blythe Street, Wombwell, whose body was recovered from the Sheffield Navigation Company’s canal at ” Eight Locks,” Aldham on Wednesday.

The inquest was conducted by Mr. C. J. Haworth.

Arnett Dawes, stated that on Wednesday afternoon he was informed that his father was walking about the canal bank at ” Eight Locks.”

The body was recovered shortly after he got there. His father had worked up to the previous Tuesday but had been depressed since 1926 when he had an attack of pneumonia. He had been more depressed than ever since witness’s mother died last November. Witness mentioned that deceased’s mother drowned herself.

Bertie Goldthorpe, unemployed miner, 46, Park Street, Wombwell, said he was walking along the towing path of the canal between 11.90 and noon on Wednesday, when he saw a man standing on the bank near ” Eight Locks ” with nothing on but his trousers and shirt. The remainder of his clothing on the ground. I asked him “What is the game, said witness, and he replied” You have just come in time to save me jumping in.” I told him that that was no sort of a job and I remained with him two hours trying to get him away.

Witness acquainted the lock keeper of the circumstances. Together witness and Dawes walked along the bank to Aldam Bridge when witness left Dawes, the latter remarking that he had 6d. in his pocket and was going to have a pint at the Ash Inn. Witness then proceeded to Wombwell and told relatives of Dawes what had happened.

The Coroner : You did all you could to prevent him doing this thing?

Witness: Yes sir.

Edith Griffin, wife of John Griffin, 41, Wombwell Road, stare for said she was walking along the towing path of the canal at Aldham about 2.30 on Wednesday, when she saw a heap of clause near ” Eight Locks. “Looking into the water she saw the face of a man she informed two men were nearby (Arthur Sweeting and another) and they went to the spot.

Arthur Sweeting, miner, Mitchell Terrace, said he was sitting on the bank near the lock when Mrs. Griffin told him about the man in the water. Witness went to look but found the body had disappeared. He acquainted the lock keeper and they recovered the body ten yards from where the clothes wore lying. A few minutes before Mrs. Griffin came, witness saw a man looking into the lock. When the body was recovered he recognised the body as that of Dawes.

P.c. Alfred Harding said he recovered the body and convoyed it to the mortuary at Wombwell. Dawes had on trousers, shirt and a woollen pullover. Other clothing was on the embankment. There were no marks of violence on the body.

The Coroner found that Dawes “drowned himself while of unsound mind.” He remarked ” I think it is as well to place on record what the witness Goldthorpe did to get this man away from the canal. He spent two hours with him and he thought he had succeeded. It was certainly not Goldthorpe’s fault that the man drowned himself.”