Sheffield Independent – Saturday 10 August 1929
Brain Storm Suicide.
Man Who Dreaded Water Drowned.
“I think Davies must have had brain storm something which turned round his usual antipathy to water, and caused him to jump in,” said the Deputy Coroner (Mr. C. R. Marshall) at an inquest Conisborough, yesterday, on Elijah Thomas Davies (36), a general labourer, of 11. Barnby street, Denaby Main, whose body was recovered from Vyner’s pond, Old Denaby. Davies was said to have always dreaded water.
The father said Davies had been subject to epileptic fits for the last 31 years. He complained of a headache on Wednesday night.
Sydney Hingley (15), a colliery engine driver, of l28, Doncaster road, Denaby Main, said that while fishing pond he heard a splash and thought it was a dog. He then saw a man in the water, holding his cap over his face and holding his head under water.
Returning a verdict that drowned himself whilst temporarily insane, the Deputy Coroner said did not think Davies had accidentally fallen from a fishermen’s landing stage near to which he was found.