Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 18 March 1932
Found Drowned. Mystery.
A Mexborough Mystery
An inquest was held in the Conisbrough Council offices on Friday by Mr WH Carlile, and William Henry Gibbons (54) colliery surface men, 18 Garden St, Mexborough, the body was recovered from the Don at Denaby last Thursday.
Jane Jones, with whom Gibbons resided said Gibbons only relations with two sisters in Canada. She had known for many years, and for the last 12 years he had resided with her. “He has been ill on and off lately and used to suffer from bouts of dizziness.
I could not get him to go to a doctor. He has been very poorly at times but never had even a bottle of medicine. He had to have several days off occasionally.”
He never did or said anything to suggest he would take his life. He left her house on Wednesday of last week without saying where he was going. “He used to be very punctual for his meals and when it got to ‘picture time’ I got worried and we started making inquiries. After ten o’clock, my husband reported to the police that he was missing.”
Walter Bagshaw, coal carter, 35, Edlington Street, Denaby. said at 7.30 a.m. last Thursday he was on the land sale colliery sidings at Denaby when he saw the body in the Don. He got it to the bank and reported to the police.
P.s. G.T. Heaver said he assisted to recover the body. In the clothes he found two letters from sisters in Canada, a club card, cigarette case, pair of spectacles and a door key, but no money.
Recording a verdict of “Found drowned,” the Coroner said there was no evidence to show how he got into the river.