Mexborough & Swinton Times, August 9th, 1941
Inquest on Suicide
” Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed,” was the verdict recorded by the Doncaster District Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carlile, at an inquest at Conisborough Council Offices on Saturday on Fred Downing (72), of Elm Green Lane, Conisborough, whose body was recovered from the River Don at Conisborough on Friday, after he had been missing from his home since the previous Tuesday.
Mr. Richard Emmerson, of Conisborough, a lockkeeper, described how he saw the body floating in the river on Friday morning, and informed the police who later recovered the body.
Downing, a well known Conisborough resident, who was formerly a bricklayer, was stated to have been depressed recently.