South Yorkshire Times, December 2nd 1944
Conisbrough Youth’s Suicide
Worried by Workmates Chaff About Girl Friend
Geoffrey Leonard Warren, (17), apprentice fitter, of 32, Warren Road, Conisbrough, whose decapitated body was discovered on the main line of the L.N.E. Railway, near Denaby Main level crossing last Thursday, was stated at the inquest on Saturday at Conisbrough, to have been very upset and hurt by talk among the boys at his work about his relationship with a girl with whom he was walking out. He was said to have been so disturbed by the rumours, in which there was no truth, that he three weeks ago said he felt like “doing something.” On the night he met his death, Warren visited his girl friend at the place where she worked, saying he wanted to ask her something, but she only talked with him a very short time.
On his dead body were found eight letters from a boy at Barnsley, addressed to his girlfriend, which she had handed to him.
The Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) recorded a verdict of “Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed,” saying that the remarks passed at the pit appeared to have been discussed between Warren and the girl and he, at any rate, was worried about it. “Whether the other incident of the girl receiving letters from another boy and handing them to him and the fact that he called to see her on the night this happened, and few words passed, or whether there was any trouble between them, I don’t know, but he must have been in a disturbed state.”
Chorister At Chapel
The boy’s father, Frederick Leonard Warren, railway sub-ganger, of 32, Warren Road, Conisbrough, said his son left home on Wednesday between 7pm and 7.30pm, saying he was going to his young lady’s sisters at Denaby. Witness knew his son was keeping company with this girl, in fact they had been to his home to tea only last Sunday. The boy’s health was good. Though he did not play any games, he was a member of the chapel and was in the choir. He was cheerful always. Witness did not know that there had been any trouble with this girl. On Tuesday he came home and said he had been hit by a girder at work. There was a mark on his forehead which was plastered. He reported the accident but went to work the following day and made no further mention of the accident. On Thursday morning witness’s wife went into Geoffrey’s bedroom about 5 o’clock to get him up for work. She came back and told him he was not there. Witness was the last to go to bed, retiring at 10.20 and did not hear anything further. Some nights when his girl was on duty until 11 o’clock his son dd not come home until 11.20. When he knew that his son had not come home, he thought he had stayed the night at the girl’s sisters.
Phyllis Shakeshaft, housemaid at the Fullerton Hospital, Denaby, of 27, Pitt Street, Mexborough, said she had known Geoffrey for 14 months, during which time they had walked out regularly. She gave the following evidence.
The Boy from Barnsley
Witness: The boy from Barnsley. Well, is that when you first knew the boy from Barnsley? – No, Sir.
How long have you known the boy from Barnsley? I had my holidays the second week in October and I met him on the Tuesday. I only saw him once but I have had letters from him. I wrote ordinary letters back. He wrote saying he was coming. I was honest with Geoff and told him I was not going to see him.
But he kept writing letters in spite of that? -Yes.
You told him about these letters, did you? – Yes, sir, every one.
In fact, you handed the letters to him, all of them, did you? – Yes, Sir.
When you gave him these letters, did he say anything about it? No, Sir, he said burn them” and there was nothing more to it.
Was he upset about it? – No, Sir.
Was he cross about it? – No, not when I gave him the letters. It was all forgotten.
Did you encourage him at all? – No.
How many times did you write to the boy at Barnsley? – As near as I can say six times.
Did you want to get rid of Geoffrey? – No, sir.
Witness aid she last went out with Geoffrey on Tuesday night when they were happy together. He used to go down to the hospital and she next expected to see him again on Thursday.
Call at Hospital
On Wednesday then, he came to the hospital? – Yes, about ten minutes past eight.
What did he come for then? – Well, I answered the door and I asked him what he came down for because I knew that he knew I was busy at that time with the dining room. I could not see him because I was frightened of the bell going.
Did he seem upset? – Well to tell you the truth, I did not see his face.
Well by his manner? – No, Sir.
What did he say? – He said he wanted to ask me something, but I had no chance to see him, I could not go out because of the bell going and I had the things to get ready before then.
Did he say anything to you about three weeks ago about doing away with himself? – He just said he felt like doing something.
Why dd he say that? In must have been in consequence of some trouble, was it? – It was the life he had been living at the pit.
What do you mean? – Well, some boys, he did not say what were their names, had been saying things about Geoff and I which had never happened. They even went so far as to say they were going to tell my father. It got on Geoff’s mind.
Had you been doing things? – No, Sir, that was what hurt him. They were telling tales and skitting.
Have you told anyone else that before? – No, Sir.
Why? – Only Geoff and I knew.
Since this happened have you told anyone else? – Yes, I had to tell my mother.
“Code” Words
Referring to the letters from the boy from Barnsley which he read but which were not read in court, the coroner asked the meaning of the words “ITALY” and “HOLLAND,” which occurred in them.
Witness said the letters stood for “I Trust and Love You” and “Hope Our Love Lives and Never Dies.”
Well, if he were writing these letters would not Geoffrey think you…
When you told him on the Wednesday night you could not see him, did he seem upset in consequence of that? – That was all I had time to say because cause Matron came.
Were you cross with him or unencouraged
with him? – There was nothing to be cross about with him.
Had the incident of trouble at the pit been talked over several times? – He just told me one or two things they had been saying.
Was that a conversation you had on various occasions, about this “skitting!” as you call it? – Yes, Sir.
Recently? – for the past week or just over he has not said anything.
Before that, it was constant? – Yes, he was always on.
Did you know he was very upset about it then? – Yes.
And when he said about doing away with himself, did you say anything to him? – No, Sir. I did not realise at the moment.
You did not tell him you did not want to see him again? – No, Sir.
Witness said the last letter she had from Geoffrey was one he handed to a girl at work on Saturday.
Body Between Rails
Evidence of finding the bodies was given by Tom Holt, platelayer, of 11, Windhill Terrace, Mexborough. He received instructions on Thursday morning at 8.15 to remove an obstruction on the up main line at Denaby. He found the body lying crosswise between the rails and the head in the six-foot, 184 yards on the Mexborough side of the Denaby level crossing. He reported to the ganger, who informed the police.
Percy Shakeshaft, boiler man at Denaby Main canteen, of 27, Pitt Street, Mexborough, father of the girl, asked to give evidence. He said that 10 days or a fortnight ago, he had given instructions to his daughter not to correspond any more with the boy from Barnsley, and she had not written to him since. There was no truth in the rumours referring to his daughter.
P.c. Tom William Hedley, of Denaby, who went to the scene as the result of a telephone message, said the body was lying on the left side facing towards the main road. It appeared that Warren’s neck must have been resting on the line. Rigor Mortis had set in. Witness searched the clothes and found in a wallet in his pocket eight letters from a young man from Barnsley addressed to Miss Shakeshaft, 3s 8 ½d in cash, and a joke map of Europe. The place where he was found was not accessible to the public. Witness would say he approached the line at a point known as Viner’s Field and there climbed over a four-foot fence. Seven light engines and 22 trains had passed the point travelling on that line between 10.43pm on Wednesday and 8.50am on Thursday. It was impossible to say which train had struck him.
Dr. David T. Clark, of Denaby, said he examined the body. The head was completely severed. Under normal circumstances he would say death had taken place from four to five hours earlier, but in the flexed position between the rails, rigor mortis might set in instantly. He had some cobbles still gripped in his hand. Death was due to de-capitation.