Sheffield Independent – Saturday 13 May 1899

Found Drowned At Mexboro’.

An inquest was held at the Market Hall, Mexboro’, yesterday, touching the death of Walter Gillott, whose body was found in the canal at Mexboro’ on the Wednesday previous.

Elizabeth Gillott, the widow, said her husband was aged 37. He was a labourer at the Denaby Main Colliery. She last saw him alive on May 1st, when she left home in the afternoon. Deceased was then at home, and seemed to be in good spirits. Her husband had promised to meet her at the station at night. She did not see him on her return. The house was locked up . She knew the spot where he was found in the canal. She thought he might have been going to meet her at Kilnhurst. Sometimes she stopped there to see a relative. He would naturally take the canal side. He was subject to “giddiness.” and might thus have fallen into the water. Last January, at the colliery, he fell about 16 feet on to some loose bricks. He had never been “dizzy” before then. She did not know that he was in any trouble, or that there had been a quarrel. Her husband was not insured.

William. Wood, ferryman, said he had known the- deceased about four years. He knew he had been subject to dizziness. He ferried him over from Old Denaby on the afternoon of the 1st inst. He seemed about as usual. He did not speak.

Hamlet Mollart said he saw the body floating in the canal about the centre. That was shortly before noon on Wednesday. The body was got out of the water. Witness sent for the police.

A verdict of ” Found drowned” was returned.