Sheffield Independent – Monday 29 June 1891

Sad Drowning Case at Mexboro’

The Effects of Drink.

An inquest was held on Saturday night at the South Yorkshire Hotel, Mexbro’, before Mr. D. Wightman, on the body of Thomas Dickinson, a labourer, of Preston, whose body had been found in the canal at Mexbro’.

The father of the deceased identified the body, which appeared to have been in the water abont a week.

Aaron Smeaton, carpenter, said he saw the body floating in the basin alongside the canal, the basin having been formerly used in connection with the boatyard of the late Mr. Scholey.

Police-constable Huffinley deposed to having assisted in the recovery of the remains. There was nine feet of water in the basin.

William Ward, labourer, said he met the deceased in the street late on the night of the Saturday previous. He was then much the worse for liquor. Deceased had been employed near the basin for some weeks in repairing the foundations for a new glass works for Messrs. Waddington.

In reply to a question put by Inspector Barrett, the witness said he thought he could account for the deceased being found in the basin, as it had been a habit occasionally for labourers to spend the night in a hut in the boatyard, although this kind of thing was not approved. The deceased could not get into the common lodging house, having gone to the house too late, and the probability was had climbed over a low wall near where he was found and had thus fallen into the basin whilst worse for drink. It was mentioned that several lives had been lost in the basin,’ including a son of the late Mr. Scholey .

The jury returned a verdict of ” Found drowned.”