South Yorkshire Times, February 24, 1939

Swinton Shooting Tragedy

Mexborough Man’s Suicide

Report Fails to Waken Relatives in Room Above

“No Question of Foul Play”

Witnesses at a Swinton inquest on Tuesday told the Sheffield Deputy Coroner (Mr. A. P. Lockwood) that although a double barrelled shot-gun was fired during the night in a downstairs room, they slept soundly until next morning. It was not until one of them went down, shortly before eight, that they discovered that a man had committed suicide while they slept.

Mexborough Man.         

Marjorie Alice Gray, married, of 86, Fitzwilliam Street, Swinton, said the dead man, her brother, Kenneth Harold Croft (28), colliery engine driver, 41, Kirby Street, Mexborough, had been living with his mother since August of last year, when he and his wife parted.

He went to see witness on Friday, and then spoke of setting up house again, and of buying furniture. Witness heard him have some conversation with het husband about a double barrelled shotgun, and later he and her husband went into the garden, taking the gun with them.

Shortly before six they went out together, and returned about half-past nine, subsequently having supper and playing darts.

Nothing had then been said about her brother staying the night, but she realised that he wished to do so. He said that he preferred sleeping downstairs on a bed-chair, in the kitchen. When we left him he was dressed, and smoking a cigarette. The gun was still in the kitchen. We slept without being disturbed throughout the night.  I got up about twenty minutes to eight on Saturday morning and went down to find my brother lying on his back, dead. The electric light was still burning.”

Slept Badly.

Witness said she had never heard her brother threaten suicide. He had not slept well for a month but although he had been ill, he would not see a doctor. There was no history of mental illness in the family. He was quite normal that evening.

Walter Basil Gray, Croft’s brother-in-law, said Croft told him he would like to shoot the gun, but witness told him he had only two cartridges. Croft said he would buy him some more, and they went into the garden, where Croft fired, there was also some conversation about buying furniture. About a quarter to six, he and Croft set out for Mexborough. They called at a public house and each had one glass of beer. Croft subsequently went to a sports outfitter’s and bought a box of cartridges for the gun. After supper, later that night, they played darts until nearly Midnight, They slept soundly, and as not until his wifi asked him to go downstairs to look at the body that he knew of the occurrence. The night before the gun had not been loaded. The box of cartridges had been on the sideboard in the kitchen, and witness discovered that two had been taken out. Witness identified a note as being in Croft’s handwriting.

In answer to the Coroner, witness said Croft was not used to firearms. Though he had used an airgun, it was the last time that he had fired a shot. Croft had not shown any particular interest in the gun, nor had he said anything that made witness suspect he intended taking his life. “I thought he was the wrong type of man to do a thing like that.

“Run Down.”

Florence Croft, 41, Kirby Street, Mexborough, Croft’s mother, said he had spoken to her recently of going back to his wife. From January 21st to February 7th he had been off work, and was run down. They thought him quiet during the last two or three days; Witness left home about one o’clock on Friday to draw his wages., that was the last she saw of him alive. He had been noticeably depressed over his illness and had not eaten or slept well. He was very quiet.

P c Smith said the gun was lying by the side of the body. The cartridge in the right barrel had been fired. That in the left barrel was still live. Witness was of the opinion that Croft had be dead a few hours when he (witness) was called in shortly after eight.

Witness found a letter addressed to Croft’s mother, and £4 10s. in notes. The letter showed clear intention to commit suicide.

Similar notepaper to that on which it was written was found in the same room. Apart from the injury caused by the shotgun, there were no other external marks of violence. Nor was there any suggestion of foul play.

The Coroner recalled Mrs. Croft and asked if her son had been very depressed about the separation from his wife.

Mrs. Croft said he had not talked to her about it. He was very secretive.

No Question of Accident.

The Coroner said the evidence in the case ruled out any question of foul play and the nature of the injury and the note, in his opinion, ruled out any question of accident. They clearly pointed to the fact that Croft had taken his own life.

“I have not been able to ascertain any specific reason why he should decide to do that, but there is evidence that he had been ill, that he neglected to take any medical advice about his illness, and that it had left him in a depressed state of mind. There is also evidence that he was separated from his wife, and that whatever the trouble was, he had not discussed it with his mother, but had bottled it up within himself, and I think that must also have been preying on his mind. On the evidence I shall find that he committed suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed, due to depresssion owing to ill-health and domestic trouble.”