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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 20 Jan 1945
Page 6 Column 4
DROWNED IN WILLOW PIT
CURLOAD BLACKSMITH'S TRAGIC END
CORONER ON INSUFFICIENT PROTECTION
Mr. Geoffrey P. CLARKE (Coroner) returned a verdict at Taunton on Tuesday that Frank WYATT, blacksmith, of Curload, Stoke St. Gregory, died from asphyxia due to drowning, when he accidentally walked into a disused willow pit adjoining the highway at Curload on Saturday. He was 51 and unmarried.
He lived with his brother, Clifford WYATT, a farm labourer, of Curload, who told the Coroner that deceased had never had any serious illness. He was very reserved.
He left home at about 7.15 on Saturday and witness was not alarmed when he found on Sunday morning that his brother had not been home, as he had been away for the night on previous occasions.
QUITE SOBER
Victor John PEARCE, willow worker, Curload, said he left the Railway Hotel, Stoke St. Gregory, with WYATT and others at about 10.15 p.m. on Saturday. WYATT was walking and was quite sober. They parted company outside the inn and witness cycled home. If WYATT had in any way been under the influence of drink witness would have walked with him, as they lived near each other. It was the habit of WYATT, when walking home from the inn, to stop on a pathway just of the road, which led to the river bank and to a farm called “Turkey.” It was very dark on Saturday night and WYATT had no torch or light. His sight was far from good, although he did not wear glasses. The willow pit was about 200 yards from the inn.
Cecil Frederick CHAMPION, farmer and willow worker, Curload, said he saw the body in the pit at 10.15 on Sunday morning and informed the police.
P.C. BAKER (North Curry) said the body, fully clothed and in a Home Guard great-coat, was lying face downwards in 13 inches of water. The pit was 22 feet by 18 feet, was three feet from the highway and slightly below the road level.
The Coroner commented that the wall between the pit and the road was in a “pretty bad state of repair,” and P.C. BAKER, answering a question, said he thought the wall was the liability of the property owner, who was serving overseas.
UNABLE TO STRUGGLE
Dr. Crichton MacGAFFEY, who made a post-mortem examination, said the cause of death was asphyxia, due to drowning. His impression from the appearance of the lungs was that deceased was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
The Coroner, summing up, said that from outward appearances deceased was perfectly sober, but there was no doubt he had had several drinks, and although the water was not deep he was unable to put up the struggle one might have expected It was unfortunate that the wall was so dilapidated and that the pole, evidently put there to protect anybody going there by any chance at night, had fallen down. “It is quite clear from the police photographs,” added the Coroner, “that had the wall existed for the whole length, or had the pole been in position, it would probably have pulled him up in time. It was very dark and the pit was only a few yards from the opening into the road.”
Colonel CLARKE expressed sympathy with the relatives.