KNOTTINGLEY INQUEST REPORTS

FROM THE WAKEFIELD ARCHIVES

Ref: C493 - K2/1/29 number 1478
Inquest into the death of THOMAS JACKSON, 30th October 1868, at the house of John Shay, Wagon & Horses Inn, Knottingley.

Hannah Daw of Knottingley a widow says: Deced was my father. He was 75 years old a Shoemaker. He has always been healthy. Yesterday morning he got up about ½ past 7 o'clock as usual. Having eaten a good breakfast he made the fire in his shop and started work. About ½ past 11 o'clock a man called on the deced to be ferried over the Aire. I went with them to the staith. Deced unfastened the boat. The wind was blowing westerly and strong and the water was flowing very fast down. When deced got about 3 yards from the side I asked him to come back. The man in the boat also asked him to return - deced said "I was to go home and mind my own business as he was capable of managing the boat." I watched him land the man on the other side of the river but in the regular place. I watched him returning. He was standing up sculling the boat which was blown down the river and caught a post of the weir and deced was thrown out into the water. The boat stuck. Deced went along toward the weir and called out for help. I ran for help. His body was about 10 minutes in the water.

John Burston of Knottingley a Joiner says: Yesterday noon I heard an alarm and went to the river side and saw deced in the water. His head and arms were then out. I immediately ran about 200 yards and got into a small boat with another man and went toward deced who was then in the middle of the little river where I pulled him out with a boat hook. The water was muddy. Deced's nostrils were full of mud. He seemed to breathe once afterwards.

Verdict: Accidentally drowned.

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