South Yorkshire Times, September 2nd 1944
Doncaster Youth’s Suicide Leap From Bridge
Story of Quarrel with Bolton Girl Friend
Stated at a Goldthorpe inquest to have quarreled with his girlfriend, eighteen-year-old Francis Bernard Davy, pattern maker of Silver Dene, York Road, Doncaster, left home to go out on Sunday evening and later that night was found dead on a railway track below a 50ft. high bridge at Bolton-on-Dearne where his girlfriend lived.
Recording a verdict of “Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed,” the Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) said it was impossible to say whether the broken friendship had had any affect on his mind. It seemed, he said, from the evidence of his parents, that he was normal throughout and had not been depressed, but he did not think a youth of his age would commit suicide without some reason. The girl (Audrey Winder), (16 ½), of 33, Dearne Road, Bolton, had nothing to reproach herself with. She had seemed to behave quite correctly.
Studious Youth
The boy’s father, Anthony Bernard Davy, colliery underground fitter, of Silver Dean, York Road, Doncaster, said his son left home at about 8pm on Sunday but did not say where he was going. Witness knew that his son was keeping company with a girl at Bolton, to whom he referred as Audrey and had seen them together in Doncaster. He understood that she was a clerk at the same factory. He described his son as having a lovable disposition and being of a studious nature. Mr. Davy said his son had not discussed the girl seriously with his parents. He thought they were only friends. He had not objected to the friendship and his son had said nothing about any quarrel or trouble recently. On Sunday the boy had appeared his normal self and had been larking about during the day with his younger brother. He always kept very moderate and regular hours at home and only came home late if he had been to a dance. In reply to the coroner, Mr. Davy said he knew nothing personally which led him to suspect that his son would take his own life. He was not of a melancholy disposition. He said his son had left no message or note. Mrs. Davy, the boy’s mother, said her son was a clever boy. He had attended Doncaster Grammar School and three years ago had passed his school certificate examination with five credits. He was getting on very well at work. She also could think of no reason why he should take his life. He had not seemed at all troubled and she did not think the girl in question had any effect on him.
Stumbled Over Body
George Frederick Bone, miner, of 42, Bolton Road, Highgate, told how, when taking a short cut along the Hull and Barnsley Railway line on his way to work at Wath Main colliery on Sunday night, he caught something with his foot near the Carr Head Lane Bridge. He saw it was a man lying between the rails on his side with one arm lying across one rail. The line was a single track which branched off into the colliery yard. Witness said he had left home about 10.50pm. He shouted to the man but got no response, so continued in the colliery and reported the matter to the time office, who informed the police.
P.c. W. L. Robson, stationed at Bolton, said he received the information from the colliery and searched the railway line from Ingsfield to Carr Head Bridge. He found the body lying on its left side with an arm bent slightly over the head. He examined the body and saw that there were serious multiple injuries. It was later removed to the mortuary. On the body he found 3s 6d, a return bus ticket and a comb, but no identify card or papers. The man lay bout three yards from the edge of the bridge towards the Highgate side. The distance from the bridge to the track was 50 feet.
Girl’s Story of Walk
Audrey Winder, a comptometer operator, employed at the same factory as Davy, said she had become acquainted with him last Christmas and had started going out with him about five months ago. They met frequently in Doncaster for convenience, although Davy had been to Bolton three times. She told how, about three weeks ago, she met her boyfriend at the Collingwood Hotel and they went for a walk down Carr Head Lane. They passed over the railway bridge and the boy remarked that it was a deep drop. Witness mentioned that two people had committed suicide from the bridge and Davy dragged her away saying, “Don’t look down there, it makes me dizzy.” He also said he wouldn’t like to be one of the two people who had jumped from the bridge.
During the last week, said Miss Winder, Davy had asked for her address but she refused to give it him. He then asked if he could write to her at work, but she again said no. The last time he visited Bolton was on August 21st. She had not arranged to see him, but happened to meet him at the fairground. Witness walked back to Goldthorpe with him and he caught the 9 o’clock bus home. On Wednesday August 23rd, Miss Winder said she told Davy she was not going out with him again as she was “fed up with going to Doncaster to meet him.” Davy said he would give her until the following Monday to consider it. Previously they had had one or two arguments over another girl at the factory and she thought he would go out with her. On Saturday she said she had met Davy’s younger brother who said Frank had told him about the quarrel and had asked the other girl to go out with him but had “ found that she was already courting.” Witness said that she saw Davy a few times over the next few days. They spoke to each other and were still friends but did not go out together. On the Friday they walked up the street together and he seemed as friendly as ever, but never said anything about the argument. He did not seem upset in the least. “It was not a serious friendship,” she said.
Miss Winder had no appointment with Davy on Sunday. She went to visit friends at Wath in the afternoon and remained there until 9.45pm. She described Davy as a very cheerful youth. He had never written to her and she could not say anything which would throw any light on the reason for his death.
Dr. J. L. McColm, said that cause of death was a fracture at the base of the skull. Other injuries he found when conducting a post-mortem examination were a fracture of the spine, fracture of the pelvis and of the left femur. Answering the coroner, he said they were the type of injury one would expect to find following a fall from a bridge to the distance of 50 feet.
Evidence was also given by Sgt. M. G. Gruber (Goldthorpe Police), who said it was impossible for anyone to fall over the bridge, which had walls of 4 feet high iron plate. The railway line, he said, was very rarely used. There were only about two trains per day from Thurnscoe to Wath Main Colliery. On the parapet was a mark which appeared to have been made by a foot, as if someone, putting a foot over, had scraped it on the edge. It was directly over the body. On the sleeper was a pool of blood which had obviously come from the nose and there was also a dint which appeared to have been made by a boot. The surface of the bridge was ash and on the cart track were no other marks than those made by wheels and ordinary footprints.
The coroner said he could only come to the conclusion that the youth committed suicide and, on the evidence, recorded a verdict that he committed suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed.