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The following article was extracted from the Dover
Telegraph for Saturday, June 1, 1850, p. 8, col. 1
Coroner's Inquest
On Tuesday
evening, at half-past seven o'clock, an inquest was held at the Rose
and Crown, at the pier, before G. T. Thomson, Esq., coroner of the
borough, on the body of George Norton, aged 37 years, one of the men
employed with the "mud barges" in Dover Harbour, who met his death by
falling overboard in the morning of that day. Mr. Joseph Long was
appointed foreman of the jury, and the body, which was lying at the
Boom-house, having been viewed, the following evidence was taken: -
William Reffell, labourer in the employ of the Commissioners of
Dover Harbour - I knew the deceased, who was employed in the same
barge with me. This morning, at about a quarter past 9 o'clock we
were in the barge together, opposite to the Boom-house, and were in
the act of warping her over to the other side. The warp had already
been made fast, and the deceased, with it in his hands, was walking
backward to pass the rope over the timber head at the stern of the
barge. I was standing at the bow, and on turning round to see how he
was getting on I saw him in the act of falling overboard. I ran to
his assistance, with a view of throwing him a rope; but the only one I
could get was the one he had previously held in his hands, and that
was drawn so tight by the stream of the tide that I could not get it
to reach him. I looked out for something else, but before I could get
a plank to throw to him he had sunk. The boat which had crossed with
the rope then came up, and the man in it ran to the bow of the boat,
but could not reach deceased. In about 20 minutes from the time of
the accident another boat came to the spot, and the men in it
succeeded in picking up the deceased, who was then taken to the
Boom-house. I do not know what was the depth of the water at the time
- I should think not above 5 or 6 feet, as a signal had just been
hoisted for a steamer to enter. Deceased did not attempt to swim.
John Martin, mariner - On hearing the cry this morning that a man
was overboard, I ran for the Humane Society's drag, with which myself
and two other sailors entered a boat near the Boom-house and
forthwith cast out the drag, but at the first haul found nothing.
We then dragged at the spot where the man had sunk, and brought him
up. Deceased was soon landed, and taken to the Boom-house. From the
time that I heard the alarm till the deceased was picked up I should
think 25 minutes had elapsed. I judge there was about 5½ feet of
water in the harbour at the time. There was a strong tide running.
William Johnson, working in the harbour - I assisted in
carrying the deceased this morning to the Boom-house, and was present
during the whole time the usual means of restoration were going on.
Two medical men were in attendance - Mr Coleman's assistant, and a
physician staying at the King's Head Hotel. The attempts to
re-animate deceased commenced about 10 o'clock, and were continued
till about a quarter past one, but without success.
This forming the whole of the evidence, the Coroner summed
up, and the jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally Drowned," and
suggested that a recommendation be forwarded to the harbour master for
providing an additional rope for the barges, for services in cases of
accident that might again occur.
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