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Morning Advertiser, Thursday 11 January 1838.
Coroner's Inquest.
An inquest took place at the "Little Crown," East Lane, Greenwich,
before Charles Carttar, Esq,. the Coroner, on view of the body of Mr.
Henry Holman, one of the broad-coopers, in the employ of Messrs. Barclay
and Co., the celebrated brewers, of London. From the respectability of
the deceased, and his numerous and highly respectable connections, and
the catimation in which the unfortunate gentleman was held, the room in
which the inquest took place was crowded exceedingly.
The first witness examined was Mr. Joseph Holman, of Hastings, a brother
of the unfortunate deceased, who deposed that on Saturday night last he,
in company with his brother, had called on business at Mr. Jutson's, at
the "Red Lion," in East Street, Greenwich; and on leaving that house was
about to proceed to the Ship-dock, and in doing so, thinking that they
would go by a near cut to the next place he had occasion to call at,
they took the road leading by the "Trafalgar Tavern." The night being
misty, and going close by the wall of that house, they continued to keep
the pavement, and the consequence was, that the two gentlemen were
precipitated into the water of the Thames below, at which point the
place is, and has been for some time, completely unprotected by any
necessary barrier. These gentlemen were in earnest conversation, when,
on a sudden, they were plunged arm-in-arm into the Thames. The witness,
Mr. Joseph Holman, after considerable difficulty, succeeded in reaching
the steps, and thereby saved his life, and made his way to the "Little
Crown," much exhausted, where every assistance was rendered him by the
landlord. It was some time, in consequence of his exhausted state,
before the people there could ascertain that he had lost his brother who
had accompanied him. A young man by the name of Paine, who had heard the
particulars, immediately procured a boat to search for the deceased, and
after some little time succeeded in finding the body by use of the
anchor. Other boats were put off for the same beneficial purpose, which
exceeded in picking up two hats, the one belonging to the brother, and
the other to the deceased, the position of which led to the discovery of
the spot where the unfortunate gentlemen were precipitated into the
river.
It was he remarked that the place had been for a long time unprotected,
although several accidents have heretofore taken place at that spot,
but unfortunately no lives had previously been lost.
Mr. Thomas Freeman identified the body as that of Mr. Henry Holman.
After body was taken out of the water, the police hearing of the
accident, came up, and Mr. Inspector Kent of the R division, took
possession of the property which was found upon him. In a pocket-book
there were memorandums, a promissory note for £600, a purse containing
13 sovereigns, watch and appendages, &c. &c, which he procured, and gave
up to the proper authorities after the inquest.
The Jury having brought in a verdict of "Accidental Death," recommending
the Coroner to make a representation of the dangerous state of the
stair-head of the "Trafalgar Tavern," where the melancholy accident took
place.
The Coroner observed that he would without delay make the very proper
recommendation of the Jury known to the authorities of Greenwich
Hospital, whose undoubted duty it was to secure this situation, that in
future no further occurrence of the above untimely nature should take
place.
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