A TRAGIC CO-INCIDENCE - THE DROWNING OF WILLIAM MORRISS SHEFFIELD 1900

These two cuttings are from the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent and the Sheffield Daily Telegraph and refer to the drowning of an eleven year old boy William Morriss in the River Don near Wincobank Station (Sheffield)  

The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 28th July 1900

Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Friday 28th July 1900

The title of the second cutting "More Drowning Cases in Sheffield" seems to indicate that drowning was be no means unusual in the city. As you can see William Morriss was one of three that were reported that day. William's was a tragic accident whilst Mark Monegan's seems to be have been due to excessive drinking. Emily Parker's was just suicide.

An inquest was held into William's death on Monday 31st July 1900 at the River Don Inn, Brightside, Sheffield and was reported in the following days newspaper

Tuesday August 1st 1900

An inquest was held at the River Don Inn, Brightside, by the Sheffield Coroner yesterday, on the body of William Morriss, aged 11 years, son of Police Constable William Morriss, of 5, Dearne Street, Brightside, who was drowned in the Don on Friday. The deceased, with several other boys, was on the banks of the river in Meadow Hall Road. A boy named Lorenzo White had a butterfly into the can and threw it into the water. Morriss tried to get it out, when his foot slipped and he fell into the water. His comrades were powerless to help him, and went for assistance. A man named Charles Wood attempted to get the body out, and was unsuccessful, but the police subsequently recovered it by dragging the river.

A verdict of “Accidentally drowned” was returned.
And this is where an amazing coincidence occurs. William age 11 drowned on Thursday 27th July 1900 in the River Don. Twenty days later on Wednesday 15th August 1900 William Morriss age 11 drowned in the River Don. This was the report of the inquest that was held at the public mortuary the following day 

Thursday August 17th 1900

An inquest was held at the Sheffield Mortuary yesterday by the City Coroner, on the body of William Morriss, aged 11 years, son of William and Sarah Morris, of 2 Court, 7 House, Hollis Croft, who was drowned in the Don on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased and several other boys went to bathe in the Don above the weir near Hillfoot Bridge. They had not been in the water very long before Morriss got out of his depth. His companions were powerless to assist him, and went for assistance. A labourer, who was working on the tramway extensions in Penistone Road, was called, and got the body out of 6-1/2 feet of water. The deceased could swim a little, and was in the habit of bathing in similar places.

The Coroner said the question of children bathing in the Don was not a new one. It was a question in times gone by, and could not be solved then. They also bathed in the canal between Sheffield and Doncaster. It was dangerous, but could not be stopped. Parents of children at the age of deceased ought to keep them out of danger.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned”. 

The circumstances of the two drownings in the River Don were nearly identical and the verdict was the same “Accidentally drowned”. But what is even stranger is that both William Morriss's were 11 years old when they died and both had fathers called William. As I said earlier, an amazing but tragic coincidence. 

Sources

Sheffield Daily Telegraph dated Friday 28th July 1900

The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent dated 28th July 1900 August 1st 1900 August 17th 1900

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This page was last updated on 07/02/17 14:59