George Shillito

George Shillito was found floating in the King George Dock lock pits in Hull on the night of 30 June 1938.

It was thought that his body had been in the water for about two weeks.

His cause of death was given as being due to asphyxia, due to drowning.

He had bruises on his face, but it was said that they might have been caused by him falling.

It was noted at the inquest that he was not thought to have been the type of man that would commit suicide.

At the time he had been working on the keel Draco which was berthed in the lock head at King George Dock. The Captain of the Draco, who was himself employed by Selby Warehouse Transport said that George Shillito was a mate on the vessel and described George Shillito as being cheerful and happy, with good hearing and sight.

He said that George Shillito asked him for a 'sub' on 24 June 1938 and said that he gave him 6s, noting that George Shillito had told him that he was going to buy some food.

The Captian said that when he later went back to the Draco on 26 June 1938, he expected to find George Shillito aboard, but said that there was no sight of him.

It was noted that George Shillito had had a woman's bicycle that had also disappeared.

An open verdict was returned.

He was a keelman from Goole and Selby but had been of no fixed abode as he would live in the keels in which he worked.