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John Preston

Age: 80

Sex: male

Date: 29 Oct 1940

Place: Park Lane, Oldbury

John Preston was found in the road in Oldbury on the night of 18 October 1940 and died later in hospital.

John Preston had lived at 5 George Street in West Bromwich.

He was found lying in the middle of Park Lane, a roadway in Oldbury, with a fractured spine and head bruises. He was then taken to Hallam Hospital in West Bromwich, but later died on the Tuesday 29 October 1940 from senility aggravated by shock due to his injuries. It was stated that his injuries could have been caused by him falling down.

The police said that they carried out extensive inquiries but failed to find any vehicle that might have been involved in the affair.

John Preston's son said that John Preston was physically fit, but that his mentality was failing and said that John Preston was suffering from the delusion that his father was still alive in Oldbury and that on previous occasions he had been found wandering around Oldbury and had to be brought back home.

It was heard that on the night of 17 October 1940, John Preston had told his landlady that his father had sent for him and that he was going 'to help him out'.

An open verdict was returned.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Evening Despatch - Thursday 31 October 1940, 5