Henry Clennett

Henry Clennett was found lying injured in Shot Factory Lane on the night of 15 February 1920 and was taken to the Royal Infirmary where he died from a fractured skull a few days later.

A 22-year-old railway porter who had lived in Shot Factory Lane was tried for his manslaughter but acquitted after no evidence was offered. It was alleged that they had had a fight.

When the railway porter was later questioned by the police he said, 'I was never out of the house. I had a child taken ill that night. I never heard anything until next morning, when a woman who lives upstairs told me and my wife about it'. The railway porter's wife also said, 'That's right. He was never out of the house'.

Two doctors gave evidence regarding his injuries, the first saying that he had never known a case where a man had fractured his skull through falling his own length, and the other saying that Henry Clennett's injuries were much more likely to have been caused through him being knocked down or pushed rather than a fall.

At the inquest, a woman gave evidence to state that Henry Clennett was a very quiet man and that when drunk, was very good tempered.

The evidence of another man was also heard as well as that of the sister of the railway porter, but the coroner said that both of their statements were very unsatisfactory and that they were each contradictory.

It was heard that Henry Clennett and the railway porter had met in Shot Factory Lane and an altercation had taken place after which Henry Clennett was found fatally injured.

The coroner's jury found that the railway porter was responsible for Henry Clennett's injuries which had been inflicted without provocation and he was remanded without bail for trial at the Summer Assizes for Northumberland on 30 June 1920 but was discharged at the trial after no evidence was offered.