Edward Charles Franklyn

Edward Charles Franklyn was found dead in a lake near Colnbrook By-pass on 4 March 1945.

It was thought that he had been in the water for about a month and his cause of death was given as being due to drowning.

However, it was not known how he came to be in the water and an open verdict was returned.

Edward Franklyn had been living with his brother-in-law in Queenswood Avenue, Hounslow, after having separated from his wife in July 1942. He said that Edward Franklyn had been working as a lorry driver, but that the last time he saw him was in December 1944. He added that as far as he knew, Edward Franklyn had no financial worries and said that he had never heard him threaten to take his life.

A man that Edward Franklyn worked with, who lived in High Street, Langley, said that they had worked together for many years and said that Edward Franklyn had always been 'a quiet sort of chap'. He said that he last saw Edward Franklyn on 9 December 1944. He noted that Edward Franklyn had a lady friend in Colnbrook and that he would go there every week-end.

When the coroner summed up he said that several theories could be advanced as to how Edward Franklyn got into the water, but whether it was by suicide or by accident, he was not prepared to say as there was no evidence on those points and an open verdict was returned.