Peter Spilsbury

Peter Spilsbury was found dead in the canal at Kent Green.

He was found floating in the canal by a man that had been walking towards Congleton between Thorley's Bridge and Baxter's Bridge. The man continued on a little and then told two men who were fishing what he had seen and they went back and the man divested himself of his clothes and went into the canal and fetched Peter Spilsbury's body out.

A policeman that had known Peter Spilsbury for about five years said that he was a very steady man who was the least likely to have taken his life.

On his body they found a letter which was described as having applied in a very friendly manner for the payment of the balance of a loan that Peter Spilsbury owed him and which expressed sorrow at hearing that Peter Spilsbury had been having difficulty in making ends meet.

The man that wrote the letter, an accounts clerk, was called at the inquest and explained that he had known Peter Spilsbury since 1891 and that between then and 1894 he had advanced Peter Spilsbury money as he had a large family and that Peter Spilsbury had written to him explaining that he needed more time to pay the loan as his income as a stationmaster did not meet his expenditure as head of a large family.

It was noted that Peter Spilsbury had earned £75 a year as station master.

The accounts clerk denied that he had pressured Peter Spilsbury for the money.

His wife denied that she had left him frequently and gone off to the Potteries where she had accrued financial responsibilities.

An open verdict of 'Found Drowned' was returned.