Age: 73
Sex: male
Date: 11 Jun 1947
Place: Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Hirst Wood, Shipley
Albert Dawson was found dead in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Hirst Wood in Shipley on 11 June 1947.
He had a fractured skull which was said to have been inflicted before he had gone into the water.
He was a retired clerk and had lived in Waverley Terrace, Great Horton, Bradford.
Albert Dawson's son said that Albert Dawson had been in extremely good health and was accustomed to taking fairly long walks.
His wife said that Albert Dawson had left home at about 10.30am on the Wednesday, telling her that he was going to the tailor's in Otley Road, Bradford, to be fitted for a new coat. She said that she expected him back home for his midday meal, but that he didn't return. She noted that she had not noticed any change in his health recently.
A policeman that went to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Hirst Wood on the Wednesday at about 2.30pm where he found a fawn trilby hat with the initials AD inside said that he started dragging operations and recovered Albert Dawson's body about 400 yards from the lock gates. He said that in a pocket inside Albert Dawson's clothing he found a red leather wallet with sixpence in cash in it, a gold watch and chain and a pocketknife. He said that the watch had stopped at 12.03pm.
A doctor that examined Albert Dawson's body said that externally Albert Dawson's body was that of a thin old man in good preservation. He said that his injuries consisted of abrasions and a fractured skull, and said that in his opinion death was due to drowning, but noted that he thought that Albert Dawson had fallen before entering the water and fractured his skull.
After being questioned by the coroner, the doctor said that he didn't think that Albert Dawson had been attacked.
The coroner then recorded a verdict that Albert Dawson's death was due to drowning after falling and fracturing his skull, by accident.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Shipley Times and Express - Wednesday 18 June 1947