Donald Geoffrey Cowling

Donald Geoffrey Cowling and Winifred Mary Brew died after their car went into the River Mersey at the bottom of Sandon Road in Egremont.

A witness said that they saw the car roll down the hill with a woman inside it and go into the River Mersey after which they saw a man in a raincoat chase it and jump into the sea to rescue the woman after which the car turned over onto its roof and took the man under.

The car was later recovered from the sea and Winifred Brew was found to be dead inside whilst Donald Cowling was found nearby in the sea.

The Coroner said 'I think you will find that this terrible tragedy cannot be solved by us or anyone else' and an open verdict was returned.

Donald Cowling and Winifred Brew were said to have been keeping company for about three months and were described as having been on very friendly terms.

Earlier on 7 February 1959, at about 1pm, Donald Cowling had called on Winifred Brew so that they could attend his sister's wedding at Little Sutton.

Donald Cowling's brother said that he saw Donald Cowling at about 4.30pm at the reception following the wedding with Winifred Brew. He said that Donald Cowling owned an Allard saloon car and had been an able driver and had also been a motor mechanic and saw to it that his car was in a first-class state.

A fitter that lived in Sandon Road in Wallasey said that after the wedding reception that Donald Cowling and Winifred Brew drove him and his wife to Egremont at about 10.45pm where they stopped outside 11 Sandon Road, noting that they seemed quite normal and that they then helped them to unload parcels from the car.

He said that after that Donald Cowling and Winifred Brew both got back into the car, which he said was facing the promenade, but that the engine was not running.  He said that when he got out of the car that the handbrake was on and said that Donald Cowling knew of the steep hill as he had previously gone down it on to the promenade to turn round., which he said he thought was Donald Cowling's intention that night.

The fitter said, 'It is possible that he got out to close the boot. I did close it but it is possible that he got out to slam it'.

A driver that lived in Danger Lane in Moreton said that he had been on the promenade at about 11.20pm on the night of 7 February 1959 when he saw a saloon car come down Sandon Road and crash through the railings into the river, noting that there was someone in it. The car had travelled 50 yards down the road from where it was parked to where it entered the river.

He said that the car stood on its nose with the rear lights still burning and that he then saw a young man wearing an overcoat run across the road and jump into the water. He said that the man was trying to get to the car door when the vehicle lurched over on to its roof and took the man with it.

A police inspector that later examined the car said that Winifred Brew's body was recovered from the rear part of the car and that ignition was switched, the car was in gear and the handbrake was in the disengaged position.

The inquest returned an open verdict stating that Winifred Brew died from drowning and that Donald Cowling died from drowning whilst trying to save Winifred Brew.

Donald Cowling had been a fitter and had lived in Berwick Road, Little Sutton whilst Winifred Brew had been a shop assistant and had lived in Pennine Road, Birkenhead.