Skegness Magazine

Tragedy marred the pre Christmas period at Skegness in 1936, when a local young man was found dead with his head in a gas oven on Monday evening, (December 17th).
The tragedy was heightened by the fact that the deceased was to have been married the very next day and a bungalow at Ingoldmells had been furnished in preparation for the event.
At the inquest, the father of the dead man confessed that he knew of no reason why his son should have taken his own life, but a younger brother of the deceased stated that he had been very restless at nights of late and had scarcely slept at all. Witness further suggested that his brother had been depressed, owing probably to the fact that he was out of employment, as also was his father with whom he lived, and that this depression might have been accentuated through the fact that he was leaving home on his marriage.
Deceased was George Frederick Cutforth, aged 24, of 11, Wilford Grove, Skegness. He was previously in the employ of the Maypole Dairy Company at Lincoln as a shop assistant, for nine years, but left that employ about two previously, since when he had only had “on and off” occupations.
The inquest was held at the Court House, Skegness, on the Tuesday afternoon, and was conducted by Mr. Benjamin Sweeten, Assistant Coroner for the district, who sat without a jury.
William Edward Cutforth, father of the deceased stated that he was a stable hand, but had been out of employment for the past nine months. On Monday last, about 3 p.m., witness had had his dinner when deceased came in rather later than usual for his dinner. He seemed to be perfectly normal and in ordinary health, and ate a good dinner.

Witness was going out and he asked his son how long he would be before he went out, and he replied about half-an-hour. Witness asked him to light the fire for the children before he left, and he promised to do so. Witness bade his son “goodbye” on leaving the house and deceased replied “good-bye, dad.” He seemed quite cheerful.
Witness then came down to the town to look after the evening papers which he sold each night at his stand at the Lion Hotel corner. About ten minutes past five Mr. Davison came to the corner and asked him (witness) to go home as soon as possible its he thought something had happened. Mr. Davison informed him that on their return from school witness’s two younger children had found the door locked and the little girl fetched a key from an outside lavatory and unlocked the house door and on doing so found a piece of paper (produced).
Witness at once proceeded on his bicycle and found Mr. Davison and Mr. Bean who told him the door was locked. He immediately rushed to the lavatory and got the key and on entering they found deceased still lying with his head in the gas oven. In reply to the Coroner, witness explained that when the children reached home they obtained the key from the lavatory and unlocked the back door, but after finding the piece of paper they locked the door again and returned the key to the lavatory.
When witness unlocked the door there was a strong smell of gas. The gas was turned off and the doors and windows
opened. The police were then telephoned for and witness waited until a constable arrived.

ON EVE OF MARRIAGE.
The Coroner: What was your son’s occupation?
Witness replied that he was a grocer’s assistant, but had not been anything for two or three weeks. He previously sold a liquid production called “Aunt Sally.”
Had he been in good health?—Yes.
Had he had any illness previously?—He had an operation f0r appendicitis three years ago, when he was suddenly taken ill. In reply to Insp. Harvey, Mr. Cutforth said he went home immediately on receiving Mr. Davison’s message, and arrived about 5.20. When he opened the door he smelt a strong smell of gas.
Did you leave your son in the room until the police arrived?—Yes, we opened the windows and turned -the gas off.
But you did not remove the body from the room?—No.
Do I understand that your son was to have been married?—Yes, tomorrow.
Had he any worries with regard to that? —Not that I know of.
The Coroner; You’re quite sure that he seemed quite well and normal?— Yes.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE,
Dr. A. AV. Allan, of Skegness, stated that on the previous Monday, at 6 p.m. he received a telephone message, from the police and proceeded to 11, Wilford Grove, where he found the, deceased lying on the path outside the back door of the house. He was dead.
The body was warm and the limbs flexible. The limbs were consistent with carbon-monoxide poisoning and the lips were ink-coloured. There were no marks of violence on the body.
Witness had since examined the body and found two old scars which were apparently the result of an operation for appendicitis, the lower smaller scar resulting from a tube inserted for drainage purposes. These scars, however, had nothing to do with the happening under notice. The body was well nourished. Witness had never attended the man professionally.
Insp. Harvey: Did you form an opinion as to how long he had been dead? – I should say between one and two hours.

MOTHER’S ORDEAL.
Frederick Davison, 3 Tennyson Green, Skegness, stated that he was a general labourer, but was now unemployed. About 5.10 p.m. on Monday last, witness had just finished his tea when there was a knock at the front door. One of his children answered it and two children of Mr. Cutforth came in crying and frightened. Mrs. Cutforth, their mother, was at his house attending his wife.
The children handed their mother a note. She read it and said to witness “Can you make anything of this note? Something must have happened.”
Witness read the note and threw it down and asked Mrs. Cutforth where he could find her husband. He then mounted his bicycle and rushed to the Lion corner where he saw Mr. Cutforth, and told him to hurry as soon as he could, as he (witness) had seen a note and that something was wrong.
Witness then hurried off to Wilford Grove, where he found Mr. Cutforth’s house door locked, and there was a strong smell of gas at the door. Not having a light which was of any use he went to Mr. F. R. Bean, next door, and asked him to bring a torch and see if they could get into the house, as be suspected something was wrong. They tried both doors but found them locked, and witness was just on the point of breaking a window and entering when Mr. Cutforth arrived.

“DON’T COME IN!”
The latter procured a back door key from the lavatory and they entered and found deceased lying on the floor with his head in the gas oven. There was a strong smell of gas, and witness asked them to open the windows. He felt deceased’s pulse and concluded that he was dead. The police were then telephoned for and witness waited until a constable arrived.
Witness identified the piece of paper produced as that which Mrs. Cutforth’s children brought to his house. It was a

sheet of pad blue writing paper, soiled and creased. At the Coroner’s request witness read the writing on the note: “Dear Leonard and Madge. Don’t come in. Go to Mam. — Love, George.”

DECEASED’S “BAD NIGHTS.”
Ernest Cutforth (16), a brother of deceased, stated that he was a groom boy and was employed by Mr. Addey’s Riding School. He lived at home with his parents. He and deceased slept together and deceased had been a bit restless at nights lately; in fact, he had hardly slept at all.
His brother was previously a shop assistant with the Maypole Company at Lincoln for nine years, but had been out of regular employment for about two years. During that time he had been a salesman on and off and sometimes business had been good and sometimes very bad.
Witness added that he and deceased seldom spoke to each other. They had a bit of trouble in the summer with the result that they conversed very little afterwards.
Deceased enjoyed his food, but complained sometimes of indigestion. Witness had only once heard him complain of severe pain that being about a year ago.
Asked if he could suggest any reason for the occurrence witness said it might have been through the fact that deceased was unemployed and that his father was also out of work. The fact that he was leaving home and getting married might also have made him depressed. ” But I shouldn’t have thought he would have done it,” added witness. Witness
went on to say that his brother was not miserable but was always very quiet. He was also very secretive about
business with his mother and father.
In reply to a question as to where deceased was going to live after his marriage, the father stated that the couple had got a bungalow at Ingoldmells which had been prepared and furnished in readiness for occupation.

CONSTABLE’S EFFORTS.
P.c. E. H. Cooper stated that on Monday, about 5.30 p.m. while on duty at the police station, he received a telephone message, consequence of which he went immediately to 11, Wilford Grove. He found Mr. Cutforth and Mr Davison outside and deceased was lying on his left side on the kitchen floor, with the left side of his head in the gas oven. Witness noticed that the doors and windows were open and that the gas had been turned off.

With the assistance of Mr. Davison he removed the body into the yard, where it was laid on some clothing. Witness then removed the tight clothing at deceased’s neck, chest and waist and commenced artificial respiration. He sent Mr. Davison to telephone for the police and Ernest Cutforth to telephone for a doctor, and Mr. Davison assisted him with artificial respiration until the arrival of Insp. Harvey at 6 p.m. Dr. Allan arrived at 6.10 and pronounced life extinct.    The body was then removed to the mortuary.
In reply to the Coroner, the father said he was on quite good terms with deceased and couldn’t make out why he had done such a thing.
The Coroner said the cause of death was clear, but as regards a motive, they had only the evidence of E. Cutforth, who stated that his brother was restless at night and scarcely slept and also that he may have been depressed through the fact that be and his father were out of employment. He (the Coroner) found that death was due to coal gas poisoning and that deceased committed the act while of unsound mind.