Another well known Tameside pub closes

The Sportsman has a long history dating back to the days when Stalybridge was a hive of manufacturing activity. In 1903 the pub was used as a coroners court following the tragic death of a local carter named John Bywater. Let’s hope this pub does not meet the same fate as so many well known Tameside pubs and finds itself lined up for demolition.

Mr F Newton, county coroner, held an inquest at the Sportsman Inn, Mottram-road, Stalybridge, on Wednesday morning, touching the death of John William Bywater, aged 25 years, who resided at 6 Swallow’s-yard, off Warrington-street. Deceased was a carter in the service of Messrs Thos. Mills and Sons, corn factors, Old-street, and a short while ago he sustained an accident whilst following his employment. He died last week-end, and the Coroner directed that a post-mortem examination should be made.

The first witness called was deceased’s widow, who said that seven weeks ago, at three o’clock on a Saturday afternoon, he was brought home, and said he had been hurt. He said the injury was to his right eye, and he complained of feeling cold. Deceased went to bed, and afterwards told witness he had been hurt whilst delivering some corn at a farm in Besom-lane, Millbrook.

He said he had the bag of corn on his back, and he tumbled, and his head came into contact with the handle of the grinding machine. The bruise on his eye eventually healed, but he continued to complain about it being painful. He also complained that his back hurt him. Dr SCOTT attended the deceased from the time of the accident. He expired at 7.30 on Sunday morning. He did not blame anyone for what had happened.

Mr Hulme (a juryman): Is it true, as I have been told, that it was a long time after the accident before the deceased was found? – Mrs Bywater: I cannot say, and he never said anything to me about it. – Detective LEE said he understood no one saw the accident. The man had evidently attended to his injuries himself, for some blood was found amongst the water in a tub close by. The deceased must have fainted afterwards.

In answer to the Coroner, Mrs Bywater said she had been married only two years, and Mr NEWTON expressed his own and the jury’s sympathy with her in her sad bereavement. – Mr T H Mills also expressed the sincere sympathy of the firm towards Mrs Bywater.

Dr Scott said he was first called to the deceased on the 21st of February last at Kenworthy’s Farm, Millbrook. He was lying on a couch, and said he had fallen against the chopper. He had an incised wound over the right eye-lid, about an inch and a half in length, which did not penetrate to the bone. Witness temporarily dressed the wound, and followed the deceased down to Stalybridge, where he was carried to his surgery. He then thoroughly dressed the wound, and had attended the deceased for three days at his house.

Since then he had been able to walk to the surgery for treatment. The stitches were removed on the seventh day after the accident. The last time deceased came to the surgery was a week last Saturday, and he said he was going to work on the following Monday. On the Tuesday witness was again sent for to attend him at his home, and he found him complaining of pains in his back and head, believing, as he did, that deceased was suffering from a slight attack of influenza.

During all that time deceased had shown no symptoms cerebral trouble. Witness saw him again on Saturday morning, when he was told deceased had had a very bad night, and on waking him he told witness he had had great pain in his hips, but the pain was then gone, and he wanted to sleep. At midnight witness was called again, and he found him unconscious. He remained with him until 4.30 next morning when death ensued. Witness made a post-mortem examination, and found a fracture far back at the top of the orbit, producing congestion and effusion on the brain, which had caused the man’s death.

In answer to Mr Mills, the doctor said the fracture was certainly the result of the accident. Such a fracture could happen even without a wound. It was a curious thing that deceased showed no signs of head trouble until Saturday, when he became unconscious. That deceased had died as a result of the accident there could be no question.

Mrs Booth, the wife of the farmer at whose place deceased was delivering corn when the accident happened, gave evidence of his being brought into the house, and the doctor being sent for immediately. She heard the deceased say that he had fallen with a bag on his back, and had been thrown forward on to the chopping machine. The jury unanimously returned a verdict in accordance with the doctor’s evidence, and found that the injury was the result of an accident.