STANLEY GEORGE SMITH

Laid to rest at the Field of Honour.

Born: 8th November 1892, Ipswich.

Baptised on the 12th February 1893, at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich – family home at Victoria Place, Black Horse Lane, Ipswich.

Died: 16th October 1920; age: 28; found drowned in Ipswich Dock. The body was discovered and recovered on Saturday, 16th October 1920.

E.A.D.T. – Friday, 19^th July 1918 – Mr. and Mrs. Smith, of 9, Arthur Street, Ipswich, have received a letter from the Sister of the 72^nd General Hospital in France, stating that their son, Gunner Stanley George Smith, is lying seriously ill with fractured ribs and pneumonia.

Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – Friday, 22^nd October 1920 – MAN IN IPSWICH DOCK _ VERDICT OF “FOUND DROWNED.” The Ipswich Borough Coroner, who sat with a jury, held an inquiry on Saturday afternoon concerning the death of Stanley George Smith, of 9, Arthur Street, whose body was recovered from the dock early that morning.

George Ebenezer Smith identified the body as the body of his son, who was 27 years of age, and resided with him at No. 9, Arthur Street, Ipswich. The deceased was a labourer at Messrs. Brown’s timber yard. He was a single man, and had served in the Army as a gunner in the R.F.A. until just before the armistice. He had been badly wounded and twice gassed. He was of a quiet disposition, and the witness had never heard him threaten to take his own life.  Mrs. Sarah Jane Smith, wife of the previous witness, stated that she last saw her son alive on the night of Sunday, 10^th October. He had his supper and went to bed, but came downstairs again after about half an hour, saying that he could not sleep and should go for a walk. He left the house about 11 o’clock, and she did not see anything of him afterwards.

By the Coroner: He was a good son, and had plenty of work and a comfortable home. He often, however, lost time at work owing to pains in his head. It was a frequent habit of his to take a walk after 10 o’clock at night when he had had his supper. Walter Joseph Hart, a bargeman, of Lane’s Court, Curriers Lane, Ipswich, gave evidence as to finding the body floating in the water opposite Messrs. Mortimer’s mill. The body was fully dressed and about twenty yards from the Quay wall. With assistance, he got the body to the shore. P.-c. Matthews stated that his attention was called to the body, which was floating face downwards, being fully dressed, with the exception of his cap. There was about 12 feet of water at the spot. There was nothing on the body to suggest how the deceased got into the water. He found various Army papers, but no money or a watch. There were no signs of a struggle. Mr. S. W. Hoyland, police surgeon, said that the body was that of a well-nourished man. Beyond a bruise on the right shin, there were no marks of violence. The face was very discoloured, and in his opinion the deceased had been in the water for five to seven days. The cause of death was drowning. The Coroner, summing up, called attention to the circumstances, which furnished no evidence that the deceased man intentionally destroyed himself. He might conceivably have fallen into the water, and the only verdict in his opinion consistent with the evidence was that of “Found drowned.” The Jury returned a verdict to that effect.

Residence: 9, Arthur Street, Ipswich.

Occupation: with Messrs. Brown’s Timber Yard, Ipswich.

Rank: Gunner; Service Number: 170498.

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery, 3rd East Anglian Howitzer Brigade.

Medals Awarded: Victory & British War.

Burial head on the 20th October.

Grave Reference:

BA.I.81.

Ipswich Old Cemetery,

Ipswich.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of George E. & Sarah Jane Smith, of 9, Arthur Street, Ipswich.

CENSUS

1901   3, Church Lane, St. Matthew’s, Ipswich.

Stanley was 8 years old and living with his parents, siblings & paternal uncle.

George Ebenezer Smith, 36, a Mattress Maker, born Kilburn, Middlesex.

Sarah Jane Smith (nee Cunningham), 36, born Ipswich.

Florence Matilda Annie Smith, 7, born Ipswich.

Ellen Elizabeth Smith, 4, born Ipswich.

William James Smith, 2, born Ipswich.

James Smith, 29, a Furniture Porter, born Kilburn, Middlesex.

1911   73, Sirdar Road, Ipswich.

Stanley was 18 years old, a Machine Hand – Timber Merchant. He was living with his parents & siblings.

George, 46, a Mattress Maker – Bedding Manufacturer.

Sarah, 47.

Florence, 17, a Domestic Servant.

Ellen, 14, a Day Girl.

William, 12.

Eliza Jane Smith, 10, born Ipswich.

Winifred Dorothy Smith, 5, born Ipswich.