The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-24 00:00:00

A DISTRESSING BOAT ACCIDENT,

A painful feeling has been created anion; the
residents of Old Hampton by an accident which
occurred last week upon the river in the vicinity of
that picturesque village.

It seems that Mr. Arthur Brant Holberton, aged
eighteen, son of Dr. Holberton who resides in New
Hampton-road, left home in the course of Thursday
afternoon for a row upon the river. He took with
him a younger sister, and was likewise accompanied
by Miss Beatrice Julia Pemberton, aged eighteen, the
daughter of Mr. Pemberton, a gentleman living close
by the residence of the Holbertons. Engaging a boat
near the ferry, Mr. Holberton pulled up the river. All
went on pleasantly till shortly before four o'clock,
when, while passing along the back stream opposite
the West Middlesex waterworks, Mr. Holberton and
Miss Pemberton attempted, it is said, to change
seats. Their movements caused the frail craft to
capsize and immerse its three occupants in the
swiftly-flowing current. Mr. Holberton, who was an ex-
cellent swimmer, gallantly endeavoured to support
the young ladies for a time, and both he and Miss
Pemberton called out for help, when a man named
John Swabey went in a putt to the rescue. He suc-
ceeded in extricating Miss Holberton, who was then
insensible, sinking, and about 2ft. under water, by the
aid of his punt pole, only 6ft. long, with which he had
contrived to paddle. Mr. Holberton, who had become
exhausted, disappeared with Miss Pemberton beneath
the surface of the stream, the lifeless body of the
former being recovered with a drag half an hour after
the occurrence, and that of the young lady at half-
past five o'clock. Her watch had stopped at seven
minutes to four o'clock.
A very painful incident occurred as the remains of
the unfortunate young couple were being landed. Dr.
and Mrs. Holberton, who some little time previous to
the accident left Old Hampton by the Sunbury-road
for a ride, returned along the racecourse just at the
moment that Inspector Shillingfcrd was conveying the
corpse of Miss Pemberton in a boatto the shore. Attrao-
ted by the crowd gathered about the ferry, and perfectly
unconscious of the terrible bereavement they had sus-
tained, Dr. and Mrs. Holberton paused by the river to
gaze upon the unusual scene, when Inspector Shilling-
ford at once crossed the water and infcrmed the dis-
tressed parents of their loss. They immediately pro-
ceeded to their residence, whither the body of their son
had been removed, while the remains of . Miss Pem-
berton were conveyed to the house of her father.

An inquest has been held on the two bodies, when
Mr. Walter Turning Holberton, deposed that Arthur
Brant was his brother. He was a medical student
18 years of age, and could swim, having been
accustomed to boating all his life, and having been
upset many times.—William Dorman stated that
young Mr. Holberton went down to the waterside
with his sister, and chose a boat himself. It was
,tnly fit for one pair of sculls, with sufficient
room for two persons to seat themselves, in addition
to the sculler, and when they started from the
boathouse, Mr. Holberton was rowing. Witness
heard nothing more of the party till about four o'clock,
when he was informed by some one on a carriage that
a boat had been turned over. He ran down in four or
five minutes to the barges in front of the West Middle-
sex Waterworks, got a boat and rowed across to where
he was told the boat had been turned over, and then
he found the body of Mr. Arthur Holberton in five
feet of water, but unentangled in any way.—. James
Langsham, waterrnan, stated that he assisted in search-
ing the river, and found the body of Miss Beatrice
Pemberton, which was taken out of the water about
an hour and a quarter after that of the young gentle-
man.—John Swabey, coal heaver, deposed that he was
employed upon the barges, and while looking at the
river, saw Miss Pemberton rowing. The latter and
Mr. Holberton, who were about 60 yards away from
witness, them attempted to change seats, when the
boat tipped over in midstream, and all three were
thrown into the water. The young ladies clung
to the side of the boat and Mr. Holberton swam
round to assist them. Witness called out
for them to hold tight till he could get to
them, and when he reached the place, he could just see
the little girl's hand above the water, but the de-
ceased had already gone down. If his pole had been
a little longer, he might have got to them more
quickly. He believed Mr. Holberton drowned him-
self, in endeavouring to help the young lady. Wit-
ness called out to Mr. Holberton to keep Miss
Pemberton up as long as he could, but he was too
exhausted to support her any longer, and he saw the
young gentleman's arms waving about in the water as
he approached.—The Coroner, on. reviewing the
evidence, remarked that there was little doubt as to
the accidental nature of the . occurrence, and that
' Mr. Holbetton had lost his life in the performance of
an heroic act.—The jury, after some considcration, re•
turned a verdict of "Accidentally drowned."