Hastings & St Leonards Observer, , 29 July 1876
Sad Drowning of a Hastings Man
A sad boating accident occurred to a Hastings young man on Saturday ni: Reading.
Ernest Hastings Shrewsbury, vrith two young men, named Sutcliffe and Barnett, had hired a ,pair-oared boat at Freebody's near Caveisham-bridge, Reading, on Saturday evening about a quarter to seven, and went about three miles up the Thames to the " Roebuck," the deceased pulling one of the oars, and also sculling the boat part of the distance.
At the " Roebuck " the deceased' met a friend, Mr. Fred Blackwell, stationer, of Reading, in a small boat called a whiff. At the request of Shrewsbury, Mr. Blackwell allowed him to pull the whiff back to Caversham-bridge, Mr. Blackwell taking Shrewsbury's place in the paired-oar, which followed the deceased, who seemed to getet on all right until he had passed Caversham-bridge and was turning round an island to get to Freebody's boathouse, when he caught his scull in some weeds, the whiff was upset and he was thrown out into the water.
Unfortunately he could not swim. The pair-oar was, however, only two lengths behind, and Mr. Blackwell, who was steering it, jumped into the river and caught Shrewsbury as he rose for the last time, and was swimming towards the hore with him, when, sad to relate, the deceased struggled from his grasp and was seen no more alive. This was about nine o'clock, almost dark. The body was recovered at a quarter to one early on Sunday morning, and an inquest was held on Monday afternoon, when a verdict of " Accidentally drowned by the upsetting of a boat" was returned.
The deceased was the son of Mr. Abraham Shrews bury, of the firm of Messrs. Alderton and Shrewsbuiy, Hastings, ironmongers. He was a finely grown youth of 16, and was apprenticed to Messrs Williams and Sons, ironmongers, Reading. He was highly esteemed and respected, and his loss will be deeply felt by bis family and his friends.
Reading Mercury - Saturday 29 July 1876
Report by witnesses, and Coroner’s summing up - notes from:Ernest Shrewsbury, son of an ' ironfounder at Hastings, and apprentice to Messrs. • T. C. Williams and Sons, ironmongers, of London-street, Reading
