Dover Express 26/02/1926

The Dover Express and East Kent News 26/02/1926 reports:

“Young Man’s Death at Sea”.

“On Tuesday the Borough Coroner, Mr. E.T. Lambert, held an inquest at the “Esplanade” Hotel, on the body of a young motor engineer, Richard Nigel Bell, of Newcastle on Tyne, who died on the S.S. “Blackhill” on the Isle of Wight on Saturday. The Blackhill, bound from Santander, put into Dover on Sunday morning.

Mr. T.W. BellSolicitor, of Newcastle, and an uncle of the deceased, appeared on behalf of the relatives.

Mr. John Bell, father of the deceased, of 253 Helensley Road, Newcastle on Tyne, a manager of a transport firm, said: I have seen the body of my son and identify it. He lived in Felling on Tyne . . . . I last saw him the day before he sailed, on February 1st. He was then apparently in good health and cheerful. He was going for a holiday. He joined up in 1914, at the age of 16½, in the motor transport, and rode a motor cycle as a despatch rider. He was blown up by a shell, but was not invalided home. Later he drove a motor wagon. The motor took fire and he was burned on the arms and legs. He also had an injury to his knee as the result of an accident. He served for 3½ years in the Army, and since he was discharged he attended the Hospital in Newcastle on Tyne for neurasthenia. On one occasion, about six years before, when he came home from the Front he had a seizure . . .he made a convulsive movement, went black in the face and then fell over and went to sleep. He saw the doctor after this and was told it was neurasthenia as the result of war service. The doctor said it was not a fit.”

Another witness said that he had seen Mr. Bell on board the ship and seemed to be in good health and eating all his meals. “On Saturday afternoon, about a quarter past three, I saw him go into his berth and about ten or fifteen minutes later, on passing his berth door, I noticed he was lying down in a peculiar position”. Efforts to revive him proved useless.

The Coroner ruled that death was caused by asphyxia caused by a fit, i.e. natural causes.

"Helensley Road" should be "Helmesley Road".

The name “Richard Bell” appears on the list of those serving from High Felling Council School on F32.23