Walter Cole was born on the 27th September 1876, the fifth of eleven sons by Moses Cole and Louisa Maria Cole (nee Collins) in Moor, in the parish of Hill and Moor in Worcestershire. He is recorded as living with his parents at the 1881 Census along with his 4 elder brothers George, 13 and Joseph 11 both working as Farmer’s Servants, Thomas, 7, Henry 6, and younger brother William aged 2. Ten years later, in the 1891 Census, at 14 two of his brothers George and Joseph had moved away but he had now gained 3 more younger brothers, Charles 6, Arthur 3 and Harvey who was just 1. Walter was only 14 but already working as an Agricultural Labourer.
On the 13th August 1899 Walter Cole married Eliza Cole at the Baptist Chapel, Cowl St, Evesham. Both were living together at 24 Avon St, Evesham at the time of the marriage. Eliza’s parents were John and Jane Cole(nee Shuard) The witnesses at the wedding were George Beckley and Mary Shuard. In their married life they had 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls between 1900 and 1920. In the 1991 Census Walter and Eliza were living next door to her parents in Lower Moor and they had their first child Doris Annie, who had been born on 20th February 1900. Walter had also by this time moved out of agriculture and was working for GWR as a Railway Packer.
By the 1911 Census Walter was 34 and Lizzie (Eliza) was 30 and they now had 6 children – Doris 11, Gladys 9, Jack 6, Frederick 4, Alice 2 and Margery 1 month old. Walter was now a GWR Platelayer. Over the next 9 years they had 4 more children, Geoffrey Walter in 1913, Alfred Henry in 1915, Raymond Charles on 24th January 1917 and Beatrice May on 14th November 1920 (coincidentally the same day – but not year – as me). Walter and Eliza’s first born Doris Annie gave birth to a son Stanley Cole on 13th May 1917 to an unknown father, at the same time that her mother Eliza was also with child – Raymond Charles.
Walter met an unfortunate death in January 1926 where he died on a railway line between Wyre Piddle and Lower Moor at the age of only 49. He left an estate to the value of £320 (almost £20,000 in current values) but interestingly the Probate was not granted until 23 years later in 1949!
The full story of the inquest is shown below in a report from the local paper. Lizzie outlived Walter by some 35 years and during the 1939 Records was recorded as a Land Worker, living at Jessamine Cottage, Bridge St, Lower Moor. She finally passed away in January 1961 at the age of 79.
Suicide on G. W. R. at Moor.
At Wyre Piddle, on Monday evening, the District Coroner (Mr. H. Basil Harrison) held an inquest relative to the death of Walter Cole (49), of Lower Moor, Fladbury, a ganger in the employ of the G W.R. Co. who was killed by a passing train near the boundary line which divides the two parishes of Wyre and Moor, on Sunday afternoon last. Mr. L. G. Badham of Pershore, represented the N.U.R. on behalf of the family of the deceased, and several railway officials were present, including Messrs. Norris, Dickens, and Bourne, of the engineering traffic, and locomotive departments respectively. Harvey Cole, brother of the deceased, and a signalman employed at Pershore Station, gave evidence of identification, and said he last saw his brother alive on the Sunday morning about 8.30. Deceased told witness he was off to inspect Walcot Bridge, in consequence of the flood water. He appeared to be in his normal health and spirits. He was a happy, jovial sort of man. Witness knew of no physical or mental trouble. From January to March last year he was under Dr Askham of Pershore, for an illness starting with fainting fits, but he seemed entirely to have got over that. Deceased had a wife and a large family. Victor Badham of Wyre, farm labourer, said he saw Cole about 1.45 on Sunday walking on the up-line in the direction of Fladbury. He was, witness thought, proceeding homewards. He walked in an ordinary manner, and witness took no further notice, till he saw the oncoming train from Evesham travelling on the down line, slow up and then stop. He then knew that something must have happened, and ran down to the line. The body of Cole lay on the line some distance behind the train. Edgar Byrd of the Anchor Inn, Wyre, said deceased went there at 12.30, and stopped till 1.15 on Sunday drinking about 1 1/2 pints of ale. He ordered the second pint, but left half of it, as he was evidently upset about something. Witness thought he looked funny, and advised him to get home to dinner, and he went. Asked what he meant by the words ” looking funny.” witness said he sat with his head resting on his hands, and took no notice of the other customers.
Engine Driver Suggests Suicide,
William Henry Davies, 58, West Street, Oxford, driver of the Oxford to Hereford train, said he saw a man between the metals of the up-line on the opposite side. There was nothing to indicate that he was a servant of the Company. Witness kept his eye on him, and blew his whistle, although the man was walking right in the middle of the line and was in danger. As he drew nearer, the man suddenly stopped dead, looked up at him and immediately took a dive right in front of the engine. Coroner asked witness if he was quite sure the man did not stagger and fall in front of the train; that he did not trip over the metals and try to recover himself? Or again, in view of the evidence already given, that deceased was not seized with a fit. Witness said he was perfectly sure in his own mind that the jump in front of the engine was a deliberate action on the part of the deceased. Harry Collins, of 81 Blackfriars Road, Oxford, the fireman on the steam train corroborated and said that when the driver shouted “Stop, we’ve knocked somebody down” he immediately applied the hand brakes, which with the other brakes soon brought the train to standstill. P.C. Mann from Fladbury said the body was in a terribly mutilated condition. One boot was found 60 yards away. The brother of deceased here challenged the statement of the driver. His brother was the last man to the world who would think of committing suicide. He had no worry at all that he knew of, and certainly his health was good when he saw him on Sunday morning. Of course he might have had a fit, and he contended that the driver, travelling at 50 miles an hour, was absolutely unable to say that the man threw himself in front of the train. He thought that the Pershore Doctor should have been called. — The Coroner said until be entered the room he had no idea that deceased had had an illness about 9 months ago, or he would have arranged for the doctors attendance. The driver was again questioned but in the briefest manner adhered to his previous statement that, the deceased deliberately threw himself in front of the train. Mr L C. Badham said it would certainly have been important evidence to hear from the doctor what kind of fits the deceased was subject to in his last illness, but he agreed with the Coroner that the questions put by him and answered by the engine driver had been very straight. The Coroner said in the light of the evidence he could not return any other verdict than that of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane.” He expressed sympathy with the family of the deceased, with which Inspector Dickens concurred.