FATAL BOAT ACCIDENTS.—MR. Edmund Belfour, of Grove-house, Putney, left
his residence soon after 7 o'clock on Thursday morning for his usual
pull on the river, using a light wager boat. After rowing for a short
time, the boat was observed suddenly to capsize. Assistance was
immediately at hand, and on turning up the boat the watermen were
greatly alarmed at finding it unoccupied. Drags were immediately at
hand, and strenuous exertions made to recover the body, but, up to 10
o'clock, without success. The deceased was the only son of
Mr. Edmund
Belfour, so long attached to the Royal College of Surgeons, and was only
in his fortieth year when he met with this sad accident, which has cast
a deep gloom over Putney, where he was greatly respected. He leaves
seven children, besides his widow.
The Times, Saturday, Jun 06, 1863; pg. 13; Issue 24578; col F
THE FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT AT HAMMERSMITH.
The inquest was resumed yesterday, and the lad Harrison, who took the boat to Putney proved that it was quite dry when he found it. He fancied he saw something splashing in the water just before he got to the boat, but he could not distinguish what it was.
Mr. J. Ireland, one of the treasurers of the London Rowing Club, stated that he saw the deceased gentleman, Mr. Belfour, on the morning of the accident, when they walked down to the boat-house together. Mr. Belfour was not an expert sculler by any means, and he (Mr. Ireland) thought he had overbalanced his boat in trying to readjust his trousers, having unbuttoned them, most probably, at starting to row. Deceased was not a good swimmer either. He (the deceased), as vice president of the London Rowing Club, took a great interest in the crews that were practising for the Henley Regatta, and had gone out on the morning he was drowned to see them training.
The Coroner having summed up.
The jury returned the following verdict :- "That the deceased, Edmund Belfour, came to his death by drowning in the River Thames."
The Evening Standard, 10th Jun 1863; pg. 8.
DEATH OF EDMUND BELFOUR, JUN., ESQ. The members of the
profession will no doubt sympathise with the worthy Secretary of
the Royal College of Surgeons, in the lamentable
death by drowning, of his only son. The sad event took
place on the 4th instant, when Mr.
Belfour left his residence, Grove House, Putney, soon after
six o'clock, for his usual early pull on the Thames. As
he did not return, some uneasiness was felt which caused
inquiries to be made. The result was that his boat,
one of those dangerous out-riggers, was discovered drifting without him; and it soon became evident that he
had met with a watery grave. Search was immediately
commenced, and a large number of boats were employed
in dragging that part of the river over which he was
supposed to have passed; but no trace of the body could
be found until Saturday, when it was discovered at Chiswick.
An inquest was held at Hammersmith, when a
verdict of "Found drowned" was returned. The deceased,
who was only in his fortieth year, leaves a widow and
seven children. This catastrophe has not only plunged
his family and numerous friends into deep grief, but is
keenly felt by all who enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance,
as was exhibited at his funeral which took
place on Wednesday, and was attended by a large number
of the principal inhabitants of the neighbourhood and
several members of the London Rowing Club, of which
the deceased was Vice-President.
British Medical Journal, June 20, 1863, p667-668