Account from Braintree paper of 1895

Mr Walter Oxborrow, watch-maker and jeweller of Brain-tree, committed suicide on Friday, May 24, by drowning himself in the river Blackwater at Bocking. He had been previously depressed through losses in business, and left home on Friday morning, saying he was going to attend to a customer’s clock at Bocking. He called on the way and had a glass of ale at the King’s Head and entered into conversation with the landlord about trade and the scarcity of money. Mr Rankin, the land-lord, notice how bad he looked, and tried to cheer him up.

When he left the King’s Head the deceased went into the field by the river, and was last seen by a labourer about half-past eleven that morning.He did not return home, and on Saturday morning, his wife having informed Supt. Elsey, two constables searched the river, and found the body in a sitting position in about six feet depth of water.

At the inquest which was held in the evening before Dr Harrison, County Coroner, it transpired that the deceased was ex-pecting to meet a traveller of a jewellery firm to whom he was indebted, and his liability to pay the money had in all probability been a source of worry and depression.

The deceased was 45 years of age: he leaves a widow and five young children. The Jury returned a verdict of “Suicide during temporary insanity,” and passed a vote of condolence with the bereaved family.