Nottingham South (Meadows & West Bridgford) Virtual

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  Photo David Nunn - Trent Bridge linking Nottingham's Meadows district on the north bank with West Bridgford to the south.
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  The Cricketers' Rest Kirkwhite Street Meadows Nottingham shortly before it was demolished during the 1970s. Photo courtesy of www.closedpubs.co.uk - In 1915 this pub was involved in a tragic incident as reported by the Nottingham Evening Post. SHOT BY SENTRY TRAGEDY IN A NOTTINGHAM STREET MAN WHO IGNORED THE CHALLENGE The stern risks of wartime will be brought home to Nottingham people in all their stark grim reality by a tragedy (briefly reported in our edition of yesterday) which occurred in the Meadows district early in the morning when a man, who failed to respond to the challenge by a sentry on duty was shot, the bullet causing immediate death. Subsequently the dead man was identified by papers in his possession as William Weston Pickard, aged 58, of Hillside, Hilton Road, Mapperley, a well-known man who was engaged in the licensed trade in the city for many years, and has since been living in retirement. He was formerly tenant of the Crescent Inn, Ryland-crescent, Meadows, and of the Foresters’ Arms, in St. Ann's-street. So far as we have been able to trace the circumstances of the sad affair, it appears that the sentries of the Supernumerary Company of the Sherwood Foresters were posted at five minutes to two o'clock in the morning on what is known as No. 4 post at the railway bridge in Derwent Street between Blackstone Street and Cromford Street. One of the sentries — Private Thomas Isherwood — went down the adjacent yard to look round and see that all was right. Returning immediately afterwards, about 2.30 a.m., he saw a man coming from the direction of Derwent Street towards Conduit Street, near his (the sentry’s) post, and immediately challenged with the customary “Halt, who goes there.” It was dark and raining heavily at the time. No reply being forthcoming the sentry repeated the challenge a second and third time, and in response to the last we understand the man muttered something which Isherwood thought to be foreign language. He was carrying something under his arm, which Isherwood thought looked like a rifle, but which eventually proved to be an umbrella, and levelling his rifle, the sentry fired at the man, and the charge killed Pickard on the spot. The bullet entered the lower part of the neck, and a subsequent examination by Dr. H. O. Taylor disclosed the fact that it had splintered the top of the spine and emerged from the other side of the shoulder in two pieces. The corporal of the guard, hearing the report, promptly hurried to the scene, and Isherwood informed him what had happened. The police were also communicated with, and P.C. West arrived and had the body of Pickard conveyed to the Leen Side mortuary in the horse ambulance. A guard of the supernumerary company was called out, and Isherwood was placed under military arrest and kept at the headquarters, The Eastcroft, pending inquiries by the military authorities. Second-Lieut. Neilson was called to the spot about 4 a.m., and later in the morning Captain Charlton was informed of the circumstances, which he communicated to the officer commanding the district. Pickard, we learn, had been visiting a friend in the Meadows, whom left about 1.45 a.m., and it is assumed was proceeding home. He has been slightly deaf for some years. The deceased man leaves a widow and two children, one of whom is married. A great sensation was caused in the neighbourhood of the affair, and as the news spread through the city, the place was visited by many of the curious and the morbidly inclined. [1] [1] 'Nottingham Evening Post,' 5th July 1915. The inquiry was attended by Captain F. J. Ashworth, Captain O. N. Charlton, Captain C. C. D. Butler, Lieut. R. H. Martin, Lieut. A. G. Neilson, and Lieut. J. Martin, of the supernumary companies of the 7th (Robin Hood) Rifles. M. E. N. Elborne (for the bereaved family), Mr. G. Tutin (for the sentry). and Detective-supt. A. Atherton and Inspector T. Slingsbv (for the police). Mr. Rothera said the case was of an unusual character, and had arisen out of the fact that this country was in a state of war. It seemed that the deceased man was under one of the bridges which carried the Great Central Railway over the city. He was in Conduit Street about two o'clock in the early hours of Sunday morning. The locality is under guard — as all bridges the neighbourhood were — and had been since the outbreak of war. Deceased seemed to have been challenged by the sentry three times, and was then shot. It would be shown that there were certain public notices given with regard to the condition of affairs, and the jury must generally hear what was to be said with regard to the affair. Jane Pickard, widow, said her husband left home on Saturday morning about 11 o'clock and did not return. She expected him home to dinner. Ellen Holliwell licence holder of the Cricketers’ Rest, Kirke White Street, stated that the deceased was in her house on Saturday evening between eight and nine. The house closed at ten minutes past nine, and she did not see Pickard again until two o’clock was approaching. He had, it appeared, gone to sleep at the back somewhere, and knocked them up. He said he had been asleep, and could neither get into the house or out of the yard. Witness and her husband got up and let him out. They begged him to spend the night there, but Pickard was thinking of his wife and home. They then wanted to accompany him. It was raining very hard at the time, and deceased had an umbrella and mackintosh. He asked for a drink before he left, but they said, “No thank you,” and he did not get one. By Supt. Atherton: He was a little deaf on one side. By the Jury: He was perfectly sober when went from her house at nine o’clock. Mrs. Pickard, recalled, said her husband was very slightly deaf on one side. He was not in the habit of keeping hours like that. He was too well respected, and a gentleman. He used to have “fainty” and ague bouts at times, and when these were on it took him some time to collect himself. THE SENTRY’S STATEMENT. Private Thomas Isherwood, otherwise Mason, of the 7th Notts, and Derbys., the sentry concerned, whose hair is a silver grey, said he had been on sentry duty for the last seven months. Having been warned by the Coroner that he was not obliged to answer the questions, Isherwood proceeded to say that he was on duty at No. 4 post off Blackstone Street on Sunday. He had to look after the Central Railway arches and bridges. He went on from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. He had to patrol nooks and corners, arches and culverts. “Just before 2.30," he continued, “I saw the figure of a man facing me on the opposite side of the Conduit-street bridge. It very dark and rough, with a storm coming on. The rain was pouring down. The figure stood plumb facing me. He never moved when I came up the ten steps to the street level. He was not leaning against the wall, but stood firm. I saw under his arm what I thought to be a short rifle. It turned out to be an umbrella. As soon as I got up the steps I challenged him, “Halt! Who goes there?’’ and received no answer whatever. I could not swear whether a train was going over the bridge at the time. I took two paces forward, and put a round of ammunition in. I shouted a little louder, so as to make the man hear. Now, between the second and third call the man had still got the thing under his arm, and was more raising than lowering it. I challenged a third time. He mumbled something in a low voice that I could not hear. He took a step forward, perhaps a yard, and was gradually raising the closed umbrella under his right arm as a man would a rifle. After the third challenge I paused. He murmured in a slow tone something I could not catch. I fired, and he dropped instantaneously. I stayed on my post. There was no lamp lit at the time. It is a very important bridge. My instructions are to give three challenges right throughout the British Empire, and to pause after the third. It is no use giving them six, sir, and being killed yourself. It is a general order. I gave him a good pause. It might have been my own brother I was there do my duty, and I did it." By Mr. Elborne: “I should have thought he would have been using an umbrella with it raining like that.” WITNESS’S INSTRUCTIONS. Mr. Elborne: “You shot him because you were afraid he was going to shoot you?” — “Oh, no, not that, sir.” “Did you think was going to damage the bridge? —“ I get orders from my captain, and I am going to do it.” “Are not your instructions if you shoot, shoot low?” — “Yes sir”. “Are they writing? — “Yes, sir.” “Have you got them?” — “My captain has.” Mr Elborne called for them to be produced, and Mr. Tutin objected. Witness then said his instructions were printed on the bridge. Mr Elborne: “Oh, no, no. You say you were ordered to fire low?” “I take that on my own responsibility.” “Have you got a copy of these written instructions?” Mr. Tutin: “He is acting under military authority.” Witness (to Mr. Elborne): “I object to answering you, sir. Captain Ashworth is here.” Mr. Elborne: “You did not fire low, did you?” —“ I fired.” “I know. You did not fire low?” No answer. Mr. Elborne: “It not only a matter of this man. It is a matter in which the public are seriously interested. If men are to be shot down without any chance at all it is a serious matter.” Mr. Elborne:” You heard him murmur something?” — “I shall not answer.” Mr. Tutin: “Say yes or no. You have already answered.” Witness: “I heard him murmur in a low tone after I called out the third time.” THE VERDICT. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased man was shot by a sentry in the discharge of his duty as a guard of the railway. The jury wished to make it known to the public the great danger they ran in not answering the sentries’ challenges, and they trusted that the military would give particular instruction to sentries to use every precaution, and not to fire haphazard or at random. The Coroner, the foreman, and Capt. Ashworth, on behalf of the military authorities, expressed sympathy with the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. Rothera shared the hope of the military that the public would realise that the sentries were there on serious business. Captain Ashworth, in the witness-box, declared that Isherwood acted within his instructions.” [1] [1] 'Nottingham Evening Post,' 6th July 1915. Research by Peter Gillings
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  Photo Nottingham Evening Post 6/7/1915 - FUNERAL OF MR. W. PICKARD. The funeral took place at the Church Cemetery this afternoon [8th July 1915] of Mr. William Weston Pickard, 58, of Hillside, Hilton-road, Mapperley, who met with his death under such tragic circumstances during Saturday night when he was shot by a sentry. A large crowd witnessed the final rites, those present including Capt. Ashworth and the officers of the supernumerary companies of the 7th Sherwood Foresters (Robin Hoods). [1] [1] Nottingham Evening Post 8/7/1915 Research by Peter Giilngs