[Skip to content]



Nottingham South (Meadows & West Bridgford) Virtual

Trent Bridge linking Nottingham's Meadows district on the north bank with West Bridgford to the south.

This section commemorates Great War fatalities from Nottingham's Meadows district and West Bridgford, part of Rushcliffe Borough but separated from Notingham only by the River Trent, whose names were not included on memorials erected during the conflict's aftermath. It is being compiled from Nottingham Evening Post obituary entries, the CWGC Debt of Honour Register and other military sources, census data and Birth, Marriage and Death indexes. David Nunn

Memorial location
Names on Memorial

William George Allsopp - William George Allsopp

Wallace Alvey - Wallace Alvey

Frederick Ambler - Frederick Ambler

John Robert Ashwell - John Robert Ashwell

Leslie Atkin - Leslie Atkin

Albert Barker - Albert Barker

Noel Edgar Barsby - Noel Edgar Barsby

William Arthur Beckett - William Arthur Beckett

George Bird - George Bird

Horace Boilstone - Horace Boilstone

Arthur Bolton - Arthur Bolton

Robert Bradley - Robert Bradley

Horace Brent - Horace Brent

Thomas Frederick Miles Bright - Thomas Frederick Miles Bright

Frederick William Brown - Frederick William Brown

John Ernest Brown - John Ernest Brown

Samuel Brown - Samuel Brown

William Brown - William Brown

Walter Bull - Walter Bull

Henry Cecil Burton - Henry Cecil Burton

Archie Cave - Archie Cave

Charles Challans - Charles Henry Challans

Charles Chester - Charles Chester

Arthur Chester - Arthur Chester

James Clarke - James Clarke

George Clarke - George Clarke

John Alfred Clayton - John Alfred Clayton

Henry James Clift - Henry James Clift

Edward Inman Codd - Edward Inman Codd

George Richmond Collier - George Richmond Collier

Harold Croxford - Harold Croxford

Ernest Cundy - Ernest Cundy

Bernard Cundy - Bernard Cundy

William Dainty - William Dainty

Clifford Day - Clifford Day

George Edward Donson - George Edward Donson

Albert Edward Dury - Albert Edward Dury

Ernest Edward Dyer - Ernest Edward Dyer

William Clifford Dyment - William Clifford Dyment

Harry East - Harry East

Walter East - Walter East

Harry Eaton - Harry Eaton

Raymond Edwards - Raymond Edwards

Ainslie Elliott - Ainslie Elliott

Albert English - Albert English

Walter Evans - Walter Evans

Walter Sidney Farnsworth - Walter Sidney Farnsworth

Colin Dunbar Fisher - Colin Dunbar Fisher

Edward Frettingham - Edward Frettingham

Thomas Gardner - Thomas Gardner

James Gilderthorpe - James Saunders Gilderthorpe

William John Glover - William John Glover

Reginald Arthur Gregg - Reginald Arthur Gregg

Wilfred John Arthur Hall - Wilfred John Arthur Hall

Frederick Hall - Frederick Hall

Herbert Hancock - Herbert Hancock

William E Handley - William Handley

Richard Oliver Hardwick - Richard Oliver Hardwick

Joseph Andrew Harrison - Joseph Andrew Harrison

Fred Hemstock - Fred Hemstock

Arthur Hewitt - Arthur Hewitt

John Henry Hickling - John Henry Hickling

Fred Holmes - Fred Holmes

Thomas Holmes - Thomas Holmes

Percy Charles Hopkinson - Percy Charles Hopkinson

George Horne - George Horne

Albert Edgar Hudson - Albert Edgar Hudson

Charles Hurst - Charles Martin Hurst

Edward William Jackson - Edward William Jackson

Ernest Jennings - Ernest Jennings

Bernard Keeton - Bernard Keeton

John Henry Kemp - John Henry Kemp

George Archibald Sinclair Kennedy - George Archibald Sinclair Kennedy

Ernest Arthur King - Ernest Arthur King

Charles William Lancashire-Smith - Charles William Lancashire-Smith

Claude Lancaster - Claude Lancaster

Harry Latham - Harry Latham

John Limerick - John Limerick

Wilfred Thomas Lorton - Wilfred Thomas Lorton

Thomas Lovett - Tom Lovett

Charles Luckett - Charles Luckett

William Edward MacDonald - William Edward Macdonald

James Leo Marriott - James Leo Marriott

William Marshall - William Marshall

Percy Mason - Percy Mason

Donald Herbert McAllister - Donald Herbert McAllister

Robert Arthur Middleton - Robert Arthur Middleton

Charles Frederick Caleb Miller - Charles Frederick Caleb Miller

Ben Frederick Morris - Ben Frederic Morris

James Walter Morton - James Walter Morton

Frank Moults - Frank Moult

Robert Mullin - Robert Mullin

William Barry Brownson Newsam - William Barry Brownson Newsam

Herbert O'Dell - Herbert O'Dell

William Alfred Oliver - William Alfred Oliver

Jess Palfreyman - Jess Palfreyman

Christopher William Parfitt - Christopher William Parfitt

Charles Isaac Parke - Charles Isaac Parke

William Arthur Patterson - William Arthur Patterson

Thomas Pepper - Thomas Pepper

William Henry Perry - William Henry Perry

William Stewart Pickbourne - William Stewart Pickbourne

Frank Edward Pickbourne - Frank Edward Pickbourne

Alfred Preston - Alfred Preston

James Frank Preston - James Frank Preston

Clarence Joseph Priest - Clarence Joseph Priest

William Prince - William Prince

Albert Read - Albert Everard Read

Walter Redshaw - Walter Redshaw

James Walter Farmer Reyner - James Walter Farmer Reyner

James Richardson - James Richardson

John Isaiah Rigley - John Isaiah Rigley

Willie Rippin - Willie Rippin

William Rivers - William Rivers

Henry Todd Robinson - Henry Todd Robinson

Walter Robinson - Walter Robinson

Alfred & Rosanna Rogers - Alfred & Rosanna Rogers

George Samples - Job Samples

Walter Harold Savage - Walter Harold Savage

Charles Frederick Shelton - Charles Frederick Shelton

Percy Shepherd - Percy Shepherd

George Shipman - George Shipman

Francis Albert Shipman - Francis Albert Shipman

Walter Shirley - Walter Shirley

George William Simpson - George William Simpson

George Singleton - George Singleton

Edmund Smeeton - Edmund Smeeton

Albert Smith - Albert Edward Smith

Frederick James Smith - Frederick James Smith

Frederick William Smith - Frederick William Smith

Leonard Smith - Leonard Smith

Percy Smith - Percy Smith

Albert Edward Smith - Albert Edward Smith

Edward Ambrose Smith - Edward Ambrose Smith

Walter Smith - Walter Smith

Daniel Spriggs - Daniel Spriggs

William Henry Stanton - William Henry Stanton

Arthur Hallgarth Stockwell - Arthur Hallgarth Stockwell

Bernard Alan Swift - Bernard Alan Swift

William Henry Swift - Henry Arthur Swift

Alec Swift - Alec Swift

Ernest Tarbox - Ernest Tarbox

John Edward Tew - John Edward Tew

John Henry Thompson - John Henry Thompson

John Gilbert Townsend - John Gilbert Townsend

George Turland - George Turland

Frank Wilfred Twinn - Frank Wilfred Twinn

Thomas Ushon - Thomas Ushon

Frank Wakelin - Frank Wakelin

William Wakelin - William Wakelin

Arthur Wakelin - Arthur William Wakelin

Harold Walker - Harold Walker

Herbert William Walker - Herbert William Walker

Harold Walker - Harold Walker

William Walton - William Walton

Arthur Ernest Ward - Arthur Ernest Ward

John William Ward - John William Ward

Christopher Frederick Warren - Christopher Frederick Warren

Ernest George Watkinson - Ernest George Watkinson

Robert Edgar Webster - Robert Edgar Webster

George Wells - George Wells

John Westwood - John William Westwood

Arnold Wharton - Arnold Wharton

Frederick Whate - Frederick Whate

Ernest Whatton - Ernest Whatton

John Joseph Huriam White - John Joseph Huriam White

John Whiteman - John Whiteman

Clarence Willbond - Clarence Baines Willbond

Frank Willis - Frank Willis

Fred Woods - Fred Woods

Photos
  • Trent Bridge linking Nottingham's Meadows district on the north bank with West Bridgford to the south.
    Photo David Nunn - Trent Bridge linking Nottingham's Meadows district on the north bank with West Bridgford to the south.
  • 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
    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
  • 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
    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