Charles Thomas Hopping

[rosie99]

Maybe he was paying the strange woman for 'something' by giving her his valuables.  You will probably never know what happened and should not assume that it had anything to do with the train driver or his wife.

[Dave26]

Call me an old cynic but I still think he was either robbed on the train and then thrown out the door, or he fell and was robbed afterwards.
The idea that he payed the woman with jewellery doesn't seem right when he was carrying all that cash.

[rosie99]

What does his death certificate say 

ADDED How do we know that the woman was a stranger to him

[Dave26]

Still waiting for the certificate.

That's a valid point about the woman not being a stranger. Perhaps they were meeting on the train and running away to-gether. That could explain why she later returned the rings to the family.

[rosie99]

What is sad is that you will probably never know the truth.  It does make you wonder why the police did not pursue it.

Let us know if the death certificate gives any more information

[Dave26]

I will put a post on here as soon as I receive it.

Regards
Dave26

[rosie99]

Thank you, that would be interesting 

[Dave26]

Hi Rosie
I have now received his death certificate but it doesn't give anymore info than we already know.
viz. When and where died______30th August 1910 GWR near Sonning
      Cause of death_______Found dead on Railway 30th instant (The words "Found dead on Railway
                                        are underlined)
       Informant_______Certificate received from Wm. Weedon Coroner for East Berks. Inquest held
                                 31st. Aug. 1910

Perhaps someone more directly descended from Charles will read this and hopefully let us know more.

Dave26

[rosie99]

It is a shame that you have no more information from the certificate.  Hope that someone related does see this post