Drowning 1930s in local paper?

[Daffodilly]

Hello,

I have no other connection with the Channel Islands so know nothing about resources for here.  I believe a William Walter Bunch fell into a harbour and drowned either late 1930s or slightly later.  He would have been about 50 I think.  I have no idea what he was doing there as he lived in Grimsby.  I wonder if there would have been a newspaper report about the incident and where would the death be registered?  I cannot find it anywhere.

I would be grateful for any help on this.  Thanks for reading.

Daff

[sandra63]

Hi Daff,

I think the first port of call is to locate his death, I will take a trip to Societe Jersaise and check out their files for this (that'll be tomorrow now), once I have the date of death, it won't be exact but at least I'll have the year, then that will make looking for the report easier.

Kind regards
Sandra

[Daffodilly]

Sandra that would be wonderful, thank you!!

The lady I was speaking to remembers his brother having to travel to go and identify his body.  She would have been quite young then herself.  The only other information I have is that he was born in 1886, and his wife died in Grimsby in 1948.  Presumably she wasn't with him when he died or she could have identified him.

It would be brilliant if you could find anything, thank you for taking the trouble.

Daff

[sandra63]

Hi Daff,

Just come back from the Societe Jersaise library and have had no luck with locating the death of William Walter Bunch in any of the 12 parishes in the Island.  I have researched from 1930 to 1945.

Tomorrow I'll take a trip to our local library because I believe they the old newspapers on microfiche.

Will be in touch again tomorrow afternoon/evening

Kind regards
Sandra

[Daffodilly]

Sandra, thank you so much, but please do so it only if you have time, I shall feel so guilty now if you don't find anything and have a wasted journey.      

I will send for his wife's death certificate too as that will confirm he had died before 1948 - I hadn't thought of doing that before, would have made sense really! 

The story I have heard is that he was drunk when he fell into the harbour, which might have made it in to the paper, although if it was during the war there will have been more important news.  I have no idea which harbour or even which channel island it was, so not much to go on.

Thanks for all your help,

Daff

[sandra63]

Hi Daff,

OK, I had assumed that it was Jersey, should have read you message correctly.  Never mind.

I'm happy to go to our local library and see what I can find, if nothing well it's an experience.  You never know I might find some information about my own family.

The local papers during the war were restricted on what they could/could not print as I'm sure you know, all of the Channel Islands were occupied.

Will chat tomorrow.  If you would like to e-mail via our personal e-mail addresses let me know.

Kind regards
Sandra

[Daffodilly]

I have PM'd you.

Thanks,

Daff

[sandra63]

I have responded to your PM