Bell's Weekly Messenger 2 May 1824.

On Friday night an inquest was had at the "Castle Inn," Brockley, near Lewisham, before Joseph Carttar, Esq. Coroner for Kent, on the body of Reuben Fletcher, Esq. of Camberwell, who for many years filled an important situation in his Majesty's Mint.

Mr. W. Forbes, a surgeon, of Camberwell, stated that he had been acquainted with the deceased upwards of twelve years; for the last twelve months he had attended him professionally; his disorder was excessively painful, and was very likely to occasion great irritation of mind; and he had observed that the deceased, when speaking of his disorder, had entertained the most incorrect and absurd notions on the subject. On Tuesday morning, witness called between 12 and one o'clock at the deceased's residence, and saw Miss Fletcher, who said, that her father left home at ten o'clock, and expressed great uneasiness lest something should happen to him of a calamitous nature. About half-past four o'clock the same afternoon, witness received a letter from a person named Colly, stating, that a gentleman had been taken out of the canal, near Brockley, on whose person a note was found, addressed to witness; he therefore took a chaise and went to identify the body of his friend. On arriving at the place where the body was lying, the letter was handed to witness (which he produced), and he found it was in the hand-writing of the deceased. It was addressed:— "Mr. Wm. Forbes, Camberwell-green," and was underwritten:— "Reward for carrying this is in my hat," and the contents of the letter were:— "Adieu, my dear Forbes; I cannot bear with my feelings any longer." Yours, R. Fletcher."

Thomas Scales stated, that on Tuesday last he was walking along the bank of the Surrey Canal, and saw a cane lying on the side of the river, and a little farther on he observed the body of the deceased in the water. A man named Hawkins came up to him and assisted him in getting the body out. The deceased had no hat on; but witness observed a hat floating on the surface of the water some distance from him, and near to it a letter was lying upon the water; the letter was the one produced by the above witness. The body appeared to have been but a short time in the water. There was no money in the hat. In the pockets of the deceased were found a purse, containing a sovereign and some silver, and in his fob pocket a gold watch, &c. which had stopped at five minutes past one o'clock, the time, in all probability, when the deceased threw himself into the water.

Mr. Steel and Mr. Hawkins who were in the company of the last witness when the body was found, confirmed his evidence.

The Coroner said, that there could be no doubt of the deceased having occasioned his own death by drowning himself, and little doubt could be entertained of his being affected in his mind at the time.

The Jury coincided with the Coroner, and returned a verdict:—That he drowned himself, being insane at the time.

From the Borough of Greenwich Free Press, 6 September, 1856.

APPLICATIONS FOR SPIRIT LICENSES.

The following applications will be made for licenses at the Special Sessions to be holden on the 25th day of September, inst.:—

Lewisham.

"Cottage of Content;" (Sydenham)

"Royal Oak;"

"Brockley Castle;" (Brockley)

and "Hanover Arms." (Sydenham)

From the Borough of Greenwich Free Press, 27 September, 1856.

TRANSFER OF LICENCES. Sept 25.

Present - Sir T. M. Wilson, Bart., chairman; General Angerstein, Captain Hossett, Alderman Eagleton, T. Lewin, Esq., J. Sutton, Esq., and Coles Chile, Esq.

This being the annual licensing day for the hundreds of Blackheath, and Little and Lessness, there was an unusually large attendance of applicants for spirit licences, numbering 60; of which Greenwich numbered 9; Saint Nicholas, Deptford, 1; Saint Paul, Deptford, 6; Lewisham, 4; Lee, 1; Charlton, 1; Woolwich, 20; and Plumstead, 14.

Lewisham.

Mr. Harrison, "Brockley Castle," Codrington hill, made his first application. Licence refused.