East Kent Gazette, Saturday 28 May 1881.

A child drowned in a well.

On Monday, Mr. W. J. Harris coroner, held an inquest at the "Lord Nelson Inn," Upchurch, touching the death of Henry William Boorman, aged 5 years, stepson of George Weller, brick moulder, Sittingbourne, who was drowned by falling down a well at the former place, on the previous day. Mr. E Cozens was foreman of the jury. It appeared that the parents of the deceased were on a visit to some friends at Upchurch, with the deceased and his brother, age 7 years, who is deaf and dumb. The latter showed by motions and signs how the accident occurred, though the coroner could not record his explanation of the sad affair on the depositions. It seems that he and the deceased, who was a fine, study little fellow, lifted the lid of the well to look down, and the deceased pitched head foremost down; and when he was got up he was quite dead. The well was much better protected than country wells usually are, and the lid covering it was a substantial one.

The following evidence was taken:- Elisa Weller, wife of George Weller, brickmoulder, Sittingbourne, deposed:- The deceased, Henry William Boorman, is my son by former marriage. He was 5 years of age last December. On Sunday last I came with him and his brother, Albert Richard, age 7, on a visit to Windmill Hill, Upchurch. Between 3 and 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon the two boys went out at the back of Mr. Kitney's house. There is a draw well in the yard, and they had been out there but a few minutes before Albert's, who is deaf and dumb, came back to the window crying, and I understood from his manner that there was something the matter and went outside immediately. The lid of the well was down in its place. We heard it fall just as Albert ran to the window. The deceased was brought in quite dead soon after.

Albert Kitney, brickmaker, Upchurch, said:- The deceased with his parents came out to visit me on Sunday. I was called out in the afternoon and went to the draw well. On raising the lid I saw the deceased in the water of the well. I got a grab iron and lowered it down, and pulled him up. He was quite dead, and beyond recovery. It must have been an accident. The deceased was quite strong enough to lift the lid. The well is constantly closed and opened only when water is drawn. I noticed it just before the children went out, and it was all right then. The children had not been quarrelling.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidentally Drowned."