A MACABRE account captured the attentions of Daily Echo readers 100 years ago this week following a startling discovery made at Southampton Swimming Baths.

The lifeless body of a man was found in the water by one of the bathers in the outer baths, which presented a gruesome sight before the eyes of those present.

The body was identified as that of Lieut. Henry Norman John Farrell R.N.R, aged 30 and from Southill Park, Hamstead.

He was third officer on the Union Castle liner Briton, which came home just days earlier.

Mixed bathing was in full swing at the time, with about 60 to 70 bathers moving around the pool blissfully unaware of the grim entity lurking beneath them at the bottom of the pool, until the unpleasant discovery was made by Sid Kimpton, the Saints footballer.

Kimpton, who was giving his wife a swimming lesson at the time of the tragedy, claimed that as he was assisting his wife out of the water he kicked something with his foot and the touch suggested a body to him.

Initially disbelieving himself, as it seemed so unlikely to him that a body should be found in the baths, it was only after some considerable hesitation that he mentioned his suspicions to James Burbage, the baths attendant, who swam down to the bottom of the pool, which was only 3ft 9ins deep at that point, to investigate Kimpton’s claim.

His fears, however, were quickly confirmed, and Farrell’s body was taken out of the water where Mr Bridgen, the manager of the Baths, immediately tried to revive the man with artificial respiration without avail for 40 minutes.

A doctor was also summoned, but was only able to declare that the man was already dead.

The police were quickly informed of the incident and the body was removed to the mortuary, where it was examined by Dr O’Meara.

Lieut Farrell had visited the Baths on previous occasions and his entry during the afternoon was remembered by the clerk at the pay-box.

Despite the numerous bathers at the pool on the day, no one witnessed him enter the pool or saw anything that could offer an explanation of the events that led to his death.

At the inquest, the brother of the deceased, Bernard Farrell, living in Hamstead, stated to the borough coroner that although his brother was a good swimmer and had appeared in good health the last time they saw him, he had a weak heart.

James Burbage, the attendant who dived in to recover the body, said that the body was lying flat on the bottom of the baths, face downwards, as though the deceased had dived from the side and remained there.

Following formal evidence as to the removal of the body, Dr O’Meara stated that an examination revealed bruises on the forehead, right shoulder and right shin, which, in his opinion, were received post mortem.

There was evidence that Farrell was breathing after entering the water, but the heart was enlarged and the aortic valves diseased, which was ultimately responsible for the man’s death. A verdict of death from natural causes was returned.

About Sid Kimpton

SID Kimpton, pictured, was an English Footballer who spent his entire playing career with  Southampton from 1910 to 1920, before moving into management with various clubs in Europe, including a coaching spell with the French national side.

During the First World War, Kimpton worked with Thornycroft at the town’s Docks, but continued to turn out for the Saints in wartime leagues and friendlies.