Peter John Ellis, (1934-30/5/1939). "result of accident"

YOUNG BOY’S FATAL FALL 

[From Our Own Reporter,] TIMARU, May 30. 

Fatal injuries were suffered by Peter John Ellis, aged 5i years, only son of Mr and Mrs E. J. Ellis, Washdyke. when he fell from a stable loft at his father’s training establishment.  -Press, 31/5/1939.

FUNERAL NOTICES. 

ELLIS —The friends of Mr and Mrs; Ernest John Ellis are respectfully informed that the Funeral of their late beloved son, Peter John, will leave the Sacred Heart Church, This Day (Wednesday), May 31, at 3 p.m. for the Timaru Cemetery. Hall and Moore.  -Press, 31/5/1939.

ELLIS. — On May 30, 1939, at Timaru, Peter John, dearly beloved and only son of Ernest John and Margaret Mary (May) Ellis of Washdyke; aged 5 1/2 years. R.I.P. Result of accident. The Funeral will leave the Sacred Heart Church this day (Wednesday) May 31st, at 3 p.m. for the Timaru Cemetery. — Hall & Moore, Funeral Directors.   -Southland Times, 31/5/1939.

DEATH OF BOY

Fall From Stable Loft

Inquest Concluded

That the death of Peter John Ellis, aged 51 years, was due to laceration of the brain as the result of severe head injuries following a fall from a loft at Washdyke on May 28 was the verdict returned by the Coroner (Mr H. Morgan) at the inquest which was concluded yesterday. 

Edward James Burns, a horse trainer, of Washdyke, an employee of Ernest John Ellis, said that on May 28 he was working about the stables and saw the boy and three other children playing in the stable loft. He warned them about playing in the loft and told them that the horses were coming in. All the children came down and he noticed the boy playing with a dog near the stables. Shortly afterwards witness heard a loud scream and returning to the stables found Peter Ellis lying on the concrete floor. He saw at once that the boy was badly injured and sent for Dr. Kingston while the boy was carried to the house. The loft floor, he continued, was very slippery and there was no guard around the loft well. Because of the danger the children had been repeatedly warned against playing there.

Corroborative evidence was given by Joseph Shaw, an employee at the stables.

Evidence of School Girl

“We have played in the loft for the last two or three years." said June Marie Ellis, a schoolgirl, aged 11, sister of the boy. On the day in question there were four children in the loft and they all came down when requested by Burns. Peter Ellis and Jessie Townley went back to get some things left behind. From the floor or the stable witness called to Peter to hurry up. Peter replied and fell immediately afterwards. He was not near Jessie Townley at the time.

Dr. G. R. Kingston said he received an urgent call about 4 pun. and found that the boy had an extensive fracture of the skull with symptoms of cerebral haemorrhage, with fits and paralysis of the left side of the body. An operation revealed laceration of the brain and a fracture at the base of the skull. The verdict was in accordance with the medical evidence.  -Timaru Herald, 20/6/1939.

Timaru Cemetery.