On Saturday, a boy named George Brookbank was sculling in his fathers boat (the Harvest Home steam tug's boat) in Shields harbour, when he fell into the water. He was got hold of and taken to the North Shields Harbour Police Station, where he was attended by Dr. Emmerson, who used every means to resusitate him, but he had been too long in the water and all means were ineffectual to restore life. This morning, an inquest was held at the Town Hall, North Shields, before L.M Cockcroft, Esq, coroner, upon the body Brookbanks, when the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Drowning".
Shields Daily News 11th October 1869.