James Johnson of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire in 1914

By John D Ellis

From The Melton Mowbray Times, 29^th May 1914:

Coloured Man’s Sudden Death at Melton. Expired after dancing.

During the early hours of Sunday morning the death occurred at Melton Mowbray with startling suddenness of a coloured man named James Johnson, aged 32 years, a groom hailing from America. For the past three years he has been a conspicuous and familiar figure on the streets of Melton and was known as “Darkie.” Formerly he followed the occupation of steeplechase jockey in America, but a few years since he came over to England to exercise the horses of Mr Foxhall Keene, a well-known American sportsman, who has for a number of seasons, hunted, with the Leicestershire packs. Since Mr Keene’s departure, however, deceased has merely been doing odd jobs, recently existing mainly on charity, and for the last three weeks he as resided at A1 Model Lodging House in Mill Street.^[1]The term “model lodging house” was frequently used in Leicestershire and elsewhere at the time to denote an institution aimed at providing hygienic, supervised, and affordable living … Continue reading On Saturday night he attended a dance and was apparently in his customary state of health when he returned to the lodging house about half past eleven. Although deceased slept in a room with six other men, nothing unusual was noticed during the night, but on Sunday morning the discovery was made that he was dead in bed, having apparently expired in his sleep. As there was nothing to show the cause of death a postmortem examination was ordered, as the result of which Dr Nutman ascertained that deceased was suffering from a diseased heart, so in all probability the exertion of dancing hastened his end.

The body was removed to the mortuary at the Union Workhouse, and on Monday evening Mr AH Marsh, coroner, attended at the committee room of the institution for the purpose of holding an inquest. The following constituted the jury:- Messrs. T Moore (foreman). Wm Gorman, Wm Gray. Geo Collis. Robert Wm Canham. AE Grimbley. JC Orton. JE Aldwinckle. GA Goodchild. Jno Wilson. TC Alcock. Herbert Fisher and AJ Deamer.

Thomas Arlot said on Saturday night he was staying at the A1 lodging house in Mill Street, and deceased slept in the same room, occupying the next bed but one. Witness went to bed first but did not hear the deceased come in but he had seen him in the town about ten o’clock. On Sunday morning just before eight o’clock he got up and dressed, and whilst passing the deceased’s bed he pulled the clothes and said “come on, it’s time to get up.” The man was lying on his left-hand side and he thought he was asleep, as his eyes were closed. About ten minutes later the deputy went up stairs, and on coming down again he said the man was dead.

 James Johnson, aged 32 years, of Mill Street, was buried on the 25^th of May 1914. Probably at St Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray.

It has not been possible to identify anything more of his origins than stated in the account of his death. However, much more is known of his former employer. Foxhall Parker Keene (1867-1941), was an American race horse owner and breeder, Olympic gold medallist, polo player, golfer, racing car driver and flat racer (he was a founding member of the National Steeplechase Association.^[2]Copies of ‘Full Tilt – The Sporting Memoirs of Foxhall Keene’ can be found on e-Bay and 2^nd hand book sites at a price that reflects its relative scarcity. He maintained homes in Monkton, Maryland and in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire where James Johnson was employed as a groom to the horses he used whilst fox hunting. He died in poverty.^[3]Sources: The Melton Mowbray Times, 29 May 1914. findmypast.co.uk Parish Registers (Burials). Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland. DG36/17. findmypast.co.uk.