RIP Bobby Booroff

On the wall of the churchyard in Barton St David there is a small plaque, which has the following inscription:

Allen Booroff

"Bobby"

Tragically drowned in the River Brue

23rd July 1939, aged 4

Buried in this churchyard

Allen George Rex "Bobby" Booroff was the only child of Mr Robert Booroff of Willesdon, London.   He was on holiday in Somerset with Mrs T. Coleman of Willesdon, who had fostered him nearly 3 years earlier.   They were staying with Mrs Coleman's parents, Mr & Mrs F. Cook, at Mill View, Barton St David.  At about 6.15pm on Sunday 23rd July, Bobby went for a walk with his 10 year old step-brother John Coleman, 14 year old Mary Louise Porter and Violet Cook, who was 5 years old.  He slipped down the bank, fell into the River Brue at Tootle Bridge and drowned. His body was recovered on the following day, from the river bed about 100 yards from Tootle Bridge.

Accounts of the inquest into Bobby Booroff's death, which was held in the Court House at Somerton, was recorded in the Taunton Courier & Western Advertiser and in the Bristol Evening Post of 29th July 1939.  Colston Victor Williams, aged 51 of Hotwells in Bristol, was fishing on the bank of the River Brue when he heard a child running nearby.  Then he realised that the young boy had fallen into the river.  The children asked him to go into the river to rescue Bobby.  He put his fishing rod into the water and shouted to the boy to catch hold of it, but he didn't manage to do this.  Mr Williams couldn't swim and hadn't fully recovered his grip after losing a finger, so he didn't dare venture further into the river.  He said he wasn't familiar with the River Brue at Tootle Bridge and that it was muddy and fast flowing at the time.  He was criticised by the coroner, Mr C. Leslie Rutter, who said that the water in the river was no more than waist deep for an adult and that Mr Williams could easily have grabbed the boy, walked with him down to the bridge and climbed out of the river there.  The verdict of the inquest was accidental death.  

NB: Bobby's first name at birth was registered as Alan, but his death is registered as Allan.  The newspaper reports of the inquest and the  memorial in the churchyard at Barton St David say he was called Allen. 

Memorial plaque on the wall of the churchyard in Barton St David

Tootle Bridge

The River Brue from Tootle Bridge