Major Walter Carless Swayne, B.S. Lond., M.D., Ch.B. Bristol
He was born in Mathon, Worcestershire in 1862 to Robert Arthur and Grace Pyke Swayne who lived at The Dingles, Hobmore Lane, Aston. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham (1872 - 1878); University College, Bristol; and Guy's Hospital, London, gaining is M. D. at the University of London in 1864.
He lived at various houses around Bristol; Harwood House, Pembroke Road, Clifton, Bristol (3 April 1881); 1 Leicester Villas, Clifton, Bristol (31 March 1901); Mathon House, 56 St Pauls Rd, Clifton, Bristol (2 April 1911); 8, Leicester Place, St. Paul's Road, Clifton, and served since 1880 in the Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery. He was promoted to Sergeantin 1889; Second Lieutenant in 1893; and Lieutenant in 1894. He received the Volunteer Officers Decoration in 1907.
He married Louisa Margaret Heath on 28 March 1894.
In 1914 he volunteered as a Major as Draft Conducting Officer and later served in the 3/1 South Midland Brigade (Gloucester), Royal Field Artillery.
He was killed by his son-in-law, Richard Louis Wreford-Brown, at Sidonia, Sellack, near Ross-on-Wye on 14 August 1925.
From the article "Doctor Shot near Ross" from the Gloucester Citizen dated August 15, 1925:
DOCTOR SHOT NEAR ROSS
Tragedy at Country House
Son-in-Law Under Arrest
SAD ENDING TO A VISIT
The terrible news of a very tragic shooting fatality at the countryside residence known as Sidonia, in the parish of Sellack, came as a shock to the residents of Ross and the neibourhood on Friday. Sidonia is situated overlooking the eminence over looking Hackney and the river Wye, and is the home of Mt. and Mrs. Wreford-Brown, with their family.
The tragedy was enacted shortly after midnight. The facts at the time of writing are scanty, but it appears that Mr. Wreford-Brown, whose mind, it is stated, had been in a somewhat strange condition for some days, was in a bedroom. It is supposed that something occurred which attracted the attention of Dr. Walter Swayne, of Clifton, the father of Mrs. Wreford-Brown, who had only just arrived on a visit to Sidonia.
On the doctor going into the bedroom, it is alleged that Mr. Wreford-Brown turned a revolver on him and fired two shots into his body. As soon as possible, Supt. J. Broad, of Ross, was communicated with by telephone, and he, in company with Dr. Llewellyn B. Green, of Ross, journeyed to Sidonia, which is some miles distant, and on their arrival they found Dr. Swayne lying at the foot of the bed in a very serious condition. Mr. Wreford-Brown being in bed in the same room.
The wounds of Dr. Swayne were attended to, and Mr. Wreford-Brown was removed in custody. A revolver was found on the dressing table.
Later in the morning the prisoner, whose full name is Richard Louis Wreford-Brown, was brought before Mr. T. Matthews at an Occasional Court at Ross Police Station on a charge of attempted murder, and after formal evidence of arrest accused was remanded in custody for a week. He was removed to H.M. Prison at Gloucester.
Later in the day news was received that Dr. Swayne had succumbed to his injuries. During Friday evening further details of the tragedy were gleaned by the police, and the facts were reported to the District Coroner prior to the holding of the inquiry. We understand that Dr. Swayne only arrived at Sidonia early in the evening of the tragedy. In addition to Mrs. Wreford-Brown, there are two children.
Mr. Wreford-Brown, who, prior to going to reside at Sidonia, lived at Grendon Court, Upton Bishop, was a well-known and highly respected sportsman. He was a member and keen competitor in the open coursing meeting of the Herefordshire Coursing Club, while he also took a keen interest in sports generally.
Dr. Walter Carless Swayne was a Bachelor of Surgery of London University. He was a well-known obstetrician. Born n 1862, the eldest son of Mr. R. A. Swayne, of Tillington Court, Hereford, he was educated at King Edward School, Birmingham, University College, Bristol and Guy's Hospital. He was Professor of Obstetric and Director of Clinical Obstetrics at Bristol University from 1805. Apart from his professional interests, Dr. Swayne was prominent in the work of the Territorial Force. He was connected with the Bristol University contingent of the O.T.C., and at one time was Major commanding a battery of the Gloucestershire Field Artillery. During the war he was responsible, as the Officer Commanding, for the formation of the Third Line Gloucestershire Royal Field Artillery (T.F.), and as the occasion of a recruiting campaign throughout the county he visited Gloucester with a detachment in 1915. Later in the war he was in command of a New Zealand Field Artillery Battery on Salisbury Plain. He was a keen fisherman. Dr. Swayne married Miss Louisa Margaret Heath, daughter of the late Rev. R. F. Heath, and had one son and three daughters.
From the article "Sequel to Country House tragedy" from the Dundee Courier dated August 17, 1925:
SEQUEL TO COUNTRY HOUSE TRAGEDY
MAN'S STORY OF DESPERATE STRUGGLE
WILFUL MURDER VERDICT AT INQUEST
The story of the desperate struggle he had with his brother-in-law was related by Mr. R. C. Swayne at the inquest on Saturday at Sellack on the body of his father Dr. Walter Carless Swayne, the victim of the shooting tragedy at Sellack, near Ross-on-Wye.
Mr. Swayne, who lives at Clifton Park, Bristol, stated he went on a visit on Monday to the residence in Sellack of his siter, the wife of Mr. Richard Wreford-Brown, a retired army officer. As his siter's request deceased was sent for to see Mr. Wreford-Brown and arrived on Thursday. All spent the evening together, and, after dinner, the doctor and his son-in-law went for a walk, returning quite pleasantly. Both had been on fairly good terms.
Sound of Shots
About half-past one in the morning witness was roused by the sound of two shots and a scream from his sister, and going into Mr. and Mrs. Wreford-Brown's room he saw his brother-in-law flourishing a revolver and shouting "The room is full of gas; they are trying to gas me." There was no gas in the room. He fired two more shots, and witness crawled towards the door. Witness' sister go under the bed, and witness ran into his own room for a weapon of some sort. He seized a jug full of water, but Mr. Wreford-Brown had gone into Dr. Swayne's room.
Mr. Wreford-Brown, who was invalided from the army in 1919 suffering from gas poisoning, again shouted they were gassing him, and deceased told him he was talking nonsense and advised him to go back to bed. He, however, said he was "determined to get to the bottom of this." and called out, "Stand back a yard or I fire."
Witness heard no movement, and almost simultaneously his brother-in-law fired two shots, and witness heard his father fall to the floor. The room was in complete darkness as the witness entered. His father said he had been hit in the stomach, and witness groping for his brother-in-law, seized him and both fell.
Police Arrive
Witness described the desperate struggle that followed in which he ultimately succeeded in disarming his brother-in-law. His sister went for help and neighbours arrived. Police and a doctor also arrived, and the police took charge of Mr. Wreford-Brown. Witness' father died about 9.45 on Friday morning. Mr. Wreford-Brown was a very temperate man.
A police officer stated when he arrived at the home Dr. Swayne said to him his son-in-law had shot him. When witness spake to Mr. Wreford-Brown he said, "They were trying to poison me, I rold Dr. Swayne to step back a yard, and as he did not do so I fired to wound him, not to kill."
The coroner said Bristol had to deplore the loss of one of her chief citizens, while the medical world would be also deeply touched.
The jury returned a verdict of willful murder against Richard Louis Wreford-Brownm adding a rider that his state of mind should be inquired into when he came up for trial.
Mr. Wreford-Brown had been arrested charged with attempted murder and remanded after the occurrence, but before Dr. Swayne died.
Mr. Wreford-Brown was found guilty but insane, and detained at his Majesty's pleasure. He had been badly gassed at Cambrai, and further, as a legacy of his war service, suffered from a chronic recurring purulent otitis, and his mental condition was causing anxiety.
The funeral of Walter Carless Swayne
Photo: Western Daily Press, 18 August 1925
Sources and Resources
We would be very grateful for any further information on members of the 1st South Midland Bde RFA/ 240th Bde RFA (TF) from 1908-1919.
Derek Driscoll's original pages
Contemporary Biographies 1890 (PDF, 7.03Mb)
Contemporary Biographies 1890
Contemporary Biographies 1890
Other References
Insane ex-officer murdered father-in-law at Herefordshire country house - Hereford Times
Walter Carless Swayne M.D., B.S. Lond., M.D., Ch.B. Bristol - Semantic Scholar
We Remember Walter Carless Swayne - Imperial War Museums