Our portrait this week shows Mr Clifford Herbert Radcliffe, of Harnham Hollows, who came to Salisbury from Rochdale in 1907. Mr Radcliffe was the only son of Mr Herbert Radcliffe of Balderstone Hall, Rochdale.

He was educated at Haileybury and at Cambridge University where he took a keen interest in rowing.

Mr Radcliffe became connected with Scout Motors, Ltd., of which he was chairman of the directors. By all accounts he had a large circle of friends in and around Salisbury where he was a very well-liked character.

He took a keen interest in the work of the church, and filled the office of churchwarden at East Harnham. For some years he was secretary of the Salisbury Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, and he was also a member of the South Wilts Golf Club.

Mr Clifford Herbert Radcliffe was only 37 when he died under tragic circumstances in 1915. It seems that he was working at the premises of Scout Motor works and when the men went for their dinner break, he was witnessed going into the furnace room.

About an hour later, when the men returned to work, it was noticed that there was something strange in connection with the furnace. An investigation led to the discovery that Mr Radcliffe was lying face downwards in the furnace. A doctor was summoned but he could only pronounce life extinct.

One witness stated that on the morning in question there was a pot of metal in the furnace. This would not give off many fumes, but the fumes of the coke would be apt to cause faintness, and one had to be very careful in going close to it. Was this the reason for the tragedy?

The jury ruled out suicide and foul play returning a verdict of accidental death.