John Dowd (1897-1954)

AFTER seeing active service for his country, John Dowd died in a fight outside a Grantham pub.

Born in Crowland, he did his war service with both the Leicestershire Regiment and the King’s Royal Rifles.  He was also at Spitalgate RAF station for some time where he met his wife.

He stayed in Grantham and worked for the borough corporation’s sanitary and health department.

One night, he left his Dysart Road home and went for a drink at the Blue Bull, Wide Westgate.

The court was told  Mr Dowd was alleged to have been involved in an argument concerning footballers’ pay, and that this led to a quarrel during which he struck another Grantham man such a severe blow that it lifted him off his feet.

The argument had been at the Blue Anchor, Westgate, where the manageress the Blue Anchor inn,  asked Mr Dowd to leave having broken a glass on the table.

He then went to the Blue Bull, and on leaving was seen to turn into Dysart Road, but was later still there.

The landlord went to see the disturbance and assisted Dowd, propping him up on a stool, leaning against some fish boxes. He thought he was just a drunken man not realising the severity of his injuries

A man was charged with his manslaughter, but was acquitted.