An article found in the South Shields Daily Gazette from 2 January 1911:

Fatal Fall From A Roof – Inquest at South Shields

An inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Archibald Hedley Brimer (35) who received fatal injuries from falling from a roof, was held before Mr A T Shepherd, deputy coroner, at South Shields on Saturday afternoon.

Dorothy Brimer,widow, 14 Shrewsbury Terrace, said the deceased was her son.He lost his wife and child about nine weeks ago and had been living with her since. He was originally a cook and steward but latterly had been in the employ of the South Shields Gas Co., as lamplighter. On Wednesday morning he left home saying he was going to the Seamen’s Mission. He was then in good health but depressed through having lost his work. She went out shortly after eleven to get something for dinner and returned at noon. There was a crowd of people around the house and inside she found her son lying on the couch bleeding from wounds on the head and face. He told her he had got on to the roof to open the window and had slipped and fallen into the back yard. He was taken to the Ingham Infirmary where he died the following night. She had talked about going to Newcastle and finding the doors locked he had evidently thought she had done so. It was not a difficult job for a man to get on the roof.

A woman named Mrs Rutherford, living at 9 Pembroke Terrace, said about midday on Wednesday she looked out of her kitchen window and saw the deceased climbing along the roof towards the window. His feet were in the spouting. There was snow and ice on the roof and he seemed unable to get a safe footing and eventually fell headlong off the roof. She raised an alarm.

Another neighbour, Mrs MacBeth, 12 Shrewsbury Terrace, said between 11 and 12 she saw the deceased knocking at his mother’s door but could not get in. He passed the compliments of the day and was all right. A few minutes after twelve she heard a fearful thud in the backyard and looking out saw the deceased lying in a pool of blood.

P.C. Wade deposed to rendering first aid and having the man taken to the Infirmary. There was a very large wound on his head and his wrist was severely injured. He would fall 28 or 30 feet.

A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.

In the same paper, on the same day, the death notice was published:

Deaths

BRIMER – South Shields, Ingham Infirmary, on 29th ult. aged 35 years, Archibold Hedley Brimer, the dearly beloved son of Dorothy and the late Thomas Brimer. Interment from 14 Shrewsbury Terrace at Harton Cemetery on Tuesday 2.30 – Deeply mourned by his sorrowing mother, orphan children and friends.

It appears that 14 Shrewsbury Terrace was an upstairs flat, with number 12 downstairs. The terrace is still standing and can be seen on Google Streetview

Brimer-Brymer database last updated at 2016-07-02 00:29:43 with 4028 census records and 2856 individuals