From the archives: the curious death of Dr Charles Pentland
The following article appeared in the Medical Press and Circular on 24th December 1924
Motor fatalities in the medical profession.
One in almost tempted to write that motor fatalities are almost as numerous as deaths from natural causes. Certain it is that they are mounting to shocking heights, medical men being victims in a serious portion of cases. During the last two or three days our ranks have been depleted in this sad way by the death of Dr Edgar Chatterton, of Paddington, by a motor ‘bus: a man whose sterling character was shown as he was bleeding to death, by his wish to exonerate the ‘bus driver. Following this was the sudden death at his own doorstep in Gower Street, Bloomsbury, of Dr C J Pentland, through the collision of a private car and a lorry. Dr Pentland was 42 years old, and was at one time medical officer to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Dublin. During the war he served in the RAMC.
Dr Charles Pentland was born in Ireland, his father was Dr Henry Pentland, JP, and his family had been members of the medical profession for generations. Having studied medicine at Trinity, graduating in 1910, Dr Charles Pentland served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the First World War. Pentland returned to his native Leitrim where he set up in General Practice. He left Leitrim in 1920, and moved to London setting up in practice on Gower Street.
On the morning of 21st December, Dr Pentland was leaving his home when there was a collision between a car and a lorry on the street. The lorry mounted the pavement and caught Dr Pentland, crushing him against the iron railing of his house. The drivers of both the vehicles were uninjured. In court the accident was explained as ‘due to the car skidding on a dangerous road’, but was Dr Pentland’s death really the tragic accident it appeared?
A hint as to another cause is given in an obituary notice in the Irish Times which records that Dr Pentland ‘was one of those who have sought refuge in England during the Irish disturbances’.
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| Newspaper cuttings on Dr Pentland from the Kirkpatrick Index |
In 1920, a local farmer in Leitrim reported to Dr Pentland that he had seen IRA activities in the area, Pentland passed the information on to the British Military. As a result a number of local IRA activists were killed by RIC forces.
In a statement to the Bureau of Military History in 1955 an account was given of these events. The account states that it was decided that
‘Lattimer (the other man involved) and Dr Pentland would have to pay the death penalty for their actions’. Having given an account of how Lattimer had his house burnt and was then shot, the account ends ‘Dr Pentland succeeded in clearing out of the country but, shortly afterwards, he was killed by being crushed to death against a wall by a lorry in London’.
In another statement to the Bureau, the following account of Dr Pentland’s death is given;
‘The moment Dr Pentland heard that Lattimer had been shot he took the train at Mohill and disappeared. Sometime after he was traced and found to be living in London and we got his address there. He was practising in Woking Hospital. I was detailed to go to London to ensure that he was executed, although I was told I would have no part in the actual job … However, the Truce put a stay on the matter and the doctor was killed in London some time later. I do not know whether his death was deliberate or accidental. Before Lattimer was shot he stated to the men who were about to execute him that Dr Pentland was far more guilty than he was.’