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Cecil Pottinger (1894–1953)

A watchman at a suburban plumbing works guillotined himself to-day.

He was Cecil Pottinger, 59, who broke his neck and nearly severed his head at the plumbing works of W. Smith and Sons, Newmarket Road, Wilston.

Pottinger was found by workmen with his neck under a metal-cutting guillotine when they arrived on the job this morning.

A note was on the table of the guillotine.

Police believe Pottinger placed his head under the guillotine and then set it in operation.

Original publication

Citation details

'Pottinger, Cecil (1894–1953)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/pottinger-cecil-1516/text1522, accessed 19 April 2026.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2026

Life Summary [details]

Birth

1894

Death

6 July, 1953 (aged ~ 59)
Wilston, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Cause of Death

suicide