By the irony of fate a man who for many years had been a staunch teetotaler has met his death by drowning in a vat of beer.

The victim is James Canham, 41, of 108, Farnan-avenue, Walthamstow, employed in East-end brewery. He was engaged yesterday in keeping down the froth on a vat of fermenting stout, standing on a ladder for this purpose.