A street entertainer who jumped from a bridge at Brockley station struggled with manic depression and had episodes including “hearing angels”, an inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court heard today.
Travis Linton Galleymore was well known in Plymouth, Devon, for balancing upside down with his head in a bucket.
He was 31 years old when he died on August 4 last year.
The South African-born performer was living in Brockley at the time of his death and had reported hearing angels during a manic episode, the inquest heard.
In the years before his death, Mr Galleymore had experienced an angry outburst during a trip to India with his girlfriend and on another occasion was sectioned by police, assessed by a mental health team and discharged.
Detective Constable Tony Gittens told the court Mr Galleymore had been found by British Transport Police threatening to jump in front of a train once before the fatal jump.
His family were unable to attend the inquest as they live in Australia, but a statement from his mother Jacqueline Galleymore was read to the court.
Mrs Galleymore said: “We are not sure why he chose to end his life.
“He was responsible and hard-working and will be sorely missed.”
She cited visa difficulties as an ongoing problem and added it has not been an easy life for any of the family.
Mr Galleymore moved to the UK and started his street performance act in 2009.
He performed with his face covered and explained his bizarre stunt in an interview last year.
He told the Plymouth Herald: “It's difficult to explain, I had no alternative.
“When I first came here I sold the Big Issue for a while, then I had a job getting cash in hand, then I had a problem with my visa, so I decided to put my head in a bucket.”
Mr Galleymore’s mother also expressed concern about the drugs he was prescribed for his diagnosed bipolar affective disorder.
She said: “Travis’s death was caused by a lapse in logical thought.”
His doctor, Dr Samuel Rodgers, told the court his patient was prescribed three different medications which he was suspicious of and reluctant to take.
Mr Galleymore appeared to have stopped seeing his psychiatrist and the toxicology screening found no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of death.
Senior Coroner Harris told the court text messages sent at about 2pm on August 4 by Mr Galleymore were retrieved by police from his phone and showed his intention was to take his own life.
One read “My death will be a self-sacrifice” and another referred to “Amma”, thought to be a “spiritual body of some sort”.
It read: “I’m going to Amma. Amma loves me even if I kill myself. Thank you for everything.”
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The court also heard Mr Galleymore was in a relationship which was ending.
At about 5.30pm, Mr Galleymore jumped from a footbridge onto a train from London Bridge to Guildford travelling at 55 miles an hour.
Senior Coroner Harris said: “He was seen by two witnesses, the train driver and a staff member of the station.
“He was seen climbing up and jumping on the train.”
Senior Coroner Harris recorded a verdict of suicide.
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