Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 9 May 1930
Driver Blameless
Child Killed in Wombwell Road Accident.
A Dangerous Spot.
“In my opinion the driver did all he could to prevent as accident,’ said the father of the dead child at the inquest at Wombwell on Monday on Edith Audrey Harvey (4), daughter of Thomas Harvey, miner, 4, Brampton Road, Wombwell.
The child was knocked down by a car and fatally inured at a spot adjoining the car barns at Wombwell Junction on Saturday evening. The driver of the car was Jack Smith, plumber, of 2, Ash Grove, Ilkley.
The Coroner (Mr. C. J. Haworth) had the assistance of a jury. The interest of the driver was watched by Mr Fred Thomas from the office of Mr. W. B. Siddons,_a Sheffield solicitor.
Thomas Harvey, the father, said that at the time of the accident he was in bed. He was called up to find the child dead on the sofa.
Andrew Goodie, power station attendant, 33 Becknall Road, Brampton, said that shortly after 6 on Friday evening be was walking in the direction of Wombwell when he heard a motor car approaching. He turned bead and saw a child step of the pavement at the near side of the car and run in front of it, the car being only a yard from the pavement. The car struck the child and knocked it towards the centre of the road in which direction the car also turned. When the car was pulled up the child was lying in the road some three yards behind. The speed of the car was about 15 miles an hour.
Witness said that immediately before the accident he noticed a group of children on top of a bank near the pavement and the deceased must have been among them. Both near side wheels of the car passed over the child.
Mr. Thomas: Did you bear a hooter? Witness. No, I did not. There was no need for a hooter. The road was clear.
In reply to Sir. A. S. Wroe (foreman of the jury), witness said the accident occurred immediately in front of the car sheds.
George William Webb, colliery labourer, 43, Brampton Road, Wombwell, said he heard a scream and ran out of the house. A man who had been sitting in the back of the car had the child in is arms. Witness took child into a house, where it died within a couple of minutes and then went with the driver to fetch a doctor.
The driver said that when the accident occurred he was driving from Rawmarsh to Bradford. Just after crossing the bridge on the approach to Wombwell he slowed down on seeing a number of children on an embankment at the road side. Suddenly a child ran down the bank and into the road. Witness applied his brakes and swerved to the right, but was unable to avoid the child, the front near mudguard striking it. Witness then pulled into his own side and got out. Witness sounded his horn on seeing the children.
The father: The driver seems to have done all he could to avoid knocking the child down.
Goudie said the children seemed to be having some kind of a quarrel among themselves.
Annie Cooper, wife of Friend Cooper, miner, 11, Brampton Road, said the child’s injuries suggested that the car bad gone over the child’s head.
Sydney Marshall. plumber, 4, Creswell Mount, Horton, Bank Top, Bradford, a passenger to the car, said the horn wee sounded several times before the accident.
The Coroner: This Prams to be a very dangerous place for children. It is unfortunate that a child should be killed while playing about in this way. There is every indication that this man was driving cautiously.
A verdict of “Misadventure” was returned.
When the Coroner asked if the jury attached any blame on the driver, the foreman replied “None whatever.”