South Yorkshire Times, August 18th 1933
“Pom” To Blame
Night Crash At Wombwell
Man And Dog Killed
An accident in Wood Walk, Wombwell, the night of July 30th, in which a man and a dog were fatally injured and others hurt, was inquired into at Barnsley last Thursday by Mr. C. J. Haworth, who held an inquest on Alfred Chappell (58),(picture) unemployed miner, 9, Summer Lane, Wombwell. Chappell and his wife were returning from Hoyland to Wombwell when they were run into by a pedal-cyclist, Frank Hackett (17). colliery labourer, 8, Dovecliffe Road, Wombwell. Beckett first ran into Chappell’s dog and, losing control, then collided with the pedestrians. Chappell died on August 15th. Mrs. Chappell said they were walking in the road with their dog, a little black pom., between them, when the accident happened about 11-30 or 12 o’clock. She did not notice anything till the young man came between them on his cycle, which struck her husband. They both fell. She did not see what happened to the cycle. When she got up the young man was holding hie cycle. Her husband could not get up. He was taken home and later to the Beckett Hospital. He was unconscious and never spoke. It was quite dark. She did not actually see the cycle strike her husband. She was walking with her husband on her right. They were both on the left of the load. Her husband was knocked towards the middle of the road. She turned him on to his back and saw a lot of blood on the road.
A Good Light
Mr. A. Smith (representing Beckett): Did you notice whether the cyclist had a good light? He had a light on but I didn’t see what sort it was. Is there not a footpath for pedestrians much higher than the road? —Yes. Was your husband hard of hearing like you are? —No. his hearing was good. They walked from Hoyland and it had taken them about an hour. The dog was not on a lead; it always walked near them. She admitted that a black dog would be difficult to see at night. Did the boy tell you that it was the dog that threw him off his balance and caused him to run into you? —No. he did not say anything. He could not speak. He also was dazed. Her nephew, William Fleetwood, was in front and when he heard the scream he ran back. Dr. F. P. Ryan, resident casualty officer at Beckett Hospital, said Chappell was admitted in the forenoon of July 31st in a semi-conscious condition. There were no marks of violence but there was bleeding from an ear. He died at 1-15 a.m. on August 15th without regaining consciousness. The cause of death was cerebral laceration, probably with fracture of the base of the skull. In reply to Mr. Smith, Dr. Ryan said a man of Chappell’s age would probably fall more awkwardly than a younger man William Fleetwood, fitter, 9, Summer Lane. Wombwell said he lived with the Chappell’s. He and his wife were walking about twenty yards ahead of Mr. and Mrs. Chappell. His attention was attracted by the dog yelping but at that time he did not know that it had been struck. Next, he heard Mrs. Chappell call out “Oh Alf.” Running back, he found Mr. Chappell lying on the road with his head on the banking on the left-hand side where the pavement was raised. His legs were on the road. He was unconscious. He was bleeding from the back of the head. It looked as though he was near the banking when he was knocked down. The Coroner: Did you see the boy whose has been mentioned? —Yes. Did he say anything to you? —No. Did you ask him what had happened’—No. Did you make up your mind what had happened? —Yes. The boy looked absolutely lost. I did not see a cycle. I came to the conclusion that Mr. Chappell had been knocked down.
A Dangerous Practice
The Coroner- Don’t you think it is rather dangerous to walk in the road at night? —The causeway is very bad and we had a pram. Suppose someone had charged the pram? — I have known that to happen. In reply to a juror, Fleetwood said there were lamps but they were not lit. When he went back Mr. and Mrs. Chappell were at the side of the road. The dog was lying in the road about four yards ahead. It was dazed and apparently had been injured. It died the next day. In his opinion the cyclist must have hit the dog. A juror: It would not have been possible for the boy to fall on the dog without hitting it. No.
Beckett said he was returning home from Wharncliffe Crags. He had an electric light and it was burning properly. He was riding down Wood Walk when he saw two persons walking in the road about ten yards ahead. They were both on the left-hand side. “There was plenty of room to pass so I turned to the right to avoid them. All of a sudden, I felt something hit my front wheel. I heard a yelp, then I lost control of my machine and ran into the pedestrians. As a result of the collision, I knocked them both down and fell among them.” He was riding downhill at about ten miles an hour. The Coroner – :Did you know what got in front of your cycle?—Not at the time. Afterwards I saw a dog lying in the middle of the road. Did you sound your bell? —No, I did not think it was necessary. There was plenty of room to pass. I intended passing them two or three yards away. Fleetwood asked if it was possible that Beckett caught the dog while it was walking between them, and then the dog ran that distance.
Lost Control
Beckett replied that he was not going between the pedestrians when he hit the dog. The reason he swerved to the left and hit the pedestrians was that he lost control of the cycle. His brakes were in good order. Chappell fell into the road about two yards from the bank, ono he lifted him to the side. Mrs. Chappell said “You have knocked my husband down.” The man was snoring. A juror: I understand the road is badly lighted? —Yes. The Coroner : Yes, but people have to watch for things on the road, lamps or no lamps. After a brief consultation the foreman said they accepted Beckett’s statement. Unfortunately, in avoiding the pedestrians he ran into the dog. “We should like to exonerate Beckett. We understand that this pathway is a bad one, but those who walk in the road at night take risks. We think he was trying to get round these people, and would have done so but for the dog. We think it was the dog that caused the accident.” A verdict of “Misadventure” was returned. Mr. Smith. for Beckett and his parents, expressed sympathy with the widow and relatives.