Conisborough Accident – Lorry Driver Fined and Reprimanded – Cyclist Injured

April 1935

Mexborough and Swinton Times April 19, 1935

Cyclist Injured
Mexborough Lorry Driver Fined and Reprimanded
Conisborough Accident

“If there were more drivers do the same sort of thing you did on this occasion, we should have accidents every day near Doncaster,” said the chairman of the Doncaster county magistrates on Tuesday, fining Edward Robinson (19), a Mexborough lorry driver, £3 and suspending his driving licence for three months.

Robertson was summoned for having driven to the danger or without due care, and the case was a sequel to an accident on December 20 in Low road Conisborough, as a result of which John James Urch, painter, 51, prior road, Conisborough, was seriously injured and detained in the Fullerton hospital, Denaby Main, until March 7th. Robinson, defended my Mr G.S. Ward of Doncaster, pleaded not guilty.

Inspector Redfern said that on December 20, about 4:20 pm, Urch was riding with Horace Savile Peat, both on bicycles, from Denaby to Conisborough, and when near the bottom of the hill in Low road, Conisborough, Urch started to pass a horse and dray. Defendant it was alleged, came from behind at a fast speed and, without warning, collided with Urch’s machine with the result that he was thrown onto the radiator of the lorry and carried some distance. He then fell off between the nearside front and rear wheels, the latter passing over him. Defendant went on some 20 yards before pulling up.

Peat, a painter and decorator, 14 New Hill Conisborough, bore out the Inspector’s statement and added: “When Urch started to pass the horse and dray I remained behind. The lorry came at a rather fast speed and without warning and past me, Urch was then nearly past the horse and dray and started to pull in to his right side. Then the lorry collided with Urch’s machine. Urch was thrown onto the front of the lorry, carrying about 20 yards, and when he fell off he came rolling out between the nearside front and rear wheels. The rear wheel passed over him and left him lying towards the middle of the road. The lorry went on about 15 yards before stopping.”

Urch was seriously injured and later removed to hospital. There was no traffic coming the opposite direction at the time.

Answering Mr Ward, witness said Urch travelled with three or 4 yard of the rear of the dray before he pulled out to pass it. He passed it about a yard wide.

John Miller, Hawker, Silver Street, Doncaster, who was in charge of the horse and dray; Arnold Ford 15 Wellington Street, Edlington; his mate, John Bristowe, 58 Ivanhoe Road, Conisborough, was standing near; and James Arthur Birkin, Common Lane, Crookhill Road, Conisborough, who was cycling behind a lorry, give similar evidence.

When Urch was called, he stated that he remembered nothing more than that something came crashing into from below.

PC Dobson, Conisborough, said the road was 25 feet wide at the point of impact, which was 10 feet from defendant near kerb.

Defendant’s evidence was that he had been driving lorries for over two years. He was travelling from Mexborough to Doncaster with a load of coal when the accident occurred. “I was travelling about 20 miles an hour or so with two cyclists in front of me. They would be about 15 yards ahead and a similar distance would be between them and the dray. I sound my horn to warn them and started to pass both cyclists and the dray. Just I was nearly up to the dray, Urch out and gave me no chance of missing him. I tried to stop, but it was hopeless. He gave no indication of what he was going to do. He came right out into the middle of the road.”

Witness did not pull up dead after the collision as he wanted to get back to his proper side of the road.

Frank Jones, 22, West Street Mexborough, defendants may, gave corroborative evidence.

The Chairman said the magistrates could find no excuse for defendant running into Urch. “If you had been a careful driver you would have anticipated what the cyclists were going to do. You had the whole of the road in which to pass them safely.”