The Denaby Railway Disasters

The Crossing Fatality

Two Inquests

The District Coroner, Mr. Doxey Wightman, held an inquest at the Mexboro’ Montagu Cottage Hospital, on Friday afternoon, touching the death of Henry Arthur Greaves, aged 47, a drayman, in the employ of the Great Central Railway Company, who was killed near the Denaby Crossing, on Wednesday noon. Mr. Smyth, solicitor, from the office of Messrs. J. W. and A. E. Hattersley, appeared for the relatives, and Mr. F. H. Gregory, inspector from the district superintendent’s office, Doncaster, and Mr. C. Hugill, from the loco. department, Mexboro’, represented the Great Central Railway Company.

Ada Greaves, the daughter of the deceased man, said he was 47 years of age, and had been employed as a drayman by the Great Central Railway Company for a number of years. He resided at White Lea-road, Swinton, and was a healthy man. His hearing and eyesight were good.

Thomas Outram, a fireman on the G.C.R., said the accident happened about 1.53 p.m. on Wednesday. He was fireman on the passenger train from Doncaster to Sheffield. The last stop had been at Conisbrough, and the next was Mexboro’. Just when they got near to the crossing at Denaby he saw the deceased man crossing the line about 30 yards in front of the engine. He was on the left-hand side of the line going towards Mexboro’, and he was carrying what he took to be a bundle of straw. He was not killed on the crossing, it would be nearly opposite the old Bone Mill.

When witness saw deceased crossing the line he sounded the whistle, but apparently the deceased man did not hear. Witness was on the left-hand side of the engine, and had previously sounded the whistle for the crossing. He was 30 yards from the deceased when he sounded the whistle.

The Coroner: Had he time to get out of the line when you whistled? Witness: Yes, sir.

The Coroner: And he took no notice? Witness: None whatever.

Witness, continuing, said the engine’s buffer plank struck deceased. He was found in the four-foot.

Mr. Smith: Was a train passing in the opposite direction? Witness: We passed one a little lower down.

In answer to further questions put by Mr. Smith, the witness stated that no other train was about when the deceased was knocked down. He did not think deceased could have been confused by the passing train.

The Coroner: Don’t you know that the majority of the men killed on the line, platelayers, etc., are so killed by having their attention taken from one train whilst another kills them. Don’t you know that? Witness: Well, that depends. The Coroner: There was nothing of the kind here. Witness: No, sir. Ours was the only train about.

Fred Atkinson Barker, White Lea-road, Swinton, goods agent for the Great Central Railway Company, Mexboro’, said the deceased was in their employ as a drayman. On the Wednesday previous witness sent the deceased with his horse and dray, laden with general goods to Denaby. He had to go as far as the Co-operative Stores. On his way back he instructed him to call at Mr. Skelton’s place for some bundles of herbs. He believed that that was at Meggitt’s old Bone Mill.

From what he had been told he was inclined to believe that the deceased had gone the wrong way to the mill. He ought to have gone over the crossing to the Denaby side, and down the road to the mill.

The Coroner: Has he ever been before? Witness: Not that I am aware of. I have never sent him previously.

The Coroner: Who told him to go where he did go? Witness: He has been accustomed to going to Denaby almost every day.

The Coroner: Then he knew the district very well? Witness: Yes, sir.

Witness, continuing, said that as soon as he heard of the accident he went down to make enquiries. A man named Ward, who brought the dray away, informed him that that was near the sub-way on the Mexboro’ side of the line. If he had gone the right way he would have had no need to cross the line. He did not see that it was any nearer whichever way he went.

In answer to Mr. Tom Chambers (the foreman of the jury), the witness said that deceased was returning from Denaby, and consequently it would have been nearer for him to have gone the proper way to the mill.

Mr. E. Mountford (one of the jury): If he had gone the right way he would have had no need to carry the herbs across the line.

Mr. Jno. Bell (juryman): He could not get down the roadway. I have been to the same place for the same things, and there has been no carrying. The herbs could be thrown on to the dray from the window of the mill.

The Coroner: It looks very much as if drayman went whichever way they liked.

Mr. Vennell (juryman): It seems as if the deceased found it necessary to go the way he did. Several of the jurymen were of the opinion that the proper road had been made, and owing to the fact the defendant had to take the way he did.

The Coroner: He would not carry the herbs over the line simply for amusement.

Mr. Barker intimated that the last place the deceased called at was the Denaby lower works. The Coroner said it seemed the only reason why he went round and crossed the line was simply because the proper way was made up.

Mr. T. Hawkins said deceased must have had some strong reason for carrying the herbs over the line.

The Coroner: It looks very much like as if this was not the only way that he could go.

Mr. Barker: I don’t know whether crossing could not have been done some other way.

The Coroner: Whatever the man went the only road he could go, or whether for some reason which I don’t understand, he preferred going that way when he might have gone the other, is to be gathered as a matter.

Mr. Barker: I don’t know where he was going. I did not know when I sent him where he was. He has been employed at Mexboro’ some 16 or 17 years, and has visited Denaby a good many times.

A verdict of “Accidentally killed” was returned.