Fall in the Dark

Young Denaby Man Fatally Injured

At a Mexborough inquest on Wednesday it was related how a 25-year-old man walking between the unlit communal “back” of two Denaby Streets – of the terraced back-to-back houses of Barnburgh Street and Doncaster Road – fell and fractured his skull last Thursday.

“Source of danger”

The “backs,” it was stated, had two levels, with a very short wall dividing the two and steps leading from the level to another, in the centre. The man stumbled in the darkness and fell about 4 feet.

Mr W. H. Carlile, the district coroner, recording a verdict of “misadventure” and Lawrence Samuel Walker, a Yorkshire electricity board labourer, of Cliff view, Denaby, said: “I think the place ought to be protected, and there should be lights to prevent other people from going to their deaths in this unfortunate way.” The yard was “a source of serious danger” to people who were both familiar and unfamiliar with it.

Walker’s father, Lawrence Walker, of the same address, said his son was not a heavy drinker and was never the worse for drink. When he went out it was usually to the pictures witness said.

James Alfred Wylde, a miner, of 89 Barnburgh Street, told the coroner of the two levels in the communal backyard between his own street and Doncaster Road. It Doncaster Road “back,” he said, was on the lower level. There were no the railings. There had been some years previous but they had been removed during the war.

On Thursday last, at 10:15 PM Wylde said he was standing in his yard waiting for his daughter to return from a shop. Someone went up his passage and said, “How Do Jack.” Wylde replied, “how do.” The man, Walker, who he knew by sight only, then walked away into the “back. ” Wylde said he thought Walker had had a drink or two but was not drunk.

Wylde went inside the house, and later, hearing a noise outside his window, looked outside. He found Walker in the passage. He asked what he was doing, but received no reply. Wylde then said: “You have been around here once before tonight. You had better be off or I will put the police on your track.” Walker replied, said Wylde, “You’re a liar!” And then walked off down the passage to the communal yard. Wylde said he followed him to the end of the passage.

No quarrel

Asked if there had been a quarrel or fight, Wylde said there had not. He had not touched him and there was no suggestion of a fight.

In the “back,” said Wylde,, there was only one lamp, a gas lamp which was unlit. It had not been lit for some time. The “backs” were in darkness.

After Walker had moved away, Wylde said he heard a thud. He had seen the outline of Walker as he approached the world but did not see him fall. He went to see what had happened. Lying at the foot of the wall, and the second level, was Walker, his head towards Wylde’s own house and his feet towards Doncaster Road. Wylde said he spoke to Walker but he was unconscious. His wife went to fetch the police. Wylde said he lifted up Walker and propped him up against the wall.

Edric Parkes, collier, of 81 Barnburgh Street, Denaby, who said he lived in a few doors away from Wylde, said that just before the accident, he took his dog to the front door to go for a walk. Walker, whom he had not seen before, passed him. Mr Wyide was waiting at his door for his daughter. He then went in for his supper. Wylde, said Parkes was a “quiet sort of a chap.”

Walker, he four, had had a few drinks but was not drunk. “He was quite capable,” he said. Parkes said that 10 minutes later he opened the door and saw a torchlight at the bottom of the wall in the backs and going to look he found Wylde and the policeman. He had heard no shouting of quarrelling in between those times and definitely would have if there had been any.

Very Dark

PC P.A.C.Burley, station at Denaby, said he was on duty at Doncaster Road, Denaby, Mrs Wylde fetched him to Walker, who was lying injured at the back of the street. He was propped against a wooden outpost, and was bleeding from the right ear. He seemed to be deeply unconscious. PC Burley said Walker smelled of drink. He was taken in an ambulance to Mexborough Montagu Hospital and examined by a doctor. He was still alive when they reached there.

The drop from one level of the “backs” to another was 3 to 4 feet. It was very dark and there was no light. Anyone unfamiliar with the place would find it difficult to make his way.

Police Sgt Theaker said the wall which separated the levels was 2’10” high. There was an iron stump nearby and it was possible that Walker might have tripped over it.

Dr Elizabeth Travers, pathologist, said Walker had a thinner than average skull. Death was caused by a haemorrhage, damage to the brain, due to fracture of the skull. The injuries, she said, were consistent with striking the right side of the head in the fall.