Lorry Fatality – Story of Unfortunate Mishap to Conisborough Brothers.

April 1921

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 13 April 1921

Lorry Fatality.

Story of Unfortunate Mishap to Conisborough Brothers.

Mr. W. J. Bradford, the Rotherham Borough Coroner, resumed the inquest yesterday relative to the death of Dominic Duffy (22), miner, of 131, Sheffield Road, Conisbro’, who was killed by a motor lorry at Thrybergh on December 11th last.

The inquiry had been adjourned to permit of the attendance of Duffy’s brother, who was injured in the same mishap and became an inmate of the Rotherham Hospital.

Michael Duffy, miner, the brother, said he lived at 141, Sheffield Road, Conisbro’. On Saturday, December 11th last, he and his brother were coming from Conisbro’ towards Rotherham shortly before six o’clock, and had passed the road leading to Kilnhurst about 200 yards when a motor lorry travelling in the same direction overtook them. Witness was caught on the legs and thrown in the middle of the road. Witness thought he was quarter of an hour before he was picked up. The motor lorry was about 200 yards in front. Witness did not hear the horn sounded.

Cross-examined by Mr. Clegg, witness said he was coming from and not going to Conisborough. The lorry went between them, and did not pull up at once.

Witness denied they were walking in the opposite direction. It was he said, hailing and blowing in their faces as they came up the hill.

Ernest Rumsby, of Taplin Road, Sheffield, said he was employed by Messrs. T. Berry and Sons. He was driving the motor-lorry, which had a light on each side in front, and a tail light. When near the bottom gate of Thrybergh Park, travelling towards Sheffield, a light car, with brilliant headlights, passed in the same direction. He then saw the deceased and his brother just in front. They were meeting him. He sounded his horn, and tried to avoid an accident by turning to his off side. The men were struck, and witness stopped in four or five yards. The motor was in the middle of the road, and he pulled to one side. His assistant went to see what had happened. Everything possible was done for the men. It was a four ton lorry, and the pace at the time was from 6 to 8 miles per hour.

Replying to Mr. Clegg, witness said he had driven a car for 8 or 9 years, and had never had any accident of any sort. He had never been drunk in his life, and was not under the influence of drink that night. There was no sleet at all. The lorry made considerable noise when laden and ascending a hill. It was not correct that the previous witness was lying on the ground for a quarter of an hour shouting for assistance, or that the lorry was 200 yards away.

To Mr Furniss, witness said the lights were from oil lamps.

Mr. Furniss informed the Coroner that his suggestion was that the lights on the lorry were not adequate.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.”