South Yorkshire Times, June 24th, 1944
Wall Knocked Down
Conisbrough Man’s Dear Lorry Ride
A sequel to an accident on June 10th when a lorry mounted the kerb on the side of the road near Hilltop, Conisbrough, occurred at Doncaster West Riding on Saturday when Richard Kay (21), of Conisbrough was fined a total of £17 on four counts: for driving a motor lorry in a dangerous manner; having no licence; no insurance in force and taking the lorry without the owner’s consent.
A plea for leniency was put in on behalf of the defendant’s employers M. J. Gleason Ltd., contractors of Sheffield, who said that Kay was an important workman and practically indispensable to them. He was a scraper driver on an outcrop coal site near Barnsley, and in order that he could work overtime he had been trying to get lodgings near his work.
Supt. Walker said the police were informed by telephone on June 10th that a motor lorry had knocked down 19 feet of wall on the road at Hilltop, Conisbrough. The police found the lorry stationary at New Hill, Conisbrough, with the rear portion across the footpath only a few inches from a shop wall. The second time it had been on the footpath that day. The lorry was badly damaged.
Kay told the police that he had missed his gears on the hill and the lorry ran backwards. Later in a voluntary statement, he said that he took the firm’s lorry to get him home as he had missed the last bus.
Kay pleaded guilty and said that he had to support a widowed mother. He earned about £5 10s a week.