FATALITY ON WALNEY BRIDGE CORNER

Soldier killed by motor lurry (sic)
Girl seriously injured

A distressing fatality occurred in the roadway at the approach to Walney Bridge, on the Barrow side, on Friday evening, about 9.15 p.m. Pte. Geo. Wm. Elvin, of Wymondham, Norfolk, attached to the 3rd Border Regt., was standing talking to a Miss Williams on the road near the bridge, when a motor lurry suddenly rounded the corner and knocked them both down. The two were immediately removed to the North Lonsdale Hospital, where the soldier died about an hour after admission. The girl was detained at the hospital.

A Coroner’s inquiry opened at the North Lonsdale Hospital on Monday morning.

Sergt. William Bagnall, of the Border Regiment, said the deceased was a private in the Border Regiment and was 27 (sic) years of age.

Nurse Granall said deceased was admitted to the North Lonsdale Hospital on Friday night last, suffering from shock due to injuries. He died the same night at 11.30 p.m.

The inquest was then adjourned for a fortnight. Miss Williams, with whom the deceased was in company at the time of the accident, being in a critical condition and unable to give evidence.

WALNEY BRIDGE TRAGEDY

THE INQUEST
STREET DANGERS AFTER DARK
HEADLIGHTS FOR MOTORS

The circumstances surrounding the death of Private George William Elvin,….. The Chief Constable (Mr. J. Berry) attended, together with a military officer, and Mr. W. Atkinson (representing Mr. R. B. D. Bradshaw) appearing for Messrs. Vickers, Ltd.

Arthur Whitehead, motor lurry driver, 133 Kent-street, said on the date of the accident (27th Oct. at 9.45 p.m.), he was driving the lurry, which belonged to Messrs. Vickers, along Bridge-road, with a load of ashes to Walney. On turning the corner to go over Walney Bridge he noticed a soldier and a girl when close upon them. He was driving about five miles an hour, and there were two attendants on the lorry with him. Before rounding the corner he sounded the horn twice. When he observed the soldier and the girl standing on the road he swerved to the right, and the first part of the lurry cleared them, but the side or the rear of the car knocked them down. The soldier had his back to the car, and the girl was standing one pace away. He could hardly see the girl in the dark, and could not be sure whether the car struck her. They were only a very few yards from the lurry when he observed them. They heard a scream, and he pulled up the motor immediately, and went back. The girl said she was Miss Williams, and lived at 60, Blake-street. The soldier was picked up 15ft or 20ft away from the girl. There were no other vehicles about at the time. There was practically no light at all at this point at the time. The shadows of the Shell Shop caused the left-hand side of the road to be in absolute darkness. The couple were standing in the shadow, just clear of the tramlines and 8ft or 10ft. from the parapet. There were only two sightlights (sic) (oil) on the car.

By the Chief Constable; He understood it was against regulations to have head-lights, and he had never been told that they could be used. He thought he could have prevented the accident if he had head-lights, even if they were dimmed. The Chief Constable pointed that notices had been exhibited a fortnight prior to the accident saying that head-lights could be used.

Witness said he knew nothing of it. He had not driven since the accident.

Jos. Padstow, 207, Marsh-street, motor attendant, and Jos. Gunn, 76, Salthouse-road, also an attendant, who were on the car with the first witness, corroborated his evidence.

Geo. Weatherburn, 8, King Alfred-street, apprentice hand-driller, said on the night in question he was going home to Walney about 9.45, and was walking along the footpath which ran alongside the new shell shop. He did not see the soldier and the girl. The motor-lurry came along and sounded the horn near the bend in the road. He did not see the soldier until the car struck him. The driver seemed to glide off to the right before the lurry struck deceased. The lurry was going at a slow pace, and he heard the driver and other occupants shout just before striking the couple.

The Coroner reviewed the evidence, and remarked that the inquiry had previously been adjourned in the hope that the girl would be able to attend and give evidence. She was not able to be present, but he had been informed by the doctor that he had some hope of her recovery. She had made a statement to the effect that they had not heard or seen the car till it struck them. She could not give any evidence as to where it came from or anything. They all must realise that with the restricted lighting, drivers of any kind of vehicles ran considerable risks in the dark, and they had to use every care to avoid accidents. The footpath was there for pedestrians, and if people elected to stand in the road under a shadow, a few yards from the footpath, they were contributing to any accident that might occur. If the couple had been on the footpath no accident would have occurred. He did not think there was any blame attaching to the driver, and recommended the jury to return a verdict of accidental death.

The jury agreed upon this verdict, the foreman suggesting that there should be some light at this dangerous corner.

The Coroner said no doubt the Chief Constable would see what could be done to have some light so far as the regulations of the military permitted.