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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal, and Western Advertiser. Wednesday 21 Jun 1933
Page 7 Column 3
NORTH PETHERTON.
SHOCKING FATALITY.
GIRL AGED 16 KILLED.
KNOCKED DOWN BY MOTOR-COACH.
Quite a sensation was caused in the village on Thursday night, when an accident, which unhappily ended fatally, occurred outside the parish church.
About 8.40 p.m. Francis A. GREEDY, motor-driver, of Gotten, Cheddon Fitzpaine, and employed by Mr. GLANVILLE, of Bathpool, was driving one of “Glanney's” cars in the direction of Taunton, with a party of women and children. At the same time Florence Elsie MARCHANT, the 16-years-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. MARCHANT, of High-street, North Petherton, crossed the road towards the church when she was knocked down by the coach.
A crowd quickly gathered, and Miss MARCHANT was attended by P.C. YOUNG, who rendered first-aid until the arrival of the Taunton ambulance, which had been telephoned for. The unfortunate girl, who had sustained a fractured base of the skull, a fractured thigh, and lacerations, was conveyed by the ambulance to Bridgwater Hospital, where she passed away at 12.55 a.m. on Friday.
The deceased, who was employed by Mr. Wm. C. WARREN, baker, was very popular in the village, and of a bright and happy disposition, and the tragic affair was a great shock to her many friends, while the deepest sympathy will be felt for the parents and other relatives in their sad bereavement.
THE INQUEST.
DRIVER EXONERATED FROM BLAME.
Mr. Arthur KING (borough coroner) opened the inquest at Bridgwater Hospital on Saturday, and was assisted by a jury of which Mr. J. MOLES was chosen foreman.
Charles Henry MARCHENT, farm labourer, of High-street, North Petherton, father of deceased, stated she was 16 years of age on the 21st March, and was a domestic servant, but resided with her parents.
Miss Eileen HUTCHINSON, resident house surgeon, stated deceased was admitted at 9.20 on Thursday night. She was unconscious, and bleeding from the nose, ears, and two wounds in the right thigh. She had a fracture of the right thighbone, bruising of the left side of her head and left elbow, and abrasions on the left knee. She became gradually worse, and died at 12.55 the following morning without regaining consciousness.
The inquest was then adjourned until Monday.
On Monday the inquest was resumed at the Court House, and Mr. F. P. TYRRELL appeared to represent the owner and driver of the motor-coach.
WALKED IN FRONT OF COACH.
Mrs. Alice Mary LOMAN, wife of Charles LOMAN, of Fore-street, North Petherton, stated on Thursday last she was standing by her door at 8.45 p.m. and looking towards the Clarence Hotel door. She saw deceased on the pavement outside the hotel. Deceased walked across the road, and at the same time witness saw a motor-coach coming towards her from the direction of Bridgwater, going at a reasonable pace. Witness saw the coach slacken speed, and that deceased continued to walk across the road. Deceased glanced at the motor-coach and then increased her pace. The near wheel of the coach struck her, and she fell and a wheel went over her. The driver pulled up quickly. There was no other traffic on the road.
By Mr. TYRRELL: If deceased had stopped when she hesitated she would still have been hit by the coach. The driver did all he could to avoid an accident, but there was no possibility of missing her.
DID NOT LOOK.
Mrs. Alice HILL, widow, of Sunnybank, Newton-road, North Petherton, stated at 8.45 p.m. on Thursday she was walking along Fore-street towards the churchyard from the direction of Bridgwater. Witness saw deceased come from Clare-street and walk to the Clarence Hotel. Deceased walked under the porch of the hotel and then went across the road. A char-a-banc was coming in the same direction, and witness did not see deceased look before she crossed the road. The char-a-banc pulled up very smartly, and then someone picked deceased up and put her in the churchyard. Witness did not actually see the deceased struck as the vehicle obstructed her view. The char-a-banc was going at a reasonable pace. Witness did not think deceased went across the road to see a fight which was going on between two men in the churchyard, because she crossed the road opposite the church gates.
By Mr. TYRRELL: It was impossible for the driver to miss deceased.
EYES ON THE GROUND.
Miss Beatrice May BISHOP, of Lyngford House, near Taunton, stated on Thursday she was with a party of children in a motor-coach driven by Mr. GREEDY, which was returning to Thurloxton from Bristol. They were passing through North Petherton at about 8.45 p.m. Witness was sitting two seats behind the driver on the offside of the vehicle. Just before they came to the entrance of the Clarence Hotel witness saw a girl and a man standing beside her on the pavement near the porch of the hotel. The girl did not look either way, but with her eyes on the ground ran across the road just in front of the coach. The driver was not going fast. He sounded his horn as soon as the girl left the pavement and applied his brakes immediately. Deceased took no notice of the horn, and the coach pulled up suddenly. Witness did not actually see the deceased struck, and did not see her after the accident as she did not get out of the coach. Witness did not see the girl hesitate.
Mr. TYRRELL: Was there any chance of missing her after she left the pavement? - No, it was impossible to avoid her.
UNABLE TO AVOID HER.
Francis Alexander GREEDY, omnibus driver, employed by Mr. W. E. GLANVILLE, of Bathpool, residing at Gotten, near Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton, stated he had been driving for three and a-half to four years, and had a clean licence. At about 8.45 p.m. on Thursday, when returning from Bristol with an open Thorneycroft 20-seater motor-coach, he was driving through North Petherton. As he approached the Clarence Hotel he was travelling at about 15 m.p.h. He saw a young lady in the road running from the Clarence Hotel side to the opposite side. When he was within a yard of her she saw him and hesitated. At the same time she was struck by the radiator of the coach. Deceased could not have been more than two yards away when he first saw her. He did not remember whether he sounded his horn, but he immediately applied his brakes and pulled up within a few yards. After the radiator had struck the deceased she fell under the front axle and witness felt the near back wheel go over her. Witness went back, and deceased was about a yard from the back of the coach. Two young men were then picking her up. A doctor and the ambulance were sent for, and she was taken to Bridgwater Hospital.
Mr. TYRELL: From the first time you caught sight of her to the time you struck her was there any human possibility of missing her? - No. If she had kept running I think I should have had her all the same.
By a juryman: His near wheels were about three or four feet from his left side.
P.C. YOUNG stated there was a pool of blood six feet from the kerb opposite the churchyard and on the vehicle's proper side of the road. The road was 25 feet 4 inches wide. He was cycling to Bridgwater and met the vehicle about five to eight minutes before the accident; it was then going at a reasonable pace, about 20 to 25 m.p.h.
The Coroner pointed out that all the witnesses had agreed that the driver did everything he could to avoid an accident, and that the unfortunate girl went across the road without looking to right or left. It was a curious thing that he held an inquest on a lady who was killed in an exactly similar way not far from the spot where deceased was knocked down.
The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” and exonerated the driver from blame.
Mr. TYRRELL, on behalf of the owner and driver, and the Foreman on behalf of the jury, expressed sympathy with the parents, to whom the jury gave their fees.
<NOTES: Francis Alexander GREEDY son of George GREEDY and Mary Jane MUDFORD, married Ellen or Nellie WEMBRIDGE
Florence Elsie MARCHANT daughter of Charles Henry MARCHENT and Elsie CASTLE>