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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 07 Nov 1934
Page 3 Column 2
TRULL MOTOR-CYCLIST'S DEATH.
FOUND LYING IN ROADWAY.
BELIEVED TO HAVE COLLIDED WITH BANK.
WHITELACKINGTON MAN'S DISCOVERY.
Albert Henry FOURACRE, the 22-years-old son of Mr. George FOURACRE, a builder, of 7, New-road, Comeytrowe, Trull, died in the Taunton and Somerset Hospital at 11 o'clock on Friday morning from injuries sustained in an accident at Hatch Green three weeks ago.
FOURACRE had been in a critical condition since his admission to the Hospital in the early hours of Sunday, October 14th, suffering from very severe head injuries. He was found lying in the roadway beside his badly damaged motor-cycle. He was returning to his home from Chard, where he had been to watch the Carnival procession.
THE INQUEST.
MOTORISTS' ALARMING DISCOVERY.
The inquest was held at the Hospital on Saturday afternoon by Mr. G. P. CLARKE, coroner for West Somerset, who sat with a jury, of which Mr. E. H. C. GILL was chosen foreman.
George FOURACRE, father of the deceased, gave evidence of identification. He stated that his son had had the motor-cycle which he was riding at the time of the accident for about six months, but he had ridden a motor-cycle daily for years.
Dr. Robert Malcombe DYKES, house surgeon at the hospital, stated that he took deceased's case over from Dr. JOHNSON. His condition was critical, and he was suffering from fractures of the skull and severe lacerations of the upper lip and forehead. He improved slightly until the 30th October, when he changed for the worse, and on Thursday he commenced to sink rapidly. He died at 11.45 a.m. on Friday. Cause of death was fracture of the skull in three places. The injuries were consistent with deceased's motor-cycle having struck a bank and deceased's body having been thrown heavily. There were no injuries to suggest that any other vehicle had been in collision with deceased.
Victor Sidney WILMINGTON, aged 14, stable lad, of 277, Bickenhall, Taunton, stated that about 12.15 a.m., having returned from Chard Carnival, he went to a shed at Miss SPOONER's, at Hatch Beauchamp, to get his bicycle. He lighted his lamp, and put on his mackintosh, and then heard a noise as if a tool-bag had opened and the tools had fallen out. Witness looked towards the road, but could not see nor hear anything. Just before he heard the sound of falling tools he heard a motor-cycle coming, and then it stopped. Almost immediately a car came along.
WHITELACKINGTON MAN'S EVIDENCE.
Reginald OWENS, of Whitelackington, stated that on Sunday, October 14th, about 12.15 a.m., he was a passenger in a car which was being driven towards Taunton. On approaching Hatch Green corner he saw a man lying in the road with one leg on top of a motor-cycle and the other beneath it. There were marks on the road which indicated that the foot-rest of the cycle had caught the bank and spun round. It was a dry night. A telephone message was sent for the police.
P.C. HARRIS (Hatch Beauchamp) stated that he arrived on the scene about 12.30 a.m. Deceased was lying in the road on his near side with his head about two feet from the grass verge and his legs across the road. He was bleeding from the mouth and face, and was unconscious. The ambulance had been sent for, and later arrived. Witness examined the motor-cycle – a 3.49 h.p. A.J.S. - and found that it was in top gear. The back wheel was buckled as it it had been twisted to the right. Fourteen spokes had been torn away from the centre hub. The rear mudguard was twisted at right angles and pressed against the tyre, which was punctured. Other damage was done to the machine, and the exhaust pipe appeared to have been dragged along the road. Green leaves and grass adhered to the under part of the machine, and appeared to come from the bank, but there were no marks on the bank. The road at the spot was 22 feet wide. He found a skid mark 13ft. 2ins. long, which commenced from near the grass verge, and finished four feet from the verge, which was about seven feet wide and sloped up to a height of about three feet. He examined the bank, and found several pieces of glass, apparently from the front lamp of the motor-cycle, near the commencement of the skid mark.
In reply to a juror, witness said there was nothing to indicate that the machine had been run into from behind. He formed the opinion that the machine came round the bend too fast, mounted the grass verge, and the rider lost control.
The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of “Death by misadventure,” the Foreman adding that the jury were unanimously of the opinion that the machine struck the bank on the near side of the road.
<NOTES: Albert Henry FOURACRE son of George FOURACRE and Edith COLLARD
George FOURACRE son of Henry or Harry FOURACRE and Ellen HINES, married Edith COLLARD>