Charles Freeman

Charles Freeman was run over by a motor-van whilst crossing Richmond Road in Sheffield on 23 November 1934.

He suffered from severe head injuries and was taken to the Sheffield Royal Hospital but was found to be dead on arrival.

He had lived on the Fishpond Road Manor Estate in Woodthorpe and had just gone out to the shops to buy some sweets when he was knocked down on the Richmond Road, about 250 yards from his home.

A man that saw the incident said that he thought that the van-driver was to blame as in his opinion he had been driving too fast. He said that he saw three small children cross the road and that two of them got across, but the van came by and struck the third, Charles Freeman. He said that the van struck Charles Freeman twice and then appeared to carry him onto the verge.

The van-driver said that he had been driving for five months. He said that he had been driving along the Richmond Road when he had had to brake and swerve when a little girl ran into the road from the left. He said that he only saw Charles Freeman when he was right on top of him and the radiator struck him. He said that his attention had been concentrated on avoiding the girl who had stepped out. He also said that he thought that he lost his head after striking Charles Freeman.

An open verdict was returned.