Fred Barker

Fred Barker was run over by a motor-lorry on the Westwood New Road in Tankersley on Tuesday 12 June 1934.

A policeman that went to the scene of the accident said that it appeared that Fred Barker had been pulling a hand-cart or truck down a slight gradient in the same direction as the lorry. He said that the marks on the road indicated that the truck was about six feet from the cart and that Fred Barker had been carried with the truck a distance of about 66 feet after the collision. He said that the lorry then travelled on another 72 feet before it pulled up and noted that the front near side of it was damaged.

The Coroner asked the policeman whether he thought that it was a case where there was no blame attached to the driver, or whether there was some blame, and the policeman replied that he thought that there was some blame.

A man that saw the accident said that he had seen Fred Barker out of his window shortly before the crash and said that he seemed to be having some trouble in keeping his truck straight. He said that he then heard a crash and said that when he looked out of his window again be saw Fred Barker was lying in the road.

The driver of the motor-lorry that was at the inquest said that Fred Barker was about 100 yards away from him when he first saw him and said that he didn't know that he had hit him until a youth told him.

An open verdict was returned.