Arthur John Fox

Arthur John Fox was found dying in the road between the Traveller's Rest and East Lodge in Tehidy on the Saturday night, 15 January 1938.

It was thought that he had been knocked down by a motor-car.

He was found by a bus driver that was driving a bus from Portreath to Cambourne later on the Saturday night. He was found lying unconscious on the left-hand side of the road looking towards Portreath. The bus driver said that he had left Camborne at 11pm for Portreath and had first gone past the spot between Traveller’s Rest and Tehidy East Lodge at about 11.15pm before continuing on to Porteath. He said that he then left Portreath to return at 11.45pm and got to East Lodge at about 11.55pm at which point he was overtaken by a motorcyclist after which he saw a small car come towards him and then as he went on, he saw something in the road and said that as he slowed up he saw Arthur Fox lying in the opposite side of the road, his head being near the centre of the road and his feet near the hedge. He said that he then stopped and got out and said that he saw Arthur Fox frothing at the mouth. He said that it was a beautiful moonlit night and said that the road was straight at that point and had a good surface for stopping.

He said that a motorcyclist then stopped and then went off for an ambulance and said that he stayed with Arthur Fox to make him comfortable. He said that Arthur Fox was alive, but unconscious.

After he was found he was taken to a doctor in Pool who pronounced life extinct at 12.20am.

He had a fractured skull and broken ribs. It was also thought that one of the ribs had probably punctured his lung. The doctor said that his clothes and face were clean and that he appeared to have been hit and not rolled. His cause of death was given as being due to injuries and shock. The doctor later stated that his injuries could not have been caused by an ordinary fall and said that a blow of considerable force had occurred, probably from behind. He added that he did not think that his injuries were consistent with him having been run over, but rather having been struck a glancing blow by a moving object. He said that he thought that he had been hit about an hour before he saw him.

At the inquest it was heard that a car was seen to swerve near to the spot where he was soon after found and the police appealed for the driver of the car to come forward.

The motorcyclist that had stopped to help Arthur Fox and who had then gone off for the ambulance said that he had left Portreath after 11.30pm and later passed a bus and then saw a car coming towards him from Travellers' Rest swerve. He said that by the time he and the car met, the car had pulled in again and that as he went on he saw what he thought was some luggage in the road and turned to see what it was. He said that he then saw the bus stop and went back. He said that the car that he saw had dimmed lights but that it was not going at any great speed.

Arthur Fox was last seen alive by his sister at 5pm on the Saturday when he left to walk to Camborne, which she said was his usual practice. She noted that he had good sight and hearing and was a good walker.

Arthur Fox had lived at Beach House in Portreath and had been a gardener.