Amice Ann Peacock

Amice Ann Peacock died after being hit by a car in the street in Huddersfield on 7 December 1921.

A 44-year-old man was tried for her manslaughter but acquitted.

The man had been a woollen manufacturer and had lived at The Knab in Holmfirth near Huddersfield.

Amice Peacock had lived at 4 Chapel Hill in Huddersfield.

The man was said to have been driving recklessly at the time of the incident, and under the influence of alcohol, which it was said might have been the reason for his reckless driving.

On the night of 7 December 1921, Amice Peacock, and husband and their daughter left the Victoria Hall Cinema in Huddersfield and had been crossing Chapel Hill, diagonally towards their home, when Amice Peacock's husband and their daughter heard a scream, and when they turned to look they saw Amice Peacock being carried off down Chapel Hill on the off-side mudguard of the man's motor car and then violently thrown to the road, which was paved with granite sets, after which the car proceeded with unabated speed down the hill.

When Amice Peacock arrived at the Royal Infirmary shortly after the incident, she was found to be dead, having received a fracture of the base of the skull.

Amice Peacock's husband said that he heard no horn sounded.

The driver of the car accepted that he had hit Amice Peacock, but said that he had only been driving at about 12mph, that he had blown his horn when he had seen her and her family and that there had been an excavation in the road, marked by a red light, that he had had to swerve to avoid, and in that course of events had hit Amice Peacock.

At the trial, two girls said they had seen the man and another man come out of the Cherry Tree Hotel in Market Street. She said that the man had offered to take them for a spin, but that they had refused on account that he had been under the influence of drink.

A motor expert that had been in Chapel Hill at the time said that he saw the car being driven towards him down Chapel Hill in an erratic manner, on the offside of the road at a speed of 20 to 22 miles an hour.

He said that he then heard someone shout 'Stop that car', but that the car didn't appear to slacken speed until it had gone about 12 yards past the spot where Amice Peacock had been struck.

A tram driver said that he had seen the car zig-zagging down the road, but it was suggested that that might have been because the sets were greasy.

Other witnesses also gave evidence as to the man being under the influence of drink, including the police who charged him.

When the man gave evidence, he said that he had held a driving licence for four years and had never had any previous charge made against him. he admitted to having had four small whiskies, the last one being at the Cherry Tree Hotel, where he said he met the two girls. However, he said that they had come up to him and asked to be taken for a ride and had got into his car but that he had turned them out before setting off. He added that neither of the girls made any suggestion to him at the time that he had been drunk.

He said that he had been driving on the right side of the road in Chapel Hill when he saw three people and had been going about 12mph and had blown his horn. He said that her then turned a little to his right to avoid the excavation, which was marked by red lights and then saw Amice Peacock a couple of yards in front of him and tried to swerve, but was too late.

It was noted that the inquest had returned a verdict of accidental death, however, it was submitted at the trial that that had no bearing on the case before the jury.

However, the jury found the man not guilty and he was discharged.