Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 10 August 1927

Collided With Bus

Inquiry Into Goldthorpe Man’s Death.

A verdict of ‘‘Accidental death” was returned at an inquest held at the Montagu Hospital, Mexhorough, yesterday, on John Henry Pearson (41), miner, of Hall Street, Goldthorpe, who died on Monday as result of injuries received in a road accident at Barnborough on August Ist.

The Deputy Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) was assisted by a jury.

Pearson was the driver of a motor combination, on the pillion of which he had Bernard Holliday and in the side-car Harry Bentley, both of Goldthorpe. They were travelling uphill at 15 miles an hour, according to the two passengers, when a motor cyclist swerved round the corner at the top, appeared to be losing his balance, and made straight for the combination. To avoid him, Pearson swerved to his extreme left and the side-car mounted a grass verge. It appeared as though the combination would be upset, and to right it, Pearson drove out into the middle of the road.

It was there that the collision with motor bus occurred. According to Holliday, who said he never saw the bus until collision took place, it was travelling on its proper side of the road and at a reasonable speed. He did not think the driver of the bus was to blame for the collision. He (Holliday) was thrown off the machine with the other two men, but escaped with bruises and a- shaking.

Bentley, who. was rendered unconscious, said he did not even remember the collision.

Arnold Stewartson (20). of Washington Road. Goldthorpe, the driver of the bus, said he was travelling at five miles an hour at the time of the collision. Owing to a bend and a dip in the road, he did not see the combination until it was “on” the bus. but him it appeared to be travelling from 25 to miles an hour.

The jury exonerated the driver of the bus from blame.