Skegness Magazine

Fatal Accident at Skegness

On Thursday evening in last week an inquest was held at the Police Station by Dr Walker, district coroner, respecting the death of John William Fowler, aged three years, who was knocked down and kileed by a horse and dray on the Lumley Road pullover, the same morning.
Mr Joseph Crawshaw senior was foreman of the jury. After the jury had viewed the body the following evidence was adduced:

Florence Emily Fowler, mother of the deceased, stated that she arrived from Peterborough about 9.45 in the morning, and at once proceeded to the sea. She had four children with her, and when they were between the Clock Tower and the donkey sheds on the beach the deceased rushed on to the road to fill his bucket with sand. Witness then heard a rattle of chains and on looking round, saw a horse attached to a coal trolley coming from behind. Before she could reach the child the horse had knocked the boy down and trodden on his head, killing him instantaneously.

Jane Dance, who was in company of the last witness, and who also came from Peterborough, gave corroborative evidence.

John Proctor, donkey driver, stated that he saw deceased filling his bucket with sand, and noticed a horse and trolley coming at a trotting pace from the direction of the Clock Tower. Witness tried to rescue the child, but before he could get to him the horse knocked the little boy down, and trod on his head with one of its hind feet, killing him on the spot.

John William Brown said that he was in the employ of Mr Herbert Horry, coal merchant, Skegness, and had charge of the horse and trolley when the accident occurred. About 10.30am witness was engaged carting coals to the tea booths on the sands. When leaving th Clock Tower he caused his horse to trot so as to get a good start before reaching the loose sand. The road was clear at the time, but he had not proceeded far when he saw the child in front of the horse about two feet away. He tried to steer clear of it, but before he could do so the child was knocked down, and he was pitched off the shafts on to the road. When he got up he found that the child was killed.

Inspector De Cann stated that when he removed the child’s body to the police station he found that the skull was fractured and the brain exposed.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidentally killed by fracture of the skull and exposure of the brain”.

Our picture shows the area between the Clock Tower and the donkey sheds on the sands, Skegness.

1905