South Yorkshire Times, October 13th, 1951
Jury Exonerate Car Driver
Bolton Boy, Killed in Mishap, Ignored “Halt” Sign
Evidence that a 14-year-old Bolton boy, return from a fishing trip on his bicycle, failed to stop at a “Halt” sign, and “shot out” into the main road, colliding with a car, was given at a Rotherham inquest on Tuesday, on the boy Thomas Edward Arthur Parry of 70, Ringway, Bolton who died in Rotherham hospital a few hours after the accident.
A jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death” and exonerated the driver of the car from all blame, The accident occurred on Sunday September 30th at the junction of Ravenfield Lane and Doncaster Road at Hooton Roberts. Thomas Henry Holroyd of 37, Hallgate, Mexborough said on the Sunday morning Parry called for him and they went by bicycle to Ravenfield where they spent the day fishing. About 5.30pm they left to go home. Traveling down Ravenfield lane, Parry was in front of witness and his speed was faster increasing the gap between them. Approaching Doncaster Road there was a “Halt” sign and witness said he would have expected Parry to stop there. He did not stop but went on and turned to the left instead of to the right. Wetness saw him taking a wide speed around the corner and lost sight of him. He heard a crash and on coming around the corner he saw Parry lying on the road and his bicycle skidding across the road. A car had stopped and a public service vehicle was also nearby.
Driver’s Evidence
The car driver, Harry Ford Liggins, 34, Lister Street, Rotherham said he had followed a bus several miles and on nearing Ravenfield Lane at Hooton Roberts the bus driver signalled that he was going to stop. He then gave a sign for Liggins to overtake. He did so and as he pulled back to the nearside of the kerb, he saw a bicycle appear on his offside. “Before I had any opportunity to do anything he ran into the offside of the car” he said. When he overtook the car, said Liggins there was no traffic coming towards Doncaster. In reply to Chief Insp. E. Smith, Liggins said the boy was travelling very fast when he came out of the lane. Douglas Frederick Holmes of 12, Ethel Street, the bus driver, said that when he stopped to pick up passengers, he noticed a car behind him and signalled for the driver to overtake. After the car had passed and was pulling back to his nearside, a cyclist seemed to “shoot straight out and run into the side of the car. Assistant Deputy Borough Coroner (Mr. C. L. Blenkinsop) said he did not think there was any doubt that the driver of the car was in any way responsible for what happened.
The Funeral
Mourners at the funeral were: Mrs. E. Parry and Jean (Mother and Sister), Mr. T. Howard, Mr. L. Howard, Mr. and Mrs. C. Newbould, Mr. and Mrs. L. Earl, Mr. and Mrs. J. Platacz, Mr. and Mrs. E. Howard, Mr. and Mrs. McNeil, Mr. and Mrs. W. Parry, Mr. and Mrs. A. Parry and Mr. and Mrs. T. Parry, Mr. and Mrs. D. Parry, Mr. and Mrs. A. Mount, Don, Edwin, Jack, Alf, Dennis and Edward Parry, Mr. and Mrs. T Cox.