Lucas, John 1909 April 16th Tisbury
For four hours on Wednesday a jury and Mr W H Creech (Coroner) had the painful task of investigating the details of an accident in which a motor car and a cyclist were concerned, and the latter, John Lucas, of Poole, lost his life. Lucas, on Easter Monday evening, left Gillingham accompanied by his brother-in-law, Walter Fish, and Victor Fish. The two latter halted at Childe Okeford, and Lucas went on, remarking that the others would overtake him. They did this within twenty minutes, but found him dead at the bottom of the hill, with his bicycle completely cut in two. Both rider and machine had been run over by a car belonging to Mr F H S Styring of Tisbury. At the inquest Mr W J Trethowan, of Salisbury, appeared on behalf of Mr Styring, and Mr J R Eldridge of Poole watched proceedings for the relatives.
The accident occurred at what is known as Steepleton Corner. The car had gone round one bend in the road and the chauffeur had his eye on another further on, when the deceased suddenly appeared from a side road, and as the car ran on the bank Lucas swerved and fell to the ground right in the path of the car, which went over him and the cycle. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death,” and did not attach blame to anyone, but spoke of the spot in question as an “absolute death trap.” The Coroner promised to write to the County Council as to the erection of warning notices.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 