South Yorkshire Times July 2, 1949
Wath Man Killed
On Way to See Family Off On Holiday
Forty-year-old William Simms, colliery overman, of 3, Wombwell! Avenue, Newhill, Wath, set out on his motor-cycle early on Saturday to see his wife and family off from Mexborough station on a day’s holiday to Skegness.
Fog cut down visibility to about 15 yards. On Wath Road, at the junction of Wragby Row, Simms accelerated to overtake a private bus and ran head-on into a Yorkshire Traction Company bus coming in the opposite direction.
He was killed instantly, and at the Mexborough inquest on Wednesday, the Doncrister District Coroner, Mr. W. H. Carole, assisted by a jury, recorded a verdict of ” Accidental Death.”
Very Misty
Charles Jackson, miner, of 20, Grange Road, Wath, who identified the body as that of his father-in- law, said he accompanied Simms’ wife and family by bus to Mexborough station. After seeng them onto the bus Simms said he would follow on the cycle.
About 6.45 a.m. he (Jackson) was told that Simms had been involved in an accident.
The driver of the private bus, William Dale, 44, Oak Road, Mexborough, said he was travelling about 20 miles an hour on Wath Road in the direction of Mexborough. It was very misty, visibility being about 15 yards. He suddenly heard a motor cycle accelerating behind him and at the same time saw a Yorkshire Traction Company bus coming in the opposite direction. There was about two feet between the two buses. He caught only a glimpse of Simms before the crash occurred.
John A, Hall, electrician, 15, Lower Dolcliffe Road, Mexboro’, said he was returning home from work and was following about two yards behind Dale’s bus. Simms was behind him. Without warning Simms accelerated and passed him. He heard the crash and saw Simms thrown onto the road.
Gladwin Smith, 2, Highfield Grove, West Melton, driver of the Yorkshire Traction Company bus, described how he was travelling about 10 miles an hour, passing Wragby Row, when he saw a bus approaching, from the opposite direction a few yards ahead.
” Suddenly,” he said, ” I saw a motor cyclist loom out of the fog. I saw the shocked look on his face before he smashed into the offside of the radiator.”
Dr. M. F. Grenville, of Mexborough, said Simms must have been killed instantly. He was bleeding profusely from a wound in the right temple and the spine was fractured.
A native of Newhill, Mr. Simms had been married 16 years and was the father of four children. He was a keen sportsman and had for many years been a member of Wath Central Working Men’s Club.
The interment took place at Wath on June 29th.