South Yorkshire Times, February 2nd, 1934
Knocked Man Down
Colliery Engineer Summoned
Thomas H. Hodgkiss (42) colliery engineer, of 15 Winterwell Road, West Melton, was summoned at Rotherham on Monday for driving a motor car without due care and attention at Station Street, Swinton. He was also charged with having driven the car in a manner dangerous to the public. On the first summons he was fined £5 and 50s costs. The second summons was dismissed.
Mr. C. S. Corder of Manchester appeared for the defendants and pleaded “not guilty” to both summonses.
Ernest Sully of 12, Rockingham Road, Swinton, said he was standing on the footpath near the Working Men’s Club. He saw a bus coming from the direction of Mexborough on its proper side of the road. On looking the other way, witness saw a motor car coming from the direction of Rotherham at a very fast speed. The bus stopped and when the car got near to it the car swerved back to its proper side knocking a man down and then knocking witness down. Witness said the car had a clear road.
Answering Mr. Corder, witness said that he did not hear a horn sounded. The car had very good lights.
Harold Laxton Jones, of 43 Wortley Road, Swinton said he was the man who was knocked down by the car.
Defendant said there was a crowd of people standing in the roadway and he had to go over to his wrong side to avoid them. A few yards further on there was another crowd of people. As he passed the people, he felt a bump and he pulled up a few yards further on. When he went back to the scene of the accident there was a crowd gathered outside the club and he heard someone say that it was not his fault. The injured man had been taken into the club. He did not know anything about the second man, who had not said he had been knocked down util they were in court.
Defendant had been driving for 30 years.