Although Ward’s Corner is regarded as the town’s principal danger-spot, nobody thought that when a fatality occurred near there it would take the form of a Good Friday tragedy.

Mrs Rose Pendered

A large motor lorry stood unattended in the factory entrance yard. Mrs. Pendered then left her daughter and crossed the road to look in the window of “The Corner Shop.” She stood looking in the window when the lorry ran slowly across the road, caught her on the left shoulder, and crushed her against the wall. When the lorry was moved away from the wall Mrs. Pendered was dead.

The inquest was held at Rushden Police Station on Monday morning, being conducted by Mr. J. Cairns Parker (East Northants Coroner.)

The widower (Mr. Bert Pendered), who gave evidence of identification, said that his wife’s hearing and eyesight were good.

Dr. O. B. Lean said that at about five o’clock on Friday he was called to Newton-road and he found the deceased woman lying on the pavement near Wills’ shop. He made a superficial examination and found that she was dead. After making a further examination at the mortuary he found that there was a compound fracture to the skull. This would have caused instantaneous death. There were no other injuries except those to the head.

Daughter’s Evidence

Mrs. Doreen Dawkes (daughter of the deceased) said she left Messrs. John White’s factory in company with her mother at about 4.50. There was a large lorry standing in the factory yard facing the building.

After a short conversation with her mother witness went to fetch her cycle from Warren’s yard. Deceased decided to wait while she fetched it. When witness returned with her cycle she saw a lorry in the roadway. It was stationary and was against Wills’ shop, her mother being between it and the shop.

Mr. Tippleston (Dennis, Faulkner and Allsop, Northampton), representing Messrs. John White Ltd., and the driver of the lorry, questioned witness, who said that there were not many people about, and she did not notice anyone near the lorry.

Mr. George Alfred Quennell, the driver of the lorry, said that when he pulled up in the yard he switched the engine off and applied the handbrake. He was in the factory for about five minutes, and when he came out again he saw the lorry across the other side of the road. He got into the lorry and drove it away from the wall. As he was in such a hurry he failed to notice whether the handbrake was still on.

The handbrake was afterwards tested in the presence of a police officer and was found to be satisfactory. If the handbrake had not been applied when he left the lorry it would have run away immediately. The lorry weighed about two and a half tons and was loaded with about three tons of boots.

In reply to Mr. A. P. Price (Darnell and Price, Northampton), for the relatives, witness said that the brake was not pulled on to the fullest possible extent this being unnecessary. If the brake had not been properly applied the lorry would not have stood still for a second. He admitted that some outside vibration might have caused the brake to become released.

Seven Years’ Experience

In answer to Police Supt. M. H. William Quennell said the vehicles were inspected if complaints were received from the drivers. He had been driving heavy vehicles for about seven years.

Replying to Mr. Tippleston, Quennell said that he had been driving the vehicle in question for two years.

Mr. Frank Gayton, 'bus driver, said that after leaving the United Counties depot in Newton-road he drove down Newton-road. When near John White’s factory he noticed a lorry backing out of the factory entrance. It appeared to be coming out normally and in consequence he pulled up.

When the lorry got clear of the gates he saw there was no driver in the cab.

Directly afterwards he saw a woman on the opposite side of the road. She was standing on the path with her back to the lorry, which struck her on the left shoulder. He got out of the 'bus and was about to drive the lorry away when the driver arrived. When the lorry was driven away the woman fell to the ground.

At the time the lorry came out of the yard he did not see any pedestrians coming out.

Supt. Williams asked Gayton whether he thought the lorry’s brake was on, and witness replied that he thought it was being driven out in a very careful manner – if the brakes had not been on it would have come out much faster.

Police-Sergeant Thompson said that both brakes (hand and foot) were perfectly satisfactory. If the handbrake had been fully applied it would have held the vehicle. The gradient from the yard to the road was approximately 1 in 14.

The scene in Newton Road

Summing up the Coroner said he was satisfied and did not propose to call further witnesses. He was satisfied from the evidence he had heard that Quennell pulled into the yard in a manner to which he was accustomed. He had pulled the handbrake on to an extent which he thought was sufficient to have held the vehicle. What happened afterwards was a matter of surmise, but something must have happened. No doubt Quennell pulled the handbrake on as far as he thought was sufficient.

Consequently he found that the deceased died as a result of injuries received through being crushed between a vehicle and the shop, these injuries being accidentally received.

Mr. Tippleston expressed sympathy to the relatives on behalf of John White’s and Mr. Quennell, and Mr. L. W. Bradshaw (secretary of Messrs. John White, Ltd.), endorsed his remarks.

The wall opposite the factory gates