ROBERT HILLIER
MOTOR CYCLIST'S FATAL ACCIDENT
INQUEST ON A FORMER NEWBURY MAN
The inquest on Mr. Robert Hillier, a motor-coach driver, of Bridge-street, Maidenhead, and formerly of 18 London-road Newbury, was, as reported in our last issue, was killed while motor-cycling near Cippenham on April 11th, took place on Friday morning at Windsor. Mr. Hillier, who was born at Burbage, near Marlborough, had lived most of his life in Newbury, where he had several relatives and carried on a fruiterer’s business in London-road. He was 58 years of age, and leaves a widow and five children.
The evidence showed that Mr. Hillier was returning from work at Slough on his motorcycle, shortly before midnight, when he came in collision with a motor-car driven by Mr. Sidney Richard Smith, an engineer, of “Egmore”, Gallop, Sutton, Surrey. He sustained severe injuries, including a compound fracture of the right leg. He was taken by ambulance to Windsor Hospital, where he died on Tuesday evening last week. Dr. Margaret Schriber, house surgeon at this hospital, said the cause of death was shock from injuries he had received.
Smith, the driver of the car, said he was returning to London from Westbury. When he was driving along the Bath-road between Maidenhead and Slough, the car suddenly veered to the right. Before he could correct the swerve he saw a flickering light in front of him; he tried to get the car under control, but there was an impact, and he carried the motor-cycle along a few feet; it fell off and he continued still unable to get the car under proper control. He jumped the pavement and finally came to rest on the pathway.
In answer to questions, he said the car took charge of him, and he could not regain control of the steering wheel. From the manner in which the car suddenly veered to the right, it seemed as if one of the tyres had burst or punctured. He tried his utmost to regain control by steering the car back on to its proper side of the road, and he therefore, could not say when he applied the brakes. This he thought was the reason he drove nearly a 100 feet after the collision. He was on the crown of the road and travelling from 30 to 55 miles an hour.
A lorry driver said the car passed him on the crown of the road at a speed of 28 miles an hour. He then saw a shower of sparks emerging from under the car, and it swerved violently to the side of the road. Witness said that large advertisement sign on the right of the road might easily lead motorists coming upon it quickly to think they were heading for a brick wall. He believed it was this illusion which made Mr. Smith suddenly apply his brakes and serve to the off-side.
A police sergeant gave evidence that one yard past the point of impact, brakes marks appeared on the road, continued for 60 feet and then mounted the kerb. The path was ploughed up for a distance of 36 feet. This car was standing with both off-side wheels on the pavement; the front off-side wheel was buckled and the tyre burst; the wing was bent and thrust up into the tyre.
The jury returned a verdict of “Civil negligence” against the driver of the car.
THE FUNERAL
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon at the Old ~Cemetery, Newtown-road. The service was conducted by the Salvation Army officers, Adjutant H.B. Wingett and Lieut. G.L. Grover. There was a large attendance of townspeople, and many beautiful flowers were received.
NWN 21/04/1932
Mrs. P p. 141 L3(D)3
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