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Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, 03 September 1870.

Fatal accident through careless driving.

On Friday and inquest was held at the "Tiger's Head Inn," Masons Hill, Bromley, to inquire into the cause of death of Mr Edward Guildford.

The jury have returned from viewing the body, which was at the Cottage Hospital, the following evidence was given before Mr. Carttar, coroner for the district.

Mrs. Harriet Guildford said the deceased was her husband, and was by trade a greengrocer, living in the Old Kent Road. On the 15th of August she went to Halstead on a visit, and in the evening of that day her husband came through Bromley with a horse and trap to meet her. She did not see him until after the accident had occurred. He was then insensible.

George Bligh, a butcher, living at Mr. Covell's, said on the day in question he saw the deceased coming down the town driving very carelessly. Seeing he was rather the worst would drink he stopped him and told him to be careful. Deceased said he would, but he had got a fidgety horse to drive. He then went away, in two or three minutes afterwards he saw some boys running. He asked them what was the matter, and they said a man has been thrown out of his cart. He then went down the street and saw the deceased lying on the ground. It was about half-past eight o'clock in the evening. Charles Adams, a bricklayer, residing at Bromley, said he was walking along the road near the Bromley Railway Station, on the evening of the accident, when he saw the deceased coming along in a cart. After he had passed him, he looked round and found the deceased had run into a waggon. He was driving on the wrong side of the road. The concussion through him right across the road, and he fell on his head. Witness ran and picked him up. Deceased at the time was driving at a very slow pace. The horse fell down, and the car rolled over. No fault whatsoever was attached to the driver of the waggon. When he picked deceased up, he was insensible, and was bleeding at the ear. The coronary remarked that bleeding at the ear was generally a fatal sign.

Mrs. Hannah Payne said she resided in the Old Kent Road, and the deceased was her son-in-law. When she heard of the accident, she came down to the Cottage Hospital where deceased was, and found him insensible. She remained with him until the time of his death. He was at times conscious, but could not speak. There was every attention paid to him. The medical attendant told her at first there was scarcely any hopes of his recovery. He died on Wednesday, the 24th.

The coroner observed that there was quite sufficient evidence before them to return a verdict, death evidently been caused through the accident. At the same time he remarked that the Bromley Cottage Hospital was a most valuable institution, for it might be the means of saving life in cases of accident, as death sometimes occurred through patients having to be taken a long distance. He therefore considered this hospital should be well supported.

The jury then returned a verdict of accidental death.

From the Alcester Chronicle, Saturday 24 December, 1881.

FATAL ACCIDENT TO A PUBLISHER.

Mr. E. A. Carttar, coroner for West Kent, has held an inquest at the "Tiger’s Head, Bromley, Kent, on the body of Frederick Augustus Barnard, publisher of the Sporting Times, who met with his death through falling under a train at Shortlands Station. Evidence was given stating that deceased arrived at Shortlands Station by the 8.12 p.m. train, and that he failed to get out of the carriage until the train started. Ha then jumped quite clear of the train, but turned and tried to shut the carriage door with his right hand, at the same time having in his left hand a basket of fish, a hare, a bottle, an umbrella, and some newspapers. Ha succeeded in closing the door, but the ground being wet and slippery, he fell on to the footboard and the platform, and as the train passed along fell between the couplings of the second and third carriages, and the remainder of the train passed over him. He was picked up and taken to the Cottage Hospital, where Dr. W. Beeby amputated the left leg, the bone of which had been crushed and cracked in a frightful manner. After the amputation he remained quite insensible, and died some hours afterwards. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," and attributed blame to no one. During the inquiry several of the jurors expressed a wish to hear the evidence of the lady superintendent of the hospital, Mrs. Ellen Mary Burten Ravenhill, but she declined to come, and the coroner had to issue a warrant, and she was brought up in custody. The coroner reminded her that he could inflict a very heavy penalty in these cases, and he detained her in custody until the termination of the inquiry.