Speeding boy racer loses control on Red Hill: frightful injuries (1853)

Post date: Nov 30, 2011 11:34:47 AM

The West Kent Guardian of 29th January 1853 reported the following Wateringbury accident as follows:

'On Saturday last as R. Harris Jnr was driving his father's horse down Red Hill, in a cart, the horse took fright and ran away at the height of his speed, and when near Mr. Leney's brewhouse going over some rough stones, fell with great violence, the force of the fall causing him to slip on the road about twenty feet after he was down, and throwing R. Harris out onto the road with great force, greatly injuring him, and also breaking the bone of one of his ankles. The horse was also frightfully injured. '

At least Harris survived his cart accident whereas in 1837 (reported in the Kentish Gazette of 24 October) a Mr Walter was killed in his cart accident:

Fatal Accident.—A few days since, Mr. Walter, of Wateringbury, was driving his cart, one of the wheels came off, when he was, we lament to say, killed on the spot.

This came very shortly after another fatal cart accident reported in the Sussex Advertiser of 2 October 1837. This happened in Sevenoaks but the owner of the cart was from Wateringbury:

Fatal Accident.—On Wednesday se'nnight, a man named Baker, waggoner to Mr. Bates, of Wateringbury, was descending a hill near Sevenoaks, with a waggon load of flour, the skid broke, and Baker, who was on the top of the load, driving with reins, attempted to jump off to check the speed of the horses. He had got upon the shaft, and took hold of breeching of the wheel horse, in order to let himself down more easily ; the breeching, however, gave way, and the poor fellow fell upon his back, the wheel went over his chest, and killed him instantaneously. We understand that tbe deceased, who has left a wile and five children, was remarkably steady, sober, and industrious man.

For another accident involving a cart filled with hoppers on its way to Wateringbury going down Detling Hill with a drunk Irishman in charge see Hopping (1851)

For other nineteenth century accidents in Wateringbury see also Fatal accident at Wateringbury Station, Drunk hopper drowns in Medway, and Child left home alone dies of burns.