Cottered
Gardening Lectures
The second of a series of four fortnightly gardening lectures was given in the School on the 21st ult., by Mr R.W.B. Keene, of the Herts. Institute of Agriculture.
Mr A. Beadle presided, and in spite of the heavy fall of snow there was a fairly good attendance.
The subject of the lecture was "Seasonable Work in the Vegetable Garden," and at its close there were questions and discussion, in which Messrs. Edwards, Hearn, Hull, Kingsley, and Sanders took part.
Chess Match
A chess match between the Cottered Chess Club and a Buntingford team, arranged by Mr B.E. Thody, took place on Monday evening.
There were some good games, and the result was a win for Buntingford by four games to two.
The scores were as follows:
Buntingford - Cottered
Father Morgan - 1 - R.M. Hull - 0
E. Brett - 1 - E.E. Empringham - 0
B.E. Thody - 0 - R. Shepherd - 1
J. Lawrence - 1 - R. Barry - 0
H.M. Blakiston - 1 - T. Perry - 0
A.N. Other - 0 - B.A. Edwards - 1
Total - 4 - 2
At the close, the Rev. E.E. Empringham, of Cottered, thanked Father Morgan for placing his study at the disposal of the teams and for so kindly entertaining them.
Cottered
Cricket Club Concert
A very successful concert was held in the school on Friday evening, in aid of the funds of the Cottered Cricket Club.
Miss Bates acted as pianist, there were numerous encores, and the whole programme was thoroughly enjoyed.
In the interval, the Rector (Rev. E.E. Empringham), announced that a letter had been received from the Club President (Mr H. Goode) regretting inability to be present, and enclosing a cheque for £5 for the club funds.
The Rector also proposed a vote of thanks to the pianist, the performers, and all who had helped, but especially to the chief organiser, Mr Edwards, the Hon. Secretary of the Club.
Mr Edwards briefly responded, appealing for the support and goodwill of the whole community for the Cricket Club.
Fatal Holiday Accident
Motor-Cyclist Collides with Cart
Whilst motor cycling for [from?] Chatham, where he was stationed, to West Riding, on Friday last, Flagman Ernest A. Shoobridge collided with a farm cart at a dangerous corner in Cottered and was killed instantly.
There is a sign post on the corner and it is thought that the deceased, who had lost his correct route, looked up at the sign post and failed to notice the approach of a farm cart.
The district coroner, Mr H.F. J. Banham, conducted the inquest, which was held at the Cottered Rectory on Saturday evening last, when the following were sworn on the jury: Messrs. W.N. Sanders (foreman), J. Smith, J. Darton, W. Hills, C. Smith, W. Deards, W. Hummerstone, B.A. Edwards, T. Kingsley, J. Warner, H. Sheppard, G. Fenner, and F. Hummerstone.
Eric Sellers, a leading seaman in the Royal Navy, who was accompanying the deceased on another motor-cycle, said "We left Chatham on Friday morning at 6.30 for Nessborough, Yorks. The deceased was riding a 3 and a half h.p. Norton motorcycle. I was riding in front of my friend, and as I passed the corner I noticed a cart on the right side of the road, but I had no difficulty in getting by.
I happened to glance round and saw the deceased looking at the sign post; he turned his head back, and as he did so I saw a surprised look on his face as though he had noticed the cart and did not know what to do. I then heard a crash, and on going back found my friend lying across the road. He appeared to be dead. His speed at the time of the accident would be about 12-15 miles per hour."
Sidney Andrews, a carter, of Moor Green, Ardeley, said "On Friday, 3rd June, I was in charge of a horse and cart on the road from Cottered to Buntingford. As the horse approached the corner a motor-cycle passed, and immediately afterwards came another in the same direction. The second cyclist crashed into the hose, which was only moving at walking pace.
Part of the horse's harness was broken, and when I went to deceased he was lying in the road by the wheel. When the accident occurred I was about one yard from the near side of the road."
James Fuller, a roadman employed by the H.C.C., said "I was working near the corner in question on Friday, June 3rd, when I noticed two motor-cycles coming from the direction of Buntingford. The first one passed me all right, but the second one, which came on about 15-20 yards behind, took a big sweep; the rider shut off the engine and put out his right foot as if to save himself.
The cycle swayed, and I saw the rider strike the horse and then fall into the road. I went round the cart, but the deceased appeared to be dead."
Frederick James Savage, of High Street, Walkern, a labourer, also working on the corner, gave similar evidence.
Alfred James Ives, a police constable, stationed at Cottered, said "On Friday, 3rd June, about 10.15 a.m., I received a report that a motor-cycle accident had occurred on the Buntingford road. I went to the scene of the accident and saw a Norton motor-cycle lying close to the wheel of a cart which was standing on the north side of the road and facing north-east.
I found that the rider of the motor-cycle was lying with his right leg over his machine. His skull was crushed, and he was quite dead. The machine was slightly damaged. The width of the road at the particular point was 18ft. 6ins. There was 9ft. 6 ins. between the offside wheel of the cart and the other side of the road."
Dr R.W. Fell, of Buntingford, said "On arriving at the scene of the accident I saw the deceased lying on his back across the road. There was a lot of blood in the road and the deceased was dead. On examining the body I came to the conclusion that he must have struck his head on the shaft of the cart, and have died instantly."
The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," the foreman requested the coroner to repot on the dangerous corner to the Herts. County Council.