In the Papers too...

More cuttings from the newspapers, which contain a reference of some sort to East Winch or West Bilney.....

1900s

FROM THE LYNN ADVERTISER, WISBECH CONSTITUTIONAL GAZETTE AND NORFOLK AND CAMBRIDGESHIRE HERALD - JANUARY 1901.

KILLED AT EAST WINCH AND LEFT ON THE ROADSIDE

On Friday Inquisition was made by Mr E.A.Wilkin coroner, at the Maid’s Head, East Winch, into the circumstances attending the death of Charles Morton. Aged 36 years, who on the previous Wednesday was run over by a wagon and killed.

The first witness called was George Morton, of Pentney, labourer, who said his brother was in the employ of Messrs. Smith of East Winch, where he lived.

Charles Mason, of East Winch, a teamman in the employ of Messrs. Smith , said that at about 11.15am on Wednesday morning the 9th inst. He went to Lynn with a load of barley, Morton accompanying him with another load of barley, to be delivered at Messrs. Bowkers granary. They finished delivery and passed the chapel clock in Lynn on their homeward journey about 4.30. Witness went through the South gates first . Morton following about 30 yards behind. Witness was quite sober; his companion had had some beer, but was quite capable of doing his work.

At the water trough, near The Prince of Wales Inn, witness watered his horses, but Morton went ahead, although his horsed had had nothing to drink since they left East Winch that morning. When witness started again the other wagon was about 100 yards ahead, and he did not catch it up until arrival at Middleton, where the team was standing outside the Crown; Morton came out of the house and offered the witness a drink out of a mug of beer.

A person named William Wing, who had ridden on witness’s wagon, ordered three twopennyworths of whiskey for three of them. After about five minutes delay, the journey was continued, Morton and his team being in front. There was no seat in front of Morton’s wagon, and when he left the Crown he was walking on the nearside.

Nothing occurred until within half a mile of East Winch, when witness saw Morton lying on the road, the wagon and team still going on. He was lying straight along the wheel-track, with his head towards East Winch and his feet towards Lynn, and there was a lot of blood by his head. Witness looked at him, but did not touch or speak to him, but ran after the team and took it home, and returned in about half an hour’s time. He left Wing remaining in charge of his (witnesses) team, but when he returned he saw that Wing had gone, and deceased had been shifted to the side of the road.

As witness was coming back he met a man called Stamford in charge of the team, which witness tied up to the fence, and both of them proceeded towards Morton, and saw a man named Vincent standing beside him. It was about 6 o’clock when witness took the deceased’s team home. In answer to the jury, witness said he had no lights on his wagon, neither had Morton. He heard Morton call out, but did not see him until nearly on to him. It was a dark night. Both wagons were empty. Whilst he was watering his horses he saw Morton get upon the shafts of his wagon, which was the right place, in the absence of a seat. When he overtook Morton’s wagon the reins were tied upon the near side on the back of the wagon.

William Wing of East Walton, a labourer in the employ of the district council, said he rode on the wagon with the previous witness. Morton was riding, whether in the wagon or on the shafts he could not say. And both teams were trotting the best part of the way to Middleton. When they left Middleton Crown Mason was sober; Morton was not quite sober, but witness did not notice it until he “stood” the whiskey. When about half a mile from East Winch, the leader of Mason’s team suddenly pulled off the road, and Morton was seen lying on the ground. Mason went after Morton’s team, and witness remained in charge of the other horses. He saw Morton in a pool of blood, lying along the near track of the road. He spoke to him but got no reply, and the only noise was the gurgling of blood in Morton’s mouth. Witness did not touch him but remained by his side until the arrival of Postman Bailey, whom witness assisted in placing Morton on the side of the road. Later another man came and took charge of Morton’s horses, and then witness went home.

Luke Bailey. of Lynn, postman who has only one arm said that whilst driving along the road with his mail-car, and when about a quarter of a mile from East Winch, he saw by the light of his cart lamps, a wagon and team going along the road with no-one in charge, but Mason was running after them. About a quarter of a mile further on he saw another wagon, standing still, and Wing shouted: “Stop: there is a man killed”

Witness handed one of his cart lamps to Wing, and then examined the injured man, discovering that his pulse was beating rapidly, and whilst witness was endeavouring to lift him up he groaned. Witness, having only one arm, asked Wing for help to move the man to the side of the road, but Wing refused, and witness had to do so alone. He got Wing to procure a sack from the wagon, and this witness placed under victim’s head and made him as comfortable as possible; but when witness again felt his pulse it had ceased to beat. He remained with the body until Stanford came up, and witness told him that the body would be left in his charge, because he (witness) must go on.

Stanford, however, went away with the wagon, and witness then asked Wing to stay, but he refused and went away, leaving witness with the body. He stopped as long as he dared, but eventually he had to leave with his mail, because he was overdue at Middleton.

P.C Herbert Mehew stated that about 6.15pmon Wednesday, being informed by three little boys that something had occurred on the road, he proceeded thither, and was overtaken by Mr Smith who was driving. He found Morton’s body on the roadside, the head resting on a sack; and there were several people standing by. He helped Mr Smith to get the body into the cart, which brought the body to where it now lay. He examined the body but found no marks of violence except on the head, which had terrible cut over the left eye, and another at the back of the ear, also one on the side of the chin. Such injuries would be consistent with a wheel passing over the head. Deceased had £2/15/0 ½d besides a watch and chain, tobacco , &c.

The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that Norton died from injuries received by having accidently fallen from the wagon, the wheel of which had passed over his body: and they added a rider to the verdict expressing their appreciation of the conduct of Postman Bailey.

The Coroner reprimanded Mason and Wing for their conduct, and declined to allow them any costs for attending the enquiry.

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1910s

A Fatal Accident

FROM THE LYNN NEWS - OCTOBER 1912

A FATAL ACCIDENT - WILLIAM ARTHUR ARTER

At the Crown Inn yesterday (Thursday) morning, Mr. R A Wilkins, coroner, conducted an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Arthur Arter, aged 29, a coal merchant, who met his death under very sad circumstances on Tuesday night.

He was engaged in removing the refuse from the vaults of the Town Houses to the allotment ground at the entrance to the common. He had just led the horse which was a somewhat spirited animal through the common gate when it bolted, and he was dragged under the heavily laden iron tank and pinned to the ground. He expired instantaneously.

Louisa Arter, widow, said Wm. Arthur Arter was her son. He left a widow and four children.

*This included Tea and Programmes, £4 2s, & £2 19s 2d handed in by Canon Vawdrey, and cheques from the Countess of Leicester, Holcombe Ingleby Esq.,M.P., and J.Ramsden Esq,

** As announced by advertisements, this total was divided as follows:-

£63 19s 5d to Lynn Hospital, and £10. 5s 3d to Red Cross Hospital, and handed to the respective Treasurers of these Institutions.

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1940s

From THE LYNN NEWS September 30, 1941

Motor-Vehicle Blamed for Cyclist’s Death

WIDESPREAD police inquiries and a Press appeal for information failed to solve the mystery of the death of Sampel Arthur Barrett (56), a gardener, who was found lying dead near his smashed bicycle at Midnight on Saturday Sept.6, at East Winch.

At the resumed inquest at East Winch last Tuesday, the Lynn District Coroner (Mr. Donald F.Jackson) returned a verdict of “Death from misadventure.” He found that Barrett died from a fractured base of the skull caused when he was thrown from his bicycle, as the result of a collision with an unknown vehicle.

AN ARMY VEHICLE?

The Coroner said the police had an almost hopeless task to find the vehicle concerned. The khaki coloured bolt and other small parts found by the police at the scene of the accident suggested that it was an Army vehicle.

The Coroner and Police-Insp. D. Aldis, of Grimston (who represented the county police) acknowledged the assistance given by the Press in publishing an appeal for information after the adjourned inquest on the 9^th inst.

At the first hearing evidence was given by Dr. Charles Devlin (Grimston), who said that the cause of death was a fractured skull; Walter \Frederick Adams(44), horseman, East Walton Rd, East Winch; Ralph Burman(38), farmer Hall Farm, East Winch, who found Barrett’s body; and Acting P.s. Beere.

On Tuesday Elijah Woodrow, The Meadows, Narborough, said he had lent Barrett a bicycle lamp to go to Lynn.

DIM REAR LIGHT

A member of the Home Guard, Bert Taylor Lynn Rd, East Winch, said that at 11 p.m he was near the main road, when he saw Barrett cycling towards East Winch with a front light and a dim rear light. Later when his son told him of the accident he confirmed that it was the same man. Between 10.30pm and midnight that night there had been a continual passage of traffic, mostly military, in that direction.

Chris Parnell, farm foreman, Lower Farm East Winch, said he saw a man walking and wheeling a bicycle about 150 yards on the Lynn side of the church. The man was walking close to his near side and said “Good night” apparently in quite a normal condition. He thought it must have been Barrett. Immediately after he had passed, three or four Army trucks and motor-cycles went by, travelling in the same direction, but, said Parnell he heard no crash or anything to indicate that there had been an accident.

1950s

The New Village Hall – 1958