Hi everyone I am not including the entire article, but I thought that some of the names mentioned in it may be of interest to someone. Kind regards, Jon This report appeared in the Hampshire Telegraph, 10th September 1915, page 3. GOSPORT FATALITY. TRAM DRIVER EXONERATED. Car Life-guard Suggestions. "Mr. L. Warner, the Coroner for South Hants, held an inquiry at the Gosport Police-court, on Monday evening, into the circumstances attending the death of Hilda Russell, aged 3 years, who was killed on Sunday evening through being knocked down by a Tramcar in the High Street, Gosport. Mr. Ben Kent, solicitor, watched the case on behalf of: the Gosport and Fareham Tramway, and Mr. Faraday Glen, the Manager, was also present. The first witness called was Dr. C. Lamplough, practising at Gosport. He said he was called to see the child at 5.30 on Sunday evening. >>>snip>." "The father, William Charles Russell, a cook in the Royal Navy, who lives at 1, Haslar Row, said he was away from home all day on Sunday. He understood from his wife that she had left Hilda and her brother, aged five years, playing on the step in front of the house. She suddenly missed them, but thinking they had gone to their aunt's house, and had not gone far, she was not anxious. The children had never been allowed to go into the High Street, and witness's wife had no idea that they had gone there. Arthur Franklin, of 7 Wyche Lane, near Fareham (the driver of the tramcar), stated that he had been a driver for five or six months. At about 5.15 on Sunday afternoon he was driving a car from Gosport Hard to the Avenue. When passing Mr. George Blake's shop in High Street a little child ran off the pavement on the far side. >>>snip>." ">>>snip>." ">>>snip>. A boy named James Newbold, of 20, Chapel Street, Gosport, was in High Street at the time of the accident. He was on the pavement on the left side of the road, when he saw three little children run out of a shop doorway. >>>snip>." "In summing up, the Coroner said he felt sure the Jury would join with him in expressing sympathy with the parents in the sad loss of their little child. He thought the evidence was quite clear, that the driver did all he could. ">>>snip>." Mr. Ferraday Glen said the type of lifeguard provided for their tramcars was that adopted throughout the country, and approved by the Board of Trade. It had been found that to have side guards involved such complicated mechanism that they interfered with the working of the front guard. Mr. Glen associated himself with the Coroner's expression of sympathy with the parents, and Mr. B. Kent, on behalf of the Company did the same. The Coroner remarked that it is satisfactory to know that the point has been considered. The jury returned a verdict of ''Accidental death." They exonerated the driver from all blame, and expressed sympathy with the parents. The jury also complimented the boy Newbold on the manner in which he had given his evidence." -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.10.21/96 - Release Date: 9/10/05