Children of John and Elizabeth Rose Pollard

Mr. Frank Pollard, son of Mr. John Pollard of St Mary Cray, had the misfortune to break his arm through being thrown out of a waggonette at Shoreham on Easter Monday.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO MR. FRANK POLLARD.

An accident, in which Mr. Frank Pollard, of Orpington, son of Mr. John Pollard, of St. Mary Cray, sustained a serious fracture to his right arm, occurred to a party of holiday folk at Shoreham, on Monday morning. The party was made up very largely of the members of Mr. Pollard's family, who were bent upon a holiday drive into the country. Shoreham had been reached when the splinter bar of the fore carriage of the brake broke, whereupon the horse became unmanageable, and the fore carriage and body of the brake suddenly separated, precipitating the occupants into the road. With the exception of Mr. Frank Pollard, however, the members of the party escaped with a shaking only. Assistance was very kindly rendered the unfortunate party by a Shoreham farmer and his family, but Mr. Pollard had to wait for medical aid until the other members arrived besmeared with mud, in a van lent for the purpose by the good farmer. Dr. Donaldson's assistant (Mr. Jarrod) was very soon on the road, and when he arrived at Shoreham applied a splint to Mr. Pollard's arm, and the unfortunate holiday seeker was then conveyed to his father's house at St. Mary Cray. In consequence of the swollen state of the arm it was not found possible to set it on Tuesday evening.

We understand that Mr. George Wall has been appointed clerk to the Orpington Commons Board of Conservators, in succession to Mr. Frank Pollard, who has removed to Beckenham.

DEATH OF MRS. FRANK POLLARD.

We regret to record the death of Mrs. Frank Pollard, late of St. Mary Cray, whose death occurred on Wednesday, at Beckenham, where her husband was recently appointed to the post of rate collector under the Local Board. The funeral takes place tomorrow afternoon, at three o'clock, at Orpington Churchyard, and the cortιge will leave the residence of Mrs. Pollard's parents, Bellfield-terrace, St. Mary Cray, at 2.45 p.m. Mrs. Pollard was only 28 years of age. Much sympathy is expressed with the bereaved husband and family.

Subsequently, in making the allowance to Mr. Pollard, Mr. Moloney commented on the unsatisfactory way in which his lists had been prepared.

Mr. Pollard replied that he had prepared the lists for the past 21 years, and this was the first time there had been any fault found. A lot of work had been done by the Overseers.

Mr. Frank Pollard presented the lists for West Wickham, but no point of interest arose

MARRIAGE OF MR. FRANK POLLARD.

A very pretty wedding took place at Bleadon Parish Church, Somerset, on April 21st last (Tuesday), the contracting parties being Mr. Frank William Pollard, eldest son of Mr. John Pollard, of St Mary Cray, Kent, and Miss Georgina Payne, youngest daughter of Mr. Robert Payne, station-master of Bleadon and Uphill station, near Weston-super-Mare, Great Western Railway. The bride, who was given away by her father, was attired in a dress of electric blue, trimmed with guipure lace and silk, and hat to match, and carried a lovely bouquet of white flowers, the gift of the bridegroom. She was attended by Miss A. Mead (a cousin of the bride) who acted as bridesmaid. She wore a dress of navy blue fancy cloth, trimmed with cream lace and velvet, and a large picture hat, trimmed with shot ribbon and ospreys; also wearing a gold brooch, the gift of the bridegroom, and carrying a large bouquet of arum lilies and white azaleas. Two little nephews and a niece also attended, and carried baskets filled with arum lilies and Marechal Niel roses. The bridegroom was attended by Mr. Frederick Payne, brother of the bride, who acted as best man. After the ceremony the wedding breakfast was partaken at the residence of the bride's father. At four o'clock the happy couple left for Clevedon, where the honeymoon was spent. The presents were both numerous and useful. The bride's going away dress was navy blue serge coat and skirt, with cream waistcoat.

Overseers' Complaint

AGAINST THE BECKENHAM POOR RATE COLLECTOR.

THE OFFICER'S EXPLANATION.

At the fortnightly meeting of the Bromley Board of Guardians held last Friday, the Clerk (Mr. R. Gordon Mullen[)] read the following letter, dated October 27th. from Mr. F. Stevens, as Vestry Clerk of Beckenham:—"I have submitted your letters of the 10th and 19th October to the overseers at their meeting this morning, and they have had the collector before them. Referring to the advice of the Guardians to make the rate as soon as possible after the half-year, I have had the unpleasant duty of reporting to the overseers that not only was the writing out of the rate not commenced as soon as it might have been after the close of the half-year, but that, although Mr. Pollard has had the book for more than ten days, not a line has yet been written in it, nor has the rate-book for the last half-year been balanced. It is now the 26th October, and the precepts of the Guardians are due on the 20th November. It is impossible to write out a rate, even by an experienced man, in three weeks, and consequently the Overseers are faced  with the difficulty that they will have no money in hand to pay the precepts of the Guardians until at least a month after they are due. This is no fault of the Overseers; they have done their best with a man who is not their own servant, and by warning and expostulation have endeavoured to keep him up to his duty, but they regret exceedingly to say that the matter must now be taken in hand by the Guardians, and dealt with by them. The Overseers have not arrived at this conclusion hastily, or without due consideration, or indeed without making many efforts to induce Mr. Pollard to perform his duties properly, acid they regret very much to have to send in a formal complaint."

Mr. Mullen said he immediately wrote to the collector, sending him a copy of Mr. Stevens' letter, and stating, in consequence of the serious nature of the letter, that he thought it advisable for Mr. Pollard to attend the meeting of the Guardians that day. Mr. Pollard was in attendance. He had written him the following letter:—

"I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th inst., enclosing a copy of one from the Vestry Clerk of Beckenham. In reply thereto I beg to state that this is the first intimation I have received that the Guardians have expressed a wish that the new rate should be made as soon as possible after the closing of the half-year. It is a fact, as stated by Mr. Stevens, that I had had the new rate book in hand a matter of ten days, and that the preparation of the same, up to the date of his letter, was not commenced. This is chiefly due to the fact that owing to a small clerical error in the balancing of my books for the half year ending last, it has taken up my time to a great extent. It should be pointed out in justice to myself that the poor rate for the half-year ending Lady Day last was not made until the 20th of November, 1895, and as it is my intention to get the new rate made on the 16th day of November next, I really fail to see that the overseers have any substantial cause for complaint. The following are the dates on which the rate for the half-year ending Lady Day (during the last five years) has been made, viz.: 1891, 18th of October; 1892, 14th of November; 1893, 15th of November; 1894, 12th of November; 1895, 20th of November. The copy which you have sent me of Mr. Stevens' letter is also the first intimation which I have received that the first moieties of the Guardians' precepts become due on the 20th November. and I have received no request whatever from the Overseers to push forward the preparation and collection of the new rate at an earlier date than usual. It is a matter of very great regret to me that the Overseers should have thought it their duty to instruct the Vestry Clerk to write a letter couched is such strong, and, I venture to think, unjustifiable terms. I cannot but arrive at the conclusion that they have shown a feeling towards me which duty alone would not prompt. I shall be in attendance at the meeting of the Guardians to-morrow, as requested by you, to answer the complaint, should they require me to do so. Trusting, sir, that you will give my explanation a favourable hearing. I remain, yours obediently, Frank W. Pollard."

The Chairman (Sir J. Farnaby Lennard): He complains that the overseers did not tell him this, that, and the other. It is his business to find it out.

A member: Of course it is.

Mr. Gedsey: It is an unsatisfactory appointment from beginning to end, and ought never to have been made.

The Chairman: It has been going on ever since the appointment was made. I do not see what good we could do by having him up unless we had the overseers here as well. I think we should appoint a small special committee to go into the matter.

Mr. Mullen: Do you approve of my letter?

The Chairman: Quite. It may be that some Guardian wishes to ask him some question straight off, but I do not see what you can do upon an ex parte statement from him unless the parties who bring the charge are here.

Mr. Mullen: There is no getting away from the fact that the explanation is unsatisfactory. He says "It is a fact, as Mr. Stevens says, that I have had the rate book in hand some ten days, and the preparation of the same is not yet commenced." Just what Mr. Stevens says. Perhaps he says it a little strongly, but there is the fact. His rate book was not ordered in time, but when he had it ten days he had nothing in it.

The Chairman stated that his idea was that it was hardly worth while to have Mr. Pollard before them at that meeting. It would be of no use merely to have an ex parte statement from the collector unless one or other of the overseers was present also.

It was, therefore, resolved to refer the matter to a sub-committee consisting of Sir J. Farnaby Lennard (chairman of the Board), Mr. Batten (chairman of the General Purposes Committee), Mr. C. Harris (vice-chairman), and Mr. C.W. Gedney, to interview Mr. Pollard, junr., and the overseers.

In consequence of a report from the General Purposes Committee, Mr F.W. Pollard, who three years ago was appointed rate collector at Beckenham, was asked to resign.

SAD ACCIDENT TO MR. FRANK POLLARD.

A sad accident befell Mr. Frank Pollard at St. Mary Cray on Monday afternoon. It seems that, shortly after two o'clock, Mr. Pollard, his brother Edgar, and a man of the name of Padwick drove down through St. Mary Cray in a light cart to which was attached a very strong horse. The animal, in fact, had evidently scarcely been broken in for work in harness. When opposite The Rookery the colt commenced to kick violently and became unmanageable. The shafts of the cart were broken, and Mr. Frank Pollard, who was sitting behind, was thrown out on to the road. The unfortunate man sustained fearful injury to the head, and on examination was found to have a fracture of the skull. Dr. Tennyson Smith, who had been summoned, did all that was possible for the sufferer, who was carried to his father's residence in Chelsfield-lane, St. Mary Cray, where he was afterwards placed under the care of a trained nurse.

On Wednesday there was an improvement in the patient's condition.

DEATH OF MR. FRANK POLLARD.

We regret to state that Mr. Frank Pollard succumbed at ten minutes past two o'clock on Saturday morning to the fearful injuries which occurred on Easter Monday, and which was reported in our last issue. The deceased, who was 32 years of age, leaves a young wife and family to mourn their loss. Expressions of sympathy with Mr. and Mrs. John Pollard as well as with the widow, have been very general, from the time of the accident. The death took place at the residence of the parents of the deceased, in the Chelsfield-lane, St. Mary Cray, where all that skill and attention could command was of no avail. The sad event seems all the sadder when it is remembered that deceased had been married about a year only.

THE INQUEST.

The inquest was held on Wednesday by Mr. E.A. Carttar, Coroner for the district, and Mr. W.J. Couch was foreman of the jury.

Mr. John Pollard, father of the deceased, said he lived at Honey Dene, Chelsfield-lane, Orpington, and identified the body as that of his son, Frank William Pollard. The deceased was 31 years of age, was a rate collector, and lived at Beckenham. Witness last saw his son alive on Easter Monday at his residence; this would be at ten o'clock, before witness went away from home. He was then well and had been spending the holiday with them. On witness's return home he found that the deceased had gone out with the trap and a young horse. This would be about a quarter to three in the afternoon. The deceased's brother, Edgar John Pollard, and witness's groom, were with him at the time. Shortly afterwards witness's daughter came running into his house and said that there had been an accident and that Frank had been thrown out of the trap. Witness ran down the main road to The Rookery lodge, about a quarter of a mile distant from the house. He found that blood was pouring from his son's right ear; he was sensible at this time and complained of excessive pain in his head. Witness immediately applied some iced water to the deceased's head, and Mrs. Spicer proved them with a trap, in which witness's son was conveyed home. Dr. Smith was summoned and he very shortly afterwards arrived. The doctor then said the case was a very serious one; and the deceased continued very much in the same condition until the Wednesday following, when the doctor was hurriedly sent for, the deceased getting worse at this time. He continued to get worse, and died at ten minutes past two o'clock on Saturday morning. Deceased had not in any way referred to the accident, nor did witness ask him anything about it. The trap was witness's, and the horse also; witness had driven the horse a few days before. It had just been broken in. Witness had had no difficulty in managing the horse. He noticed that both shafts of the trap had been broken, but the harness had remained intact. The horse had not been out since. It would be necessary, Mr. Pollard said in reply to the Coroner, for the horse, which was a young one, to be dealt with again as far as breaking in was concerned.

Edgar John Pollard, a son of the last witness, and a journeyman butcher at Bexley Heath, deposed that he was in company with his deceased brother and a man named Padwick at the time the accident occurred. The driver (Padwick) had suggested that they should go for a ride, and they started at about a quarter to three o'clock in their light village cart. The groom (Padwick) was driving, and witness sat with him, the deceased sitting behind. They went down the main road. Witness had previously ridden the colt, but had not driven it in harness. The horse went along steadily at first. They walked the horse down as far as the schools, when they got into a little trot, and when going down the hill the colt suddenly bolted, commenced to kick and became unmanageable. The cart went to the side of the road and collided with the kerb. Padwick was still holding on to the reins. Witness could not account for the horse starting, there did not appear to be anything lying about to cause the animal to start, nor were there a lot of people near them at the time. The horse stumbled and fell, breaking both shafts, but witness was able to step out of the trap after the horse had fallen without sustaining any injury. Padwick was thrown out on to the path, but kept hold of the reins whilst witness went to the horse's head. After leaving the trap witness noticed that some people were holding up his brother on the footpath. This would be about 15 yards behind the cart. Witness brought the horse home, after which he was sent for the doctor. When this witness saw his brother he noticed that he was bleeding from a wound at the back of his head. Subsequent to the day of the accident, witness saw the deceased on Wednesday night, when he seemed about the same as when he left home. Witness (in reply to the coroner), said he did not know whether the horse had been out the previous day. Padwick had been in the employ of witness' father for some years.

Henry Padwick, groom, in the employ of Mr. John Pollard for the past four years, said he lived at St. Paul's Cray. He had known the colt for the past two years; he had driven it four times previously, and it had never given any trouble before. He was driving at the time of the mishap. They started about 2.30, and it would be about 2.45, when, whilst they were passing through the main street, the horse suddenly bolted. The colt swerved across the road, but witness did not know of anything at which the animal might shy. One of the wheels of the trap collided with the kerb-stone, and the effect of the collision was that both of the shafts were broken, and witness was thrown out on the path, but was not seriously injured. His Hands and knees were bruised. Witness saw some people standing with the deceased, who was conscious, and pointed to the footpath. He did not see the deceased after his removal home until after death.

By the Coroner: The horse was young and a little nervous.

Mr. Charles Buley, a compositor, in the employ of Messrs. E. Clarke and Sons, printers, if 1, Page's-cottages, Lower-road, Orpington, deposed to seeing the accident occur when opposite Mr. Spicer's lodge. When he first saw the horse and trap it was going at a terrific pace. He saw the trap collide with The Rookery wall, but before this he saw the deceased when falling out of the cart on his head into the road. Witness had just turned round to see that his wife and child were safe. Deceased was thrown out of the cart before it collided with the wall; Mr. Pollard must either have fallen out or he must have jumped out. Witness ran to the deceased and found that he was bleeding very much from the head and ears. Some other persons came to his assistance and the deceased was carried into the Rookery Lodge.

In reply to the Coroner this witness said he thought the deceased must have attempted to jump out of the trap.

Dr. Alfred Tennyson Smith, of The Birches, Orpington, who had known the deceased and who had attended him from the time of the accident said the case was a very serious one from the first. The deceased was suffering, when witness saw him on Easter Monday after the accident from a contused wound at the back of the head, and blood was flowing from the right ear, and there was a small amount of nose bleeding. These were very bad signs, indicating severe injury to the skull and brain. The deceased was at this time conscious, and he remained in the same condition practically until the following Wednesday, when witness was sent for by the family. He then found that the deceased's temperature had gone up very quickly, and there were symptoms of pressure upon the brain, and the following Friday the operation of trepanning was performed. The deceased, however, gradually sand and died towards morning on Saturday. Witness attributed the cause of death primarily to fracture of the base of the skull, and secondly to hemorrhage on the third day after the accident into the substance of the brain. This would be consistent with a violent fall on the head on to a road.

The Coroner having briefly summed up the evidence, the Jury at once returned a verdict of Death from Misadventure.

THE FUNERAL.

The funeral took place at Orpington yesterday morning, the arrangements being in the hands of Mr. H.S. Hutchings. The coffin was of polished elm, with brass fittings, the breast plate bearing the simple inscription:—

FRANK WILLIAM POLLARD.

Died April 24, 1897.

Aged 32 years.

The burial service was read by the Rev. J.B. Hewetson, and there were a good number of persons present at the graveside. The coffin was covered with wreaths, including one of primroses, from the Orpington and Cray Valley Habitation of the Primrose League, of which Mr. Frank Pollard was a member. Mr. John Pollard, father, and the widow of the deceased were the chief mourners. Mr. E. Lake represented his father, Lieutenant-Colonel Lake, the Ruling Councillor of the Primrose League, at the funeral.

Some 30 members of the Cray Valley Habitation of the Primrose League paid a last tribute of respect to the remains by attending the funeral.

A DANGEROUS HORSE.—On Saturday evening the cob which was the cause of the death of Mr. Frank Pollard, of Beckenham, again bolted at Reynolds-cross, St. Mary Cray. Since the fatal accident the animal has been in charge of two men. Mr. John Pollard, the owner of the cob, in company with these two men, took the horse out himself on Saturday. They went as far as the Cray river at Ford Croft, and then turned to come back. All three held the reins, but Mr. Pollard was in the cart and the other two at the horse's head. No sooner did the latter two let go the reins at the request of Mr. Pollard, than the animal took fright and went off at a terrific speed, not stopping until it entered the gates of Mr. Pollard's residence, Hollydene, Chelsfield road, Orpington. Luckily no one met with any injury, but the shafts of the vehicle were slightly damaged. Mr. Pollard has now declared his intention of selling the animal.

WEDDING. —The marriage was solemnised at Orpington Parish Church on Monday afternoon, by the Rev. J. B, Hewetson, of Mr. Knowler Edward Young, of West Chislehurst, and Miss Carey Norton Pollard, daughter of Mr. John Pollard, of St. Mary Cray. The wedding was a very pretty one. The bride wore a dress of cream silk, with veil and orange blossoms, and carried a beautiful shower bouquet. There were two bridesmaids: Misses Margaret and Beatrice Pollard, sisters of the bride, who were attired in dresses of heliotrope cloth, trimmed with velvet and white far, their hats being of white felt, with velvet trimmings, and black ostrich tips. Mr. Walter Ward (Folkestone), accompanied the bridegroom as best man, and the bride was given away by her father. Mr. Gorman, of St. Mary Cray, who was at the organ, played appropriate selections, and the hymn, "The voice that breathed o’er Eden," was sung in the course of the ceremony. The wedding festivities took place at the residence of the bride's parents, and early in the evening Mr. and Mrs. Knowler Young left the district for Hastings.

Thank You, Sir

Letter from Mrs. K.E. Young, Kinnaird avenue, Bromley (Kent):

IN a third-class compartment of a G.W.R. train a small boy, about three years old, was sitting on his big brother's knee. He held a weight-card, obtained from a machine at Paddington. A ticket-collector entered the compartment passed from one passenger to another, punching our tickets. When he reached the small boy the lad silently offered his weight-card. The collector did not show amusement, impatience or condescension. He accepted the ticket, punched it, and handed it back with the "Thank you, sir," he had given each one of us. The little boy was delighted with the 'manly' treatment.

We Old Codgers like this story. Damme, if the G.W.R. will run our home line, in opposition to the one there now, we'll always travel G.W.R.

SEQUEL TO A COLLISION IN BLACKHEATH ROAD.

At the Greenwich County Court on Friday, before his Honour Judge Addison and a jury, an action was brought by Luigi Manzi, of Spa-road, Bermondsey, to recover £14 15s., from Walter Fielder, butcher, Loampit-hill, Lewisham, £9 10s. being claimed for the loss of an ice-cream barrow, £5 for 50 quarts of ice cream spoiled, and 5s. for six dozen glasses broken, through a collision with defendant's trap in Blackheath-road on August Bank Holiday. Mr. Burnand, solicitor, appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. R. J. Drake. instructed by Mr. J. C. Scard, for defendant.—Plaintiff's case was that on the morning of August 7 he was making his way to Blackheath with two ice-cream barrows, one of which was being pushed by himself and the other by his brother. They were on the proper side of the road, when defendant's cart came at a furious rate down the hill and overturned the barrow he was pushing and its contents. The barrow was broken and some of the ice cream spilt, and the rest spoilt through being mixed with the salt used in freezing, the horse going with its feet into the freezers. Plaintiff, his brother, and a lad who was with them gave evidence to this effect, and were corroborated by Peter Miller, auctioneer, of Bexley Heath, who was driving past at the time, and who stated that defendant's trap passed him at a furious pace higher up the road.—For the defence, Edgar John Pollard stated he was in the employ of defendant, and was driving the trap on the morning in question to the police station to deliver meat. Plaintiff was on the wrong side of the road, and as witness drove up at the rate of six or seven miles an hour he started to cross over, and witness could not pull up in time to avoid the collision. Corroborative evidence was given by Walter Knight, furniture dealer, Blackheath-road, and driver of the Royal Mail van for 17 years between Greenwich and London, who witnessed the accident from his window, and by Alfred Crisp, labourer, of Coldbath-street. who was walking up the street behind plaintiff.—The jury gave a verdict for plaintiff for the amount claimed.

Edgar J. Pollard was fined 10s. with 9s. costs for being at such a distance from his horse and cart as not to have complete control over them, on February 22nd.