The Kensington News and West London Times
Friday March 23 1934
Shocking Accident in Cromwell Road
Strange Request From Coroner's Jury
While on his way to a levee at St. James's Palace on Tuesday, March 13th, Jeoffrey Charles Phillip Lawrence, a second lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry, knocked down and fatally injured Thomas William Kimpton of Ifield road, North Kensington, who was crossing Cromwell road.
At the Inquest on Friday, Mrs Amy Louisa Kimpton gave evidence of identification.
Gertrude Rellie of Langham, bucks, said she was driving along Cromwell road going towards Brompton Oratory. She had been following another motor car for practically a mile. She was going about 25 miles an hour. The car in front would probably be going from 30 to 32 miles an hour. There was a big car stationary slightly forward from the refuge. There was also a taxi in line with the refuge.
A third car pulled out of Marloes road or from the kerb, right in front of the car in front of her. The next thing she saw was a man flying up in the air.
Dr. Thomas Chapman, of St Mary Abbots Hospital, said that Kimpton was dead when admitted. Death was due to a fractured skull.
Captain Harold Knowling, of Marloes Road, Kensington, said Kimpton was his valet. On Tuesday March 13th, he was following a few yards behind him. They were coming from his flat in Marloes Road, Kimpton was crossing over Cromwell Road by the refuge. He saw him look to the right, where a small car was coming along.
"I took another pace, and then found I could not get across comfortably before the car. I stepped back. Kimpton walked on, and he suddenly saw the motor car was on him, and he stopped. If he had proceeded on he could have got across in time. The car hit him and he was flung upwards, skimmed the front of the car, turned a somersault and fell down beside the car on the left side of his head."
The car was not going less than 40 miles an hour.
Jeoffrey Lawrence, the driver of the car, said he was driving along about 30 miles an hour on his way to St. James's Palace where he was to attend the levee.
He saw two men step off the pavement, crossing from the left to the right. He sounded his horn and put on his brakes. He was about 10 yards away. One of the pedestrians stepped back and the other continued. He thought he sounded his horn again, then the other man appeared to hesitate, and his impression was that he took a pace back.
"I tried to go behind him and then, when he went backwards, I tried to go in front."
After he had hit him he pulled up in about ten yards in the middle of the road.
The Coroner, addressing the jury, said it was one of the cases that often happened, where a horn was sounded too close to a pedestrian, and he took a pace back and hesitated.
"This is not the first I have had to-day," he added.
Returning a verdict of "Accidental death," the foreman of the jury said: "We do not think there is any negligence, but we leave it to you to lecture the driver."
The Coroner: That is not very satisfactory. Do you find there was any negligence?
The foreman: No, we do not agree to any negligence.
