South Yorkshire Times January 20, 1933
“A Stupid Trick”
Novice’s Attempt To Drive Car
Swinton Incident
A Mexborough man’s experience when driving a motor-car for the first time was related at Rotherham on Monday when Ennis Thirkhill (24) unemployed glass worker, 8, Cliff Street, Mexborough, was summoned for having driven a motor car ‘without due care and attention at Rowms Lane, Swinton, on December 22nd; with having driven without a driving licence, and with having driven without a certificate of insurance.
Harry Newsholme, butcher, 277, Wellgate Rotherham, said at 2.45 p.m. he was driving a van along Rowms Lane in the direction of Rotherham, and when about 100 yards from the gasworks he noticed a two-seater motorcar turning round almost opposite the gasworks. The car mounted the footpath with one wheel and then slowed down. Witness thought the driver was stopping and he continued forward to past him. When almost on top of the car defendant shot across the road again and witness had to accelerate to avoid him crashing into his van. Defendant seemed to have lost control of the car.
P.c. Noden said he was with P.c. Allenby about 80 yards away when he saw Thirkhill drive a car from an opening. He went straight across the road, mounted the footpath, turned the car round and crossed the road again, to narrowly miss a van driven by Newsholme. It was only by a fraction of inches that a collision was avoided despite Nowsholme accelerating.
Thirkhill said he missed Newsholme’s car by about a yard.
P.c. Allonby also gave evidence of Thirkhill’s driving across the road. Thirkhill brought the car to a standstill with its front wheels in the glitter and the body across the road. Thirkhill then jumped out and commenced walking away quickly in the direction of Mexborough. Witness ran after him and asked him for an explanation as to his driving. Thirkhill said, “I was only turning the car round. I have never driven a car before in my life.” Witness asked him to produce his licence and his certificate of insurance, and to each question he replied, “I have not got one.” When told he would be reported Thirkhill answered, “I am out of work, I will have to go down.”
The road was 29 feet 3 inches wide and there was no need for any one to go onto the footpath to turn round.
Alderman A. P. Aizlewood (presiding): Whose car was it?
PC Allonby: Mr Guest. I later saw Mr Guest and also if you had given Searle killed permission to drive the car, and he said, “No, I did not know he could drive.”
Defendant said he was only turning the car round.
Alderman Aizlewood asked the police constable how for Mr Guest’s place was from the scene of the offence and PC Allonby said about 300 yards away. Mr Guest was having his dinner at the time. The car had been left with one of his employees who was doing some bill posting on some hoardings.
Defendant again said, “I only turned round, that’s all.”
Answering questions from the Bench, defendant said he had been unemployed for three years. He had never attempted to drive a car before.
Alderman Aizlewood commented upon the offence has been a stupid trick, and said the magistrate opened at circa and learnt a lesson. They were let him off lightly, but it was sufficient to teach him that cars were dangerous things to handle.
He will be fined £1 on each summons for his foolishness.