all through George street, Castle street, and up to the station, where the horses and ’bus came to a stand at the usual place. The driver, who was on the box, managed to get over the vehicle and dropped down behind without injury, and the only damage inflicted in this headlong race was the upsetting of a truck of furniture.
Another Runaway ’Bus. On the 14th of June, as an omnibus was descending High street, it went over a stone near the Roebuck Inn, the shock of which threw the driver off his seat, and sent the horses galloping down the street, with the owner and his son still on it. It collided with a van, breaking one of its axles, and driving the horse’s head into the window of Mr. Ginner’s office, opposite the Town Hall. At the same time, the omnibus fell over to the other side, knocked-in some shutters and did some other damage. The vehicle was much broken, and the owner’s son, being thrown to the ground, was considerably hurt.
Robertson-street Accidents. On the 1st of June, a lad named Spencer Kent, was taken to the Infirmary with an injured head by falling from one of the houses then being erected in Robertson street. Four days later, a man named Alfred Brazier was also conveyed to the Infirmary, with an injured hand, from the same cause and at the same place.
Mishap at Sea. On the 2nd of June, whilst Thomas Page, master of Kent’s fishing lugger, the “John Whiteman”, was engaged on deck at sea, he fell down the hatchway, and broke the small bone of one leg, besides being otherwise injured.
A Race. On the 4th of October, a horse bolted, with a young gentleman, from St. Leonards, knocked down a man at White-rock place, and continued its pace a la Gilpin[1] to the Anchor, in George street, where the rider fell off, but was not greatly injured.
Another Lucky Escape. On the 28th of July, a party drove a chaise or gig from Hastings on the road to Battle at a rather rapid pace; and, being dazzled by lightning in an otherwise dark night, they dashed into the Magdalen toll-gate and severed it into two parts. The driver kept his seat, but a gentleman by his side, was pitched over the horse’s head, happily, with but slight injury. The horse also appeared to be unhurt.
A Worse Accident. — On the 3rd of August, a fly man named Grant, while driving a lady and gentlemen down the Hastings turnpike road, perceived a donkey and cart to be in danger of falling over a bank from the higher road leading to Halton. Grant got down to render assistance, and gave the reins into the gentleman’s hands during his absence. By some means — perhaps by the tightening of one of the reins — the horse swerved and the chaise fell over. The lady fell out and the chaise fell on her. The gentleman also fell and sprained an ankle. The vehicle was much damaged, and -
- ↑ The Diverting History of John Gilpin, W.Cowper (1782)
