A fatal road traffic accident and a mysterious ‘dark shadow’ on the road made front page news in the North Wilts Herald, Friday January 15, 1937.
Ada Ellen McHardy died of her injuries following the accident at the Bath Road and Goddard Avenue junction when she was struck by a car driven by Mr Edwin Bradley. Witnesses at the inquest referred to a ‘large black shadow’ seen on the road when wet, although it was not explained whether this shadow contributed to Mr Bradley’s driving or Mrs McHardy’s ability to safely navigate the road.
Ada Ellen Cave was born in Bath in 1860 the eldest of ten children. Her father Isaac W. Cave was an engine fitter and turner who moved to Swindon from Wolverton. In 1882 Ada married Robert S. McHardy, a clerk in the railway works. The couple and their two children lived at 24 Sheppard Street before moving to 53 Newhall Street, Ada’s home for many years.
Ada was a member of the Baptist Tabernacle and heavily involved with the work of the church (see newspaper report below). At her funeral the Rev. C.H. Cleal quoted – “As a writer in the Swindon Press rightly said of her. ‘She was always happy, always in a hurry, seemingly, to be about her Master’s business, possessing the helping hands of Martha, and the loving heart of Mary. She has left Swindon the poorer by her death.’”
Ada’s funeral took place on January 16, 1937. She is buried in grave plot D166 which she shares with her husband who died in 1902.
Swindon Resident Killed in Road Accident
Motor Car Driver Exonerated from Blame at the Inquest
Mrs Ada Ellen McHardy, president of the Swindon Women’s Free Church Council, was knocked down by a motor-car on Tuesday night and received injuries from which she died early on Wednesday.
The accident took place on Tuesday at about 7.45 at the junction of Bath-road and Goddard-avenue.
The car, which was driven by Mr Edwin Bradley, of 55, Okus-road, Swindon, was going along the Bath-road. Mrs McHardy was taken to the Victoria Hospital with head and leg injuries and died at 6.30 on Wednesday morning without regaining consciousness. She lived at 151 Goddard-avenue, and was 77 years of age.
For about 60 years Mrs McHardy had been a keen member and worker for the Baptist Church in Swindon, and it was only a month ago that she had a presentation made to her on her resignation of the post of secretary of the Baptist Women’s League of the church after 28 years’ service. In the year 1920 she was appointed a Deacon of the church, and for a few years occupied the office of Elder.
For 12 years she has represented the Church on the Wilts and East Somerset Association Executive Committee and was called to the presidency of the association for the year 1929. Always keenly interested in the young people, she was for many years a Sunday school teacher and was with her class last Sunday morning. She was a great help to the church in visiting the sick, while the Sewing Circle claimed her services since its formation nearly 50 years ago.
During Carnival week she was always a hard-working collector for the hospital, working for the council, and also at the stall run by the Free Church Council.
Loyal Worker
When Mrs J.F. Marquis, secretary of the Swindon Women’s Free Church Council, was informed by a “Swindon Advertiser” reporter of Mrs McHardy’s death, she expressed considerable concern. “I always found her a most conscientious and loyal worker,” said Mrs Marquis. “She was a woman of very high Christian character. She conducted our executive and general meetings most ably, and she will be greatly missed. I think I shall be expressing the general view of all the Free Church women of the town, especially those connected with the Baptist Church, when I say how sorry I am to hear the news.”
Mrs Marquis pointed out that this is the second loss that the Women’s Free Church Council has sustained during the past few months, Mrs Harrison, the vice-president, having died a short while ago. On Monday Mrs McHardy presided at a meeting of the council, when the question of filling the vacancy created by Mrs Harrison’s death was discussed.
The daughter of an engineer in the Great Western Railway Swindon Works, Mr Isaac William Cave, Mrs McHardy had lived in Swindon all her life. She was one of a family of ten, five girls and five boys, of whom two sisters and three brothers are living. She married Mr Robert Stewart McHardy, who was employed as a draughtsman in the Swindon Works of the railway and was a well-known figure in the town. Her husband died some years ago. For many years he was choirmaster at the Tabernacle. She had two children, a son and a daughter.
Before her marriage, Mrs McHardy was employed as a teacher at a College-street school. Her son is the Rev. Robert McHardy, B.Sc., of Chorley Wood, a Baptist minister, who received his education at Swindon College, and later at Aberystwyth University. Her daughter, Ethel, was also in the scholastic profession before her marriage to Mr Ernest Hughes, of Trowbridge. Her brother-in-law, Mr J. Ballinger, of 20, Goddard-avenue, is senior master at Even Swindon school.
The Inquest
A large black shadow which only appears on the road after rain, at the Bath-road and Goddard-avenue junction, in Swindon, was referred to by witnesses at the inquest at Old Town Police Station yesterday afternoon.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned, and the jury exonerated the driver of the car from blame.
Police Constable Worth, who was called to the scene of the accident, said he took up a position in Bath-road, over which a vehicle might normally be expected to travel. At the spot were three lights – a large green overhead lamp and two ordinary street lamps.
“Between two of the lights – the green one and a yellow,” he said, “was a large black shadow extending to Goddard-avenue in a triangular shape.
Witness went on to say that when he visited the scene on Wednesday night, the shadow was not there. Apparently it was only caused when the roads were wet.
In advising the jury, the Deputy-Coroner (Mr Harold Dale) said they should consider the question of a black patch which was caused by the green lights and the smaller ones.
Evidence of identification was given by Rev. R.S. McHardy, a son, who said his mother’s hearing was good but not perfect, while her eyesight was good.
Dr Christina Alexandra Gunn said Mrs McHardy was admitted to hospital about 8 o’clock. She was semi-conscious, and had a depressed fracture of the skull above the left eye and a fracture of the left leg. She died at 6.30 a.m. from hemorrhage of the brain as a result of the fracture of the skull.
Driver’s Story
The driver of the car. Edwin Bradley, 55 Okus-road, Swindon, said that on 12 January about 7.55 p.m. he was driving his car along Bath-road towards Okus-road.
“I passed Goddard-avenue,” witness went on “And the only person I saw was someone who stepped right in front of my car. There was no traffic about and I saw no other pedestrians.”
Answering the Deputy-Coroner, Mr Bradley said he did not see Mrs McHardy at all until she was directly in front of his car on the offside. She was then hardly more than a foot away from the front of the car.
“I pulled up as soon as I could – in the length of my car – and immediately jumped out.” The offside headlamp struck the woman and she was thrown forward.
It was a dark night and raining at the time. He had his side lights and a spot light on.
Asked by Mr Lemon if he had since visited the scene of the accident and noticed anything peculiar, witness said that in between the streets lamps was a black shadow, just where the accident happened. His speed was between 15 and 20 m.p.h.
“A Black Spot.”
Mr W.J. Colman, 77, Goddard-avenue, Swindon, said he was walking down the avenue towards Bath-road. “On reaching the junction I saw a car approaching from Bath-road. I stood on the zero (sic) to let it pass and it had gone 10 to 12 yards towards Okus-road when it pulled up with a sudden jerk.
“I walked along and found a woman on the ground lying about two feet directly in front of the car.”
Mr Colman said he noticed particularly a black spot in the road where the rays of overhead lights ended.
Mrs McHardy was lying seven or eight feet out from the kerb.
Mr Anthony Snow, foreman of the jury, expressed sympathy with the relatives, while similar sentiments were expressed by Mr H. Lemon, solicitor, Swindon, on behalf of Mr Bradley.
Mr D.C.A. Morrison, solicitor, Swindon, appeared on behalf of relatives of Mrs McHardy.
North Wilts Herald, Friday, 15 January, 1937.
Radnor Street Cemetery 