Two Preston men died from horrific head injuries in fairground wagon tragedy

Amongst the early local pioneers of the fairground in Preston was cabinetmaker George Green, who lived in Back Lane. Back in 1860 he went into the fairground business when a customer failed to pay for a stud of carved hobby horses due to be exported to America. Enterprising as he was, he built a merry-go-round of his own to utilise the wooden figures.

It was the start of a link with the world of the showman that would span the centuries and lead to five generations of the Green family providing funfair fun for Preston folk.

John Green followed his father in the fairground business and for a time combined his fairground work with running the Farmer’s Arms public house in the town for over a decade from 1894.

The Whitsuntide fair held in Preston was one the Green family never missed on their tour of Lancashire and in early June 1890 amongst their contribution was a steam operated bicycle roundabout that proved very popular.

On Whit Tuesday evening William Bracken, employed by John Green, began dismantling the rides and within a couple of hours he had with his helpers finished packing the steam bicycles on a wagon. Before they went off to sleep they secured the load with a heavy tarpaulin.

Early on the following morning driver James Mann at the wheel of the loaded wagon began the road trip to Barrow where the next showground awaited.

On arriving at Barrow driver Bracken and his assistants began to unpack the wagon and as they removed the tarpaulin they discovered a horrific sight.

The lifeless and bloodied bodies of two men both with severe head injuries lay beneath the cover.

The following Friday an Inquest took place at Barrow before coroner John Poole. The two men were named as John ‘Tashey’ Scott from St. Helens, and John Murphy of Bury.

Dr. Thomas who had examined the bodies was of the opinion both had received severe injuries to their head and that it was likely that they had received their fatal injuries as they lifted their heads whilst passing under a bridge enroute to Barrow.

Remarking that although the loaded wagon had obviously passed under the numerous road bridges there had been little room to spare.

William Bracken testified to having seen the two men in the Railway Hotel on Butler Street on the Tuesday night and was aware that they had been employed at Preston by Mr. Green on the previous Saturday, but had been discharged for getting drunk. Alongside the bodies were a couple of empty beer bottles.

The coroner in his summing up to the jury said there was little doubt that the two men were under the influence of drink and that it was most likely they had raised their heads and been struck He concluded by saying that the jury would be justified in finding a verdict that the pair had stowed themselves in the wagon and received their death in the way suggested.

After a short deliberation a verdict to that effect was returned by the jury.