Every family tree will have at least one, if not more. Percy Lewis Haskins was one of my 2 x great grandfather's grandsons on my maternal adopted tree. All of Percy's problems stemmed from one thing - drink. From researching his early life it appears he wasn't able to control his drinking and it was this which had tragic consequences.
Percy was born on 1st October 1896 at 86 Golborne Road in the slums of London. His father was a self employed cycle dealer on the Portobello Road. By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to nearby 204 Ladbroke Grove and they were still living there ten years later with Percy carrying out office work, possibly for his father. Although all these roads are close to some awful overcrowded slums in nearby Southam Street and Paddington, it seems the family were not nearly as badly off as some, as they were living in 8 rooms according to the 1911 census which, compared to some, was palatial.
The Great War was a chance for those young men from the slums to escape and make something of their life. Like many others, Percy signed up for the Territorial Army early on in November 1914. He was five foot four and a half inches tall and eleven stone - not a big lad. He gave his occupation as a "mechanic and engineer" which was probably why he was assigned as a driver with the 2nd Military Division Supply Column. In September 1915 he became Acting Sergeant.
Having been promoted to Sergeant in April 1916, the following month he embarked on the SS Lydia (steam ship) bound for Rouen in France with the British Expeditionary Force. He was deployed with the Royal Army Service Corps as a 'Heavy Driver' and at that time reports were good :
Soon after being demobbed, Percy married Florence Davis in 1919 and they had a son, Peter Sandford Howard Haskins, in 1923.
Drink continued to be Percy's undoing after the War when in November 1922, now aged 26, he was convicted at the West London Police Court of being drunk in charge of a motor car and of dangerous driving. He was sentenced to twenty one days imprisonment which was reduced on appeal to fourteen days.
Percy was born on 1st October 1896 at 86 Golborne Road in the slums of London. His father was a self employed cycle dealer on the Portobello Road. By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to nearby 204 Ladbroke Grove and they were still living there ten years later with Percy carrying out office work, possibly for his father. Although all these roads are close to some awful overcrowded slums in nearby Southam Street and Paddington, it seems the family were not nearly as badly off as some, as they were living in 8 rooms according to the 1911 census which, compared to some, was palatial.
The Great War was a chance for those young men from the slums to escape and make something of their life. Like many others, Percy signed up for the Territorial Army early on in November 1914. He was five foot four and a half inches tall and eleven stone - not a big lad. He gave his occupation as a "mechanic and engineer" which was probably why he was assigned as a driver with the 2nd Military Division Supply Column. In September 1915 he became Acting Sergeant.
Having been promoted to Sergeant in April 1916, the following month he embarked on the SS Lydia (steam ship) bound for Rouen in France with the British Expeditionary Force. He was deployed with the Royal Army Service Corps as a 'Heavy Driver' and at that time reports were good :
- Reliable - yes
- Intelligent - yes
- Sobriety - yes
- Good driver
- Fair NCO
Soon after being demobbed, Percy married Florence Davis in 1919 and they had a son, Peter Sandford Howard Haskins, in 1923.
Drink continued to be Percy's undoing after the War when in November 1922, now aged 26, he was convicted at the West London Police Court of being drunk in charge of a motor car and of dangerous driving. He was sentenced to twenty one days imprisonment which was reduced on appeal to fourteen days.
You would think that these early brushes with both the military and the civil courts would have been a warning to Percy that he couldn't hold his drink but sadly not. On 10th August 1925 he was involved in a terrible traffic accident involving Percy's car and a motor cycle combo (a motor cycle with a sidecar for passengers) coming round a bend in the other direction. This led to the death of Mr Manning, the driver of the motor cycle combo, and serious injury to Mr Manning's wife and daughter who were passengers.
The Coroners Inquest was reported in the local newspaper (quotes in mauve). It seems the motor cycle combo had earlier overtaken a lorry driving between Barnet towards South Mimms and Manning's motor cycle combination overtook him travelling at about 16 miles per hour. The collision took place about 35 to 40 yards in front of witness's lorry. The motor cycle combination was on its near side at the time of the collision. The light car was on the wrong side of the road. He saw the light car travelling along the road before the collision, and it was then on the wrong side. It came round the bend on the wrong side, although there was no reason for it to do so.
The Coroners Inquest was reported in the local newspaper (quotes in mauve). It seems the motor cycle combo had earlier overtaken a lorry driving between Barnet towards South Mimms and Manning's motor cycle combination overtook him travelling at about 16 miles per hour. The collision took place about 35 to 40 yards in front of witness's lorry. The motor cycle combination was on its near side at the time of the collision. The light car was on the wrong side of the road. He saw the light car travelling along the road before the collision, and it was then on the wrong side. It came round the bend on the wrong side, although there was no reason for it to do so.
Coming in the other direction a lorry was driving towards London Colney which was overtaken by a light car near the five cross-roads. The car, Percy's Delage 12.8 h.p. sporting model, was overtaking at 35 to 40 miles per hour when a motor cycle and side car was approaching very slowly from the opposite direction and a “head-on” collision occurred. At the time of the collision the light car was on its wrong side. It would have been quite possible, he stated, for the light car to have passed on its proper side. He did not see the driver of the car make any attempt to slow up and was not driven on to its wrong side by reason of other traffic on the road.
The collision, added witness, resulted in the girl in the side car and her mother being thrown on to the road. Manning was "jammed up" into the radiator of the car. The front forks and leg guards of the motor cycle were fixed on the radiator. I pulled up and attended to the injured persons. I saw the driver of the light car but I did not have any conversation with him. He thought the driver of the car had had more to drink than he should have while in charge of a mechanical vehicle.
The collision, added witness, resulted in the girl in the side car and her mother being thrown on to the road. Manning was "jammed up" into the radiator of the car. The front forks and leg guards of the motor cycle were fixed on the radiator. I pulled up and attended to the injured persons. I saw the driver of the light car but I did not have any conversation with him. He thought the driver of the car had had more to drink than he should have while in charge of a mechanical vehicle.
There were other remarks made during the inquest from witnesses who seemed in little doubt that Percy had been drinking before the accident :
- It appeared to me as though he had had some intoxicating liquor by the appearance of his eyes. He looked sort of heavy and sleepy.
- the driver appeared to be lolling back in his seat as if in an armchair.
- in my opinion, he smelt strongly of drink.
- he smelt very strongly of drink, and was unsteady in his gait.
A crucial part of the inquest heard from a witness who had been asked by the police to remove the wreckage. He said that while he was doing so, Haskins came up to him and gave him his card, saying "This is a bit of trouble for me". The witness replied that this was more trouble for the poor people who were so badly hurt. Haskins then said "I can't worry about them; they must look after themselves. I want to get my car back." Haskins afterwards said he was sorry for the people and asked the witness to do all he could for them. He said “Get their machine into your garage and send the bill for the work you have done to my car and theirs and I will send you the money." The remarks about the deceased and the relatives of the deceased being in trouble brought a murmur of disapproval from those in the Court.
The Coroner (Mr. T. Ottaway) having summed up, the Jury who consulted privately, found that Manning died from the result of injuries received in the collision, and that "considering the evidence, we are of the opinion that Haskins had ample time to have drawn into the near side after passing the lorry, and he showed gross and culpable negligence in not doing so.” The Coroner said their verdict amounts to one of manslaughter and he then committed Haskins for trial but granted him bail.
The Coroner (Mr. T. Ottaway) having summed up, the Jury who consulted privately, found that Manning died from the result of injuries received in the collision, and that "considering the evidence, we are of the opinion that Haskins had ample time to have drawn into the near side after passing the lorry, and he showed gross and culpable negligence in not doing so.” The Coroner said their verdict amounts to one of manslaughter and he then committed Haskins for trial but granted him bail.
A few weeks later on 15th September 1925, after an absence of over hour, an Old Bailey jury found Percy Lewis Haskins (29), motor mechanic of Elgin Crescent, South Kensington, guilty of the manslaughter of Edward Henry Manning (50), an insurance inspector of Kettering.
In mitigation, Percy said that this was his first accident and that he had been driving for four years in France in the Mechanical Transport Division. "No one was more sorry for the accident than himself".
Defendant, who was recommended to mercy, was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment.
In mitigation, Percy said that this was his first accident and that he had been driving for four years in France in the Mechanical Transport Division. "No one was more sorry for the accident than himself".
Defendant, who was recommended to mercy, was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment.
You would think Percy would have had enough of prison and learnt his lesson by now. Sadly not. He reappears in the newspapers again in 1932 - again involving a charge of dangerous driving. Whether he was guilty or not I will let you decide :
The defendant was Percy Lewis Haskins (40), a garage proprietor, of Ladbroke Grove. It had been alleged that Haskins, shortly before midnight, drove up to a coffee stall near Ladbroke Grove Station and offered a youth ride in his car. He was alleged to have driven this youth up and down Ladbroke Grove at a speed of between 60 and 70 miles per hour. Haskins said that at the time referred to he was at the house of a doctor. Not only did the doctor corroborate Haskins’s evidence but the main complainant, Samuel Jacobs Field of Lancaster Road, Westbourne Park, said that he rode up and down Ladbroke Grove several times with a man who drove so fast that he was frightened. The man was not Haskins. The Jury, after a retirement of four and a half hours, were unable to agree a verdict and were discharged. The case will be re-tried.
What makes me suspicious about Percy's guilt is because when an application was made for bail, the prosecution revealed that threats had been made against one of the witnesses and police protection had to be given. The chairman of the Court said this is getting too frequent. Exactly the same thing happened in this court earlier in the week. It has got to be stopped. He decided to allow bail, but said that it would be very serious if further threats were made.
Was Percy threatening the witness or witnesses ? It seems that three weeks later Percy is back in Court and has now pleaded guilty to driving a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public. The chairman of London Sessions, declared that he could not see why there should be two sets of motorists - that those who drove cars in their occupation should be let off disqualification of their licences and that others who did not should be disqualified. He fined Percy £50, and ordered his licence to be suspended for twelve months. Haskins was also ordered to pay taxed costs. His defense barrister said that Haskins had had to pay £1,500 as compensation for the death of the man in the previous case, and was still paying that sum off. He was a garage proprietor employing a number of people. The Court declined to interfere with the disqualification of the licence, and said: "The only thing this Court has to do is protect the public." He allowed Haskins 14 days in which to pay the fine.
The defendant was Percy Lewis Haskins (40), a garage proprietor, of Ladbroke Grove. It had been alleged that Haskins, shortly before midnight, drove up to a coffee stall near Ladbroke Grove Station and offered a youth ride in his car. He was alleged to have driven this youth up and down Ladbroke Grove at a speed of between 60 and 70 miles per hour. Haskins said that at the time referred to he was at the house of a doctor. Not only did the doctor corroborate Haskins’s evidence but the main complainant, Samuel Jacobs Field of Lancaster Road, Westbourne Park, said that he rode up and down Ladbroke Grove several times with a man who drove so fast that he was frightened. The man was not Haskins. The Jury, after a retirement of four and a half hours, were unable to agree a verdict and were discharged. The case will be re-tried.
What makes me suspicious about Percy's guilt is because when an application was made for bail, the prosecution revealed that threats had been made against one of the witnesses and police protection had to be given. The chairman of the Court said this is getting too frequent. Exactly the same thing happened in this court earlier in the week. It has got to be stopped. He decided to allow bail, but said that it would be very serious if further threats were made.
Was Percy threatening the witness or witnesses ? It seems that three weeks later Percy is back in Court and has now pleaded guilty to driving a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public. The chairman of London Sessions, declared that he could not see why there should be two sets of motorists - that those who drove cars in their occupation should be let off disqualification of their licences and that others who did not should be disqualified. He fined Percy £50, and ordered his licence to be suspended for twelve months. Haskins was also ordered to pay taxed costs. His defense barrister said that Haskins had had to pay £1,500 as compensation for the death of the man in the previous case, and was still paying that sum off. He was a garage proprietor employing a number of people. The Court declined to interfere with the disqualification of the licence, and said: "The only thing this Court has to do is protect the public." He allowed Haskins 14 days in which to pay the fine.
A year later in 1933, Percy's father died and, although I haven't yet got a copy, I understand that Percy was cut out of the Will - a potential share of £13,930 which is worth £833,200 in today's money (using the retail prices index). Was this because of his misdemeanors ?
Nothing more is known about Percy other than he died aged 75 on 21st February 1972 at 59 Cambridge Gardens, Kensington. Hopefully he rebuilt his life and did something positive - his death certificate just says he was a retired company director, which could mean anything. His son was the informant and one of the causes of death was said to be "Cirrhosis of the liver (non alchoholic)" - I don't think !
Nothing more is known about Percy other than he died aged 75 on 21st February 1972 at 59 Cambridge Gardens, Kensington. Hopefully he rebuilt his life and did something positive - his death certificate just says he was a retired company director, which could mean anything. His son was the informant and one of the causes of death was said to be "Cirrhosis of the liver (non alchoholic)" - I don't think !