Home Crime Crime Other “One Over The Eight.” – Former Darfield Councillor and Railway Crossing Incident.

“One Over The Eight.” – Former Darfield Councillor and Railway Crossing Incident.

August 1929

Mexborough and Swinton Times August 23, 1929

“One Over The Eight.”

Former Darfield Councillor and Railway Crossing Incident.

A charge of disorderly conduct on the railway was preferred at Barnsley West Riding Court on Wednesday against Thom H. Spooner, a checkweighman at Darfield Colliery, and formerly a member of the Darfield Urban District Council. Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Thomas Harrop, an employee of the L. & N.E. Railway Company, said he was on duty in his signal box at Darfield Main crossing, Littlefield Lane, Wombwell, on. August 1st, when Spooner came up and shouted for the gates to be opened. Witness could not open the gates as a train was approaching. Spooner then climbed the fence and crossed the line. Witness went out of the box and requested him to leave the railway premises, but he refused to do so. Witness then pushed Spooner off the railway, but he returned and sat down on the steps of the signal box. He did not go until a police constable removed him. “This is a danger to me in a responsible position,” said witness. ,”I cannot be watching him and my work as well. I did not know what was going to happen.”

Defendant: Did you shut the gates in my face? Did you strike me and knock my hat off?

Witness: No.

Defendant: I refused to go away because I could not get my hat. Did you bring my hat when the policeman came?—No; I never saw your hat.

P.c. Harding said he found defendant sitting on the steps of the signal box. Harrop told him Spooner had been there an hour and refused to go. Spooner said: “Do you know who I am? I am Tommy Spooner and I am not going.” He refused to go away. “I had to drag him to his feet,” said witness. Spooner said, “I have had one over the eight. I don’t feel like going off these steps.”

Defendant alleged that the signalman shut the gates in his face. He then came down and struck witness, knocking his hat off. “I would not go away,” he said, “because I could not get my hat.”

The Chairman (Mr. A. W. C. Bower): The case has been proved against you. You                be fined £2. We hope it will be a lesson to you. You have no business to make yourself a nuisance to the railway people.