Age: 25
Sex: male
Crime: manslaughter
End Of Full Sentence:
Place: Shaftsbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London
Source: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
George Tinline ran over Ernest Waterhouse in his 20.1hp Bianchi motor-car whilst drunk outside the Trocadero Restaurant, Piccadilly Circus on 6 November 1920.
He had been a soldier in the First World War and had twice been blown up and suffered from concussional neurosis and was invalided with 100% disability on 14 December 1917. On one occassion he was blown up by a trench mortar and buried with all the other people near to him dying.
On 4 November 1920 he was drinking at the New Court Club, Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road where he was seen to have at least 2 whiskies. Around 11pm he went with 2 girls and a man in his car to curzon Street where George lived at the Curzon Hotel where they were going to have a drink. The car wouldnt start at first and so he had to start it with the starting handle. He told the girl on the way, 'Look how fast it goes, its a racing car'. The passenger then said, 'be careful what you do in the traffic'. Then, whilst driving down Shaftsbury Avenue he ran into two men and a girl who where crossing the road opposite the Trocadero Restaurant, resulting in Ernest Waterhouses death.
A witness to the crash said that he saw the car driving along quite fast between 30-40mph and strike the people crossing the street carrying one of them onward into a refuge post where it pinned him. He went to help the victim and noted that the cars starting handle had struck the victim.
The Times Newspaper 14 May 1921 details the incident with an article: Motor-Car Insurance : What Is An Accident? Which details the questions arising out of the validity of his insurance that should have covered the insured against all costs and losses and liabilities to third parties resulting from an accident in his car.
see National Archives - MEPO 3/324
see Leicester Daily Post - Tuesday 15 February 1921