SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

in the 1940's my great grandfather was knocked down by a tram near the corn exchange. he later died of his injuries. was this a regular thing as i cannot find anything in the local papers about it. so not worthy of a write up

Trams were certainly fitted with people catcher guards to stop them going under the wheels. Another tram danger was motor cyclist and cyclists riding into the rail and getting stuck before falling off. I guess the number of tram accidents decreased over the years as people got used to them, but like cars today people still have accidents.Apart from the rattle of the tracks, trams were quiet compared to buses. I can imagine they could get a bit too close if you if you weren't being observant. I once pulled a girl away from going under a tram in Bispham, Blackpool. She was waiting at the tram stop as it pulled up, she had her back to it and suddenly stepped backwards into it's path, she didn't even know it was there, she'd have gone under no messing. All I got for my troubles was a dirty look as she wondered what the hell was going on, at least I got a thumbs up cheers mate from the relieved tram driver anyway                 

K Waterhouse recounts that the Chairman of the Transport Committee in the lead up to Leeds getting rid of trams had lost a leg. Run over by a tram.Before my time but I know from Manchester that they are quiet. Like the prius.

The other possibility, that it was during the war years of the 1940s and blackout conditions were in force at night, so no street lighting and the inside windows of the tram would be blacked out and the only lighting would be a very dim shielded light on the front of the trams.There were a lot more people killed on the roads during the war years than today, so it was so common that they were probably not reported in the press.John

Jogon wrote: K Waterhouse recounts that the Chairman of the Transport Committee in the lead up to Leeds getting rid of trams had lost a leg. Run over by a tram. That reminds me of the tragic end of fervent railway supporter William Huskisson MP, killed by Stephenson's Rocket at the opening of the L&M railway.Sorry - that's off topic. Aw don't censor me.

Jogon wrote: K Waterhouse recounts that the Chairman of the Transport Committee in the lead up to Leeds getting rid of trams had lost a leg. Run over by a tram.Before my time but I know from Manchester that they are quiet. Like the prius. This may have been Waterhouse being comical. Certainly there is no reprort of any of the Chairman of the Transport sub-committee [elected members] having only one leg or being run down by a tram or the later two managers of Leeds Corporation Transport -who presided over the tram system, W Vane-Moreland [1932-1949] and A B Findlay [1949 - 1960]. Both of them certainly had both their own legs.

I think the gentleman referred to as the one-legged chairman of the Transport Committee was Councillor or Alderman Rafferty, not an officer of the Transport Department.I remember an elderly railway worker of my acquaintance in the 1950s would become apoplectic with rage whenever his name was mentioned! Rafferty was notorious for his hatred of trams and the tramway system. I don't think anyone worked harder for their abolition.Can't think why.    

I've just noticed the title of this thread is ''knocked down by a tramp''Now that's more than likely when they've been on the white lightning

Phill_dvsn wrote: I've just noticed the title of this thread is ''knocked down by a tramp''Now that's more than likely when they've been on the white lightning I noticed that also a little earlier. I feel sure it originally stated "tram" in the title, not "tramp".

It was definitely 'tram'. And I can't imagine the OP would have changed it.What's afoot? [I know, I know, a leg-end]