From the Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 16 September, 1856.
SERIOUS AND FATAL ACCIDENT.
On Tuesday last a most melancholy accident took place in this
neighbourhood, attended with loss life. It
appears that Mr. Potts, of the "Green Man Tavern," Old Kent Road,
left the "King's Arms," Eltham, about
either o'clock in the evening, in a chaise, accompanied by a friend.
Mr. Potts, incautiously allowing his friend, who was not an expert
"whip" to drive. They had not left more than
ten minutes when assistance was sent for in consequence of a serious
accident that had just occurred. At the
foot of Todman's Wall the driver unfortunately came in contact with
a waggon passing on the road, belonging
to Mr. Watkins, of Sidcup, - breaking both shafts of the gig,
dislocating Mr. Potts collarbone, and his
unfortunate companion, who undertook to drive, having his leg
broken, amputation of which is feared to be
necessary. The horse then bolted to the off-side with the shafts
sticking up, when, after proceeding 20 yards,
it met a waggon belonging to Mr. Pollard, of Foot's Cray. The horse
ran to the near side shafts of the
waggon, which penetrated under the hip nearly through the other
side. The man having charge of the waggon
rushed to his horses' head, when he was immediately struck with the
gig-shaft on the temple, thrown on the
step and jerked on to the back at the side of the road, where he
expired. The gig-horse, which was so seriously
injured was immediately shot. We have seldom had to record a more
melancholy series of accidents, and
which took place within so short a period.
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From an email received 23 March 2022.
As an accordion lover I have a little statue of witch I do not
know the origin. Could anyone tell me a little more about this?
Hendrik Depruyst.
Rekkem, Belgium.
Above showing the statue.
Engraving on back.
Engraving on bottom.
Looking at the information engraved into
the statue I would suggest that the original pub was demolished in
1922 and E Jest took part of one of the beams and made this statue
out of it. Paul Skelton. |