Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 30 November 1909

ACCIDENT AT CUCKFIELD.

A LEWES MAN INJURED

Yesterday (Monday) morning a somewhat serious accident occurred at Cuckfield to a man named Herbert Bunce, of Lewes, in the employ of the Southdown and East Grinstead Breweries, Ltd. He was with the traction engine and waggons used for the purpose of carting beer. The engine was located just by the Brewery Stores, and to facilitate unloading, the two bind trucks were uncoupled by Bunce before the brakes were applied.

Being on the incline, the trucks moved and he was squeezed between them. His cries attracted the attention of Mr. Duke, who at once ran out of his office and, grasping the situation, called out to the engine driver to pull up, which he did, thus releasing the unfortunate man from between the waggons. He was taken into “The Talbot,” and received every possible attention from Mr. and Mrs. Packham.

Spice Village (c2009) was the site of the Old Brewery Stores

Drs. Wells and King were summoned, and at their suggestion Bunce was taken to the Sussex County Hospital. He was accompanied by Mr. Duke, the journey being made in a motor car, kindly lent by Mrs. Schlesinger. It was thought that as the result of the squeezing Mr. Bunce might have sustained internal injury, and on arriving at the Hospital he was at once put to bed. Bunce is a married man, with one child. He had only been accompanying the engine on its rounds for about a fortnight, as his engine —he was a petrol engine driver in the employ of the Company at Lewes—was being repaired.