RECENT Memories have told how, in the 1960s and 1970s, the mayors of Darlington were driven about in enormous gas-guzzling American cars.

They were not the only ones to travel in chauffeur-driven style. The Bishop of Durham also toured about the place in motoring luxury – and, on March 23, 1920, he was in his car when it accidentally ran over and killed the great-grandfather of Colin Woodward of High Shincliffe.

The unfortunate victim was Alexander Woodward, who was extremely well known in Darlington. He was born in Gateshead, lived much of his life around Hartlepool, but came to Darlington in the 1890s when he became district cashier of the North Eastern Railway. He was a magistrate, and a leading member of the Darlington Temperance Society.

At 9pm on the night in question, Mr Woodward, 70, and his daughter Catherine were returning from the Technical College to his home in Linden Avenue. As they were crossing Stanhope Road, the bishop’s car approached from Coniscliffe Road, causing Catherine to take her father’s arm, and say: “Mind, father, here’s car.”

Everyone agreed that if Mr Woodward – a vegetarian and an anti-vivisectionist – had continued to cross the road he would have made the pavement with ease. But he didn’t. He checked.

A witness said: “It appeared as though Mr Woodward lost his head, for instead of following Miss Woodward, he let loose of her arm, and turned back again.”

The car, containing the Bishop, the Rt Rev Hanley Moule, and a Darlington alderman, was only going at about eight miles an hour when it collided with Mr Woodward. The Bishop jumped out, but it was too late – Mr Woodward was trapped beneath the wheels.

The chauffeur, David Hubbins, jacked up the vehicle, extricated Mr Woodward, who was taken home in an ambulance, but died the next morning.

The jury at the inquest quickly decided that it was an accident, exonerated the chauffeur and expressed their sorrow to Mr Woodward’s family.

“The Bishop,” said the report in The Northern Echo, “felt his position most acutely, as the town had been deprived of one of its best citizens.”

A solicitor told the inquest: “Mr Woodward was devoted to every good cause, and his death under such tragic circumstances would not only be a loss to the Bench, but to the public life of the town.”

Less than two months later, the Bishop himself died of pleurisy.