Mexborough and Swinton Times January 13, 1928

Plagued Shunter.

Smashes Office Windows.

Mark Reynolds (39), of 3, Brampton Road, Wombwell, was summoned at Rotherham on Monday for having broken a window at the Cortonwood Colliery, on December 21, valued at 3s. 6d. Defendant was bound over, and ordered to pay costs.

Mr. A. S. Furniss, on behalf of the Cortonwood Colliery Company, said the man was employed as a shunter. For some time a considerable amount of damage had been done by the deliberate breaking of the office windows and the officials had had a great difficulty in detecting who was responsible. At 6-45 a.m. on December 21 two watchmen saw defendant run from where he was working some 80 or 90 yards away and push his brake stick through the office window.

Defendant said there were some University students at the colliery who were “looking for sport.” These had on occasion thrown stones and pebbles at him and hit him. They bad done it a lot during the last six months and be could not stand it. He had worked at the colliery for 26 years.

Mr. J. S. Colton-Fox (chairman), said it was difficult to make out the defendant’s reason for doing that kind of thing.