Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 04 April 1902
Good Friday Fatality at Conisboro’
Two Young Men Drowned.
The Result of a Silly Lark.
Conflicting Evidence.
Wombwell Youth Severely Censured.
An accident which had terribly fatal results occurred on the river Don at Conisborough on Good Friday. As the afternoon was beautifully fine, a large number of people visiting the village, and many indulged in rowing on the river in boats let out by Mr. T. R. Booth.
About half past five in the evening accident happened, as a result of which three young men were thrown into the water. One, who was able to swim a little, was lucky enough to save himself, but the other two were drowned. There can be no doubt judging from the evidence given at the inquest, that the youth who was saved was really the cause of the disaster.
A report was made to the police and Sergeant Phillipson, who is stationed at Conisborough, ordered dragging operations to be immediately commenced. The part of the river where the fatality occurred about half-way between Mr. Booth’s boat house and the Rainbow Bridge and here the water is from twelve to fifteen feet deep. It was found impossible to reach the bottom by means of boat hooks.
The drowning of the victims was witnessed by a considerable number of people from both sides of the river. After a great deal of exertion one body was recovered at about 8 p.m. It proved to be that of Richard Baynham, a youth aged 18 years, said to be the chief support of his widowed mother, who lives at West Melton. The other body was not found until ten o’clock on Sunday morning.
In the meantime the police had had plenty of offers of assistance in the work of dragging, of which they were glad to avail themselves; indeed, the readiness with which volunteers came forward for this difficult work was perhaps the only pleasing feature of what was otherwise a very sad business.
One of the helpers was Mr. T. Downing, who, it is well-known, has served as an ambulance man ‘in the South African war. Mr. Downing worked so hard that on Monday he was unable to leave his home for any considerable length of time.
The second body was that of Richard Collinson aged about 25 years concerning whom very little information could be gained until Monday. It was known that he was a joiner and lodged at Wombwell, where he had lately been working, but it was thought he belonged to Leeds, and he himself is reported to have told his landlady that he had a wife and one child at Leeds.
On Monday, however. a younger brother appeared at Conisboro’, and identified the body of Collinson, and subsequently told the Coroner that the deceased was a single man. After being recovered from the water the bodies were laid in an outhouse attached to Messrs Booth’s saw-mills to await an inquest.