Mexborough & Swinton Times June 28, 1941
Two Saved – One Drowned
At an inquest at Darfield on Monday a 12 year old pupil of Wath Grammar School, Eileen Walcott, daughter of Mr and Mrs Harold W Woodcock, of 156, Doncaster Road, Millhouses, Darfield was commended on their pluck and presence of mind in going to the rescue of a number of children who were in danger of drowning in the River Dearne at Darfield on Friday night.
It was revealed that, though only a moderate swimmer, she brought two children to the side and made an unavailing effort to rescue another.
The Coroner (Mr C.J. Haworth) commented: “She certainly did very well in getting the other two children out.”
The inquest was on Iris Lenton (5), daughter of Albert Edward Lenton, a soldier, of New Street, Darfield, who was present at the inquest. The Coroner also complimented John Clarke (18), haulage hand of Ings Road, Wombwell, who recovered the body.
It was revealed that a number of children were paddling and bathing at the junction of the River Dearne and Dove stream, and that several of them wondered out of the shallow water into the deep river.
Philip Lenton (10) said he took Iris’s costume from her and told her to come out of the water as it was nearly bedtime. She came out and started put on her socks and shoes, but as he was watching the other boys swimming he did not see her go back. Later he missed her from the bank and saw her hand in the water.
John Clarke (18), haulage hand, 6 Ings Road, Wombwell said he was swimming in the river about 200 yards away when a boy came upon a cycle and said little girl was drowning. The sewage men at the other side pointed out where the girl was and he went in. About four minutes elapsed before he found the little girl, and when he got her out she appeared to be dead. In reply to the Coroner, witness said the water was shallow in places and deep in others and therefore it was dangerous for children. At the point when he found the girl the water was about 6’6” deep. Many children were on the bank at that time but no one was in the water. The child was quite naked.
John Butterworth (12), 5 Dearne Rd, Great Houghton said he was watching boys and girls bathing and children paddling at the junction of the Dove and Dearne. He saw a little girl walk out of the Dove into the Dearne and then disappear as though she had fallen into a mudhole. Older girls took them into the Dearne. Eileen Woodcock was in the water and he shouted to her to get out
Rescuers Story
Eileen Woodcock said she was bathing in the Dearne with Brian Grimshaw (nine), when some girls came to paddle in the Dove. When the little girls started to go towards the river she told to go back, knowing the water was deep in some parts. She could swim a little.
“Maureen Eyre went into the water,” she said, “and I got hold of her and pulled her out. I also pulled out another child.” (Joan Rollin 9).
She said she took this girl back to the Door and she got out. She added, “I saw the head of another little girl (Iris) in the deep water in the Dearne. I went in but could not get hold of her.”
The Coroner: “It rather looks as if this little girl saved two.”
Mrs Lenton: It was a wonder there were not three more drowned. I think they all tried to do their best. There is always someone there paddling.
The Coroner: It seems to me very fortunate there were not more drowned. This place was positively dangerous. Where there are holes in a riverbed there is always danger.
P.s. Grantham, who with Leonard Emson, landlord of the Cross Keys, Darfield, tried artificial respiration, said if the children would stay in the Dove stream they would be all right as the water was very shallow.
The Coroner said it was fortunate Eileen Woodcock was present. She certainly did very well in getting the other two children out, he added. The mother agreed.
The Coroner also commended Clark, saying that if he had been on the spot at the time he might have done better. But he was 200 yards away and it took him some time to get there.
Doctor J.W. Whitworth said when he saw the child on the riverbank she had been dead about half an hour. She must have been out of the water sometime because her hair was dry. The cause of death was drowning.
Doctor Whitworth added: “It is a very open river and unfortunately we have no other facilities for swimming.”
The Coroner returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned while bathing.”
At the conclusion of the inquest Mrs Lenton and her daughter thanked Eileen Walcott and Clark for what they had done.