Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 27 June 1930

Vain Effort.

Miner’s Gallant Attempt to Save Drowning Boy.

Brampton Tragedy.

The plucky efforts of a miner to save a child from drowning were the subject of commendation by the Coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon Parker, at the inquest at Brampton on Tuesday, on Leslie White (8),son of George William White, underground engineman, of Cliffs Road, Brampton.

While playing on the locks with other children at Wombwell Junction on Sunday night, the child fell into a lock and was drowned. Efforts to rescue the boy continued for half-an-hour, and attempts to revive him were made for a further hour, Doctors Mosbery and Jardine, P.c’s. Green. Harding and Dixon. and Messrs. Elsey and Tomlimion taking turns.

Herbert Elsey (7) said they were running across the lock when the boy White slipped and fell in. They started shouting and a man came with a walkina stick and began to probe the water. Then another man came along and jumped in.

The Coroner (to Elsey’s father): I suppose you have told them not to crass the locks any more?—Witness: I have, sir.

Reginald Fuller, miner (ex-Service man), 15, Dearne Road. Brampton, said he was in his garden on Sunday night when someone shouted that a boy had fallen into the water. He ran some eighty or a hundred yards to the canal and was just in time to see bubbles rising in the water. He was in his shirt sleeves at the time and dived in just as he was. The water was thick and very deep, and it was impossible to see or feel anything; in fact, be did not “bottom” it. Having borrowed a stick from a man on the bank he dived in again and began probing with it, but could not find the body. He stayed in the water as long as possible, in the hope that he might be able to grasp the lad when he came up for the last time, but eventually he had to be helped out. “I had to give it up,” said witness. “I wish I could have stayed in longer.”

The Coroner: I am sure you do. You did your best and you did very well.

The Father: I should like to thank the gentleman for what he did.

James Mountain, 29, Hearne Road, Brampton, said he heard someone shouting on the canal bank, and when he got there Mr. Fuller was just diving in. The body was eventually recovered with grappling irons.

The Coroner: How long had you been there before you got the boy out?

Witness: Fifteen to twenty minutes. In reply to the Coroner, witness said it the practice for people to cross the canal for a short cut.

The Coroner: I have gone across dozens of times myself.

Returning a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.” the Coroner said to the father: “I have already given a word of praise to Mr. Fuller for his attempts to get your boy out, and I should like to add a word of sympathy to yourself and your family in your bereavement.”