Cliff Top Drama at Whitby – Conisbrough Couple Help Vain Life-Saving Bid

August 1955

Mexborough and Swinton Times August 6, 1955

Cliff Top Drama at Whitby

Conisbrough Couple Help Vain Life-Saving Bid

After a short honeymoon, following their wedding ceremony at Rotherham, Conisbrough born, former Salford Mental Health Officer, Mr. Douglas Bostock and his bride, Dr. Evelyn Swangren, Rotherham’s Assistant Medical Officer of Health, ran into unexpected drama on Saturday.

A mile and a half out of Whitby – where they spend their honeymoon – while sitting on the clifftop admiring the view before returning to Rotherham, they were startled to see a body being washed up on the beach by the tide.

Raced down path

They hastened down a narrow, winding cliff path and together with a local policeman and Coast Guard, and three other holidaymakers carried the body – of a young man – up the beach.

Doctor Swangren took charge of artificial respiration. After feverishly working for one and a half hours, the rescuers carried the young man up the cliff path to an ambulance. At Whitby Cottage Hospital, however, they found their work had been of no avail as the man was dead.

He was Terence Clark (26), of Laurel Road, Stockton. Two hours before his body was recovered he and a friend left the camp where they were holidaying under canvass and went for a swim. A strong current swept both out to see. The alarm was sounded and a boat began searching. Clarke’s friend was picked up exhausted after being in the water for half an hour.

30 years old Mr. Bostock, who now lives with his wife at “The Pieces”, Whiston, near Rotherham, told a “South Yorkshire Times and Express” reporter this week of the dramatic finale to his honeymoon. “On our drive home to Rotherham we stopped at Solwick bay, a mile and a half out of Whitby”. They sat on the high clifftop and surveyed the wonderful view. For a while they watched a small boat a little way out to sea. As it turned out, this was a boat that was searching for the drowned man.

Then suddenly their gaze fell on the man’s body being washed inshore by the tide. “Immediately we clambered down the steep and winding path down the cliff,” said Mr. Bostock.Earlier they had noticed a policeman with a towel descending the same way, as they thought for a bathe.

Covered with Oil

after Mr and Mrs Bostock and the other rescuers at struggled with the man of the past to the ambulance, they went to “clean up” at a nearby farm, for they had become severely coated with tanker oil which lay on the beach.

While at the farm the couple received a call from local police. This was nothing to do with the drowning however. One of the three other holidaymakers rescuers I return to the clifftop to find his suitcase – containing all his holiday equipment and clothes – had been stolen.

Mr Bostock learned, too, that only 200 yards from the scene of the rescue, Denaby Boy Scout troop were camping.

Mr. Bostock is the eldest son of Arthur Bostock, of 65, Garden Lane, Conisbrough, and the late Mrs. Dorothy Bostock. He is now a medical student. He was for 2 years City of Salford Mental Health Officer and previously with District Welfare and Mental Health Officer For Derby County Council, and Children’s Officer at Monmouth County Council.

After leaving Mexborough Grammar School he began work for the then Amalgamated Denaby Collieries, as a rent collector. During the last war he joined the Forces, and afterwards became a student at Liverpool University, taking social sciences. Two years ago he was appointed Children’s Officer at Monmouth.

Mr Bostock is an officer with the 865 Fire Command Battery, R.A.T.A, at Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham.

Doctor Swangren is the only daughter of Mr. And Mrs. E. G. Swangren, of 2, Debdon Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne. Before being appointed at Rotherham she was a general practitioner at Salford and earlier was Gynaecological House Surgeon at Blackburn and Burnley. She graduated at Durham University.

For her wedding last Thursday at Rotherham Register Office, she won a blue floral dress with cream accessories. Witnesses were Mr. And Mrs. Fred Ledger. Mrs. Ledger wore a powder blue dress with navy blue accessories and white hat.