Award Recommended for Conisbrough Deputy – Gave Life for Mates

March 1955

South Yorkshire Times March 19, 1955

Gave Life for Mates
Award Recommended for Conisbrough Deputy

Arther Sidney Lawrence (49), of 9, Leslie Avenue, Conanby, a prospective Labour candidate in the coming Urban Council elections at Conisbrough and a member of the special Constabulary, died from injuries received at Cadeby Colliery while saving the lives of his workmates and he is to be recommended, for a posthumous industrial award for heroism.

Lawrence a deputy at Cadeby colliery was injured by a roof fall at the colliery last Wednesday and died in the Doncaster Royal infirmary on Saturday.

At Monday’s Doncaster inquest Frank Lawrence (18), said his father had worked at Cadeby for most of his working life and was in a good health and had good sight and hearing. He last saw him on the night of Tuesday, March 8 and on returning from work the next day he was told that he had been involved in an accident and was in Doncaster Royal infirmary.

Doctor. D. E Rawlings (Senior Orthopaedic Registrar at Doncaster Royal Infirmary) said Lawrence was completely paralysed from the neck down, indicating that there had been a severe injury to the spinal card. He had a wound at the right side of his head involving his ear but his general condition was fairly good. His x-ray showed minor fractures in his neck and the spine must have dislocated and then gone back into place.

There was no hope of his living from the moment of admission. Death was due to respiratory failure due to paralysis of the muscles of the restoration.

Peter Williams. 4 Firbeck Street, Denaby, said he was working on “Sixes Face “ last Wednesday with Bernard Hampton and the deputy, Arthur Lawrence. The roof appeared to be good, although there appeared to be two or three breaks in the roof. They commenced coaling but then came a fall from the roof over the face belt. He was told to pat the roof and move the dirt into the waste.

“All at once Arthur must have seen the stone move. He put his hand up to support it and gave a warning for me and Bernard to clear out of the way.”

Witness said that Lawrence wanted a clear way for himself to escape for as he was about to do so the roof came down. It had been their intention to support that part of the roof.

Replying to the coroner, Williams said that it was part of the previous fall. Roof conditions had deteriorated over the past month and the timbering distances had been reduced to cope with that. In the area of the first fall supports were every three feet and normally they would have been about every four. He was of the opinion that the place was securely supported. He believed that Lawrence’s actions helped his workmates to get away.

Bernard James Hampton of 106 Highwoods Road, Mexborough, said he was satisfied with the working conditions at the time of the accident but said it was true that because of the roof conditions the timbering had been set at shorter intervals the place was examined and everything appeared to be safe. After they had been working sometime there was a fall. But that did not cause any trouble because no one was working there. When the fall occurred Lawrence and the other man came to a stall to see what the trouble was. Lawrence said: “we will have a sprag here” referring to the place where the fall and a good. He helped them set this sprag and it was while they were fixing it that as a six cents on a shout from Lawrence 1 to get away. “The next thing I heard was a shout ‘look at Arthur.

Mr J Halford, on behalf of the N.C.bead of said of Lawrence: “He died as he always lived – he tried to do what was right.”

The Funeral

The funeral took place at Conisbrough on Wednesday.

Officials and workmen from both Denaby and Cadeby Collieries paid their last tributes and there were 22 cars and coaches in the cortege and 150 walking mourners, many of them miners. There were also represented from local clubs, trade unions and many other organisations.

The service was conducted by the Rev A.S.Grant and a large number of people at rates outside the packed church. The interment took place at Conisbrough Cemetery

Mourners were: Mrs A.Lawrence (widow), Mr F Lawrence, Mr and Mrs J Lawrence, Mr and Mrs W Laird, Mr and Mrs A Robertson, Mrs A Robinson, Mr and Mrs B Lawrence, Mrs H Briggs, Mrs W Hill, Mrs J Lawrence, Mr H Lawrence, Mr and Mrs W Hancock, Mr and Mrs S Hardwick, Mr James Bond, Mr and Mrs GL, Mrs Workmen¶ , Mrs Rose, Mrs S Tonks, Mrs Peters, Mrs H Plan, Mr and Mrs H.Bott, Mr and Mrs W kitchen, Mr and Mrs J.Lee, Mr R Williams, Mr B Hampton, Mr H Briggs, Mrs L Downing, Mrs P Johnson.

Representing the Labour Party, Mr D Sheldon, Mr T Hill, Mrs G Oldfield, Mrs Stimson, Mrs Fox, Mrs Kelly, Mrs Bishop, Mrs light, Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Nesbitt, Mrs glioma, Mrs Broadfield and Mr A Moody.

representing the St John’s Ambulance Brigade was Mr Harvey, and representing the police were SGT. P. Johnson. PC Armitage, PC Duty, PC Dyson. S.C Larney S.C Robinson. S.C Newall, S.C Benton, S.C Webster, S.C Humphreys and many others. Also present were Mr and Mrs P Griffin, Mr. And Mrs, P. Halliday, Mrs J. Ward and other members (representing Thrybergh WMC.) Mr. H. Slater (manager Cadeby colliery), Mr. J. Halford (agent for Denaby and Cadeby colliery’s), Mr. J. Hall and Mr. T. Holmes (under managers in the Barnsley seam at Cadeby). Mr. D. Martin (Overman and President of the local branch). Mr A. Nettleton (secretary), Mr. J. Newall (Treas). Missy. E. Lockett (Yorkshire Area Secretary for NACODS) and Mr. L. Wormald (Yorkshire Area Agent for the NACODS). Representing Ivanhoe WMC: Messrs. W. Joyce. G. Wilkinson, A. Davies, H. Winfield, W. Rhodes, K. Nicol, T. Horrocks, A. Moody, H. Moody, S. Breakwell, J. Hammersley, R. T. Edwards, I. Ellis, W. Ellis, I. Ellis Jr, H. Barlow, H. Briggs, S. Barron, R. Charlesworth, J. Hinchcliffe, A. Botwood, W. Spencer Y. Riley and many others, also members of Northcliffe WMC.

Floral tributes included wreaths from relatives, friends, neighbours, NCB. Staff, officials and workmen, members of the Ivanhoe club and the Labour Party. Funeral arrangements were by Ellis and Murgatroyd, Station Road. Conisbrough, and 56 Tickill Street, Denaby, phone: 3134 and 2294.