South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 11 July 1942
Breach of Contract
George Walter Edwards (17), colliery worker, of Sheffield Road, Conisbrough, was ordered to pay the full claim of damages and 8s. 6d. costs for breach of contract at the Denaby pit.
Mr. Furniss, prosecuting, said this lad had a big influence on the other lads, and had used his influence in the wrong way. Edwards had deliberately defied the colliery officials and refused to work when instructed, saying he would only work where he wanted to work. He was absent on June 5th, 8th, and 9th. On June 18th he was before the Pit Production Committee because on one occasion he threatened a deputy, who told him to work where he did not want to go.
Edwards told the Committee he would only work where he wanted to. A deputy, F. H. Clemson, said he told Edwards to work in a certain part of the pit, and Edwards replied that he would “do the deputy with a locker.”
Replying to Mr. E. Dunn (defending), the deputy said that since Edwards had been before the Pit Production Committee he had been doing a set job without complaint.
An overman stated that Edwards was persistently late for work, even after he had been before the Production Committee.
Mr. Dunn said Edwards did not like being switched about from job to job. When he was on a set job there was no trouble.
The Chairman (Mr. M. L. Nokes) said: “From the evidence this lad looks like a ringleader. I could never pick my job. You can’t help a lad who wants to do what he likes.”