Mexborough & Swinton Times July 14, 1917

The Cadeby disaster

Monday was the fifth anniversary of the desolating Cadeby main disaster, one of the most distressing episode in the industrial history of this district, and an event which coincided with and marred the visit of the King and Queen to South Yorkshire.

90 men lost their lives in the first and second explosion is, and a relief fund is still being administered for the benefit of the families of the majority of these men.

It will be remembered that about £9000 was subscribed to this fund, and of this sum £7500 was invested in securities. At the present time there are 29 widows and 93 children chargeable to the fund, and so far the rate of exhaustion is more pronounced among the assets than amongst the liabilities, for the reason that the trustees of the form decided upon a higher scale of relief than is strictly justified by actuarial estimates.

An allowance of five shillings weekly is made to the Windows, and the allowance in respect of children is one shilling.

Of course, compensation was paid to the families of the victims in the ordinary way. The fund is relieved of defendants by remarriage (which have been less in number than was estimated), death and adolescence. Girls are to be assisted by the fund up to the age of 16, and boys up to the age of 14.

The trustees of no doubt that they will be able, if necessary, to secure that the fund shall be fortified against premature exhaustion, without any diminution of the scale of relief.