Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 28 September 1912
Mexborough and the Cadeby Disaster.
Widows’ Pathetic Disclosure at Inquest
A Painful Incident.
With the recovery of the last of the bodies remaining in the mine since the Cadeby Colliery disaster of July 9th last, the way was cleared for the final offices for the dead.
The prospect, soon nearly realised, that in every case the remains would be identfied, was unhappily frustrated at the last moment by the revelation of a sad mistake.
The District Coroner, Mr. Frank Allen and the standing jury met at the Colliery Surface offices on Saturday afternoon for the purpose of taking evidence of identification in connection with the last six bodies and the proceedings were marked by an affecting scene. Two of the bodies could not be identified by the supposed widows, and it appeared, therefore, that their husbands had been buried earlier under another name.
Mary Dove, of 27, Garden Lane, Conisboro’ said her husband. Willie Dove, aged 47, went to work the night before the explosion, and he had not been home since. She could not identify his body.
Hannah Stone, a married woman, residing at 90, Warmsworth Street, Denaby, said her husband, Frederick Stone (33), was a collier, and went to work on the night previous to the explosion, returned home again, and afterwards went to the pit to join the rescue party. She had not seen him since, but had seen one of his boots in the colliery office.
Burial Place Unknown.
The Coroner declared that under the circumstance it was impossible to tell where the two ladies’ husbands were buried. They were buried somewhere in the parish and that was all he could say. But he would do his best to get them each a proper certificate. There was no doubt that they both died on 9th July. If they once started trying to get to know where the two bodies really were they would upset the feelings of other parties who had relatives buried.
Mr W.I.Gibbs: Is it possible Mr Bridges that he may have changed his boots?
Mr. Bridges: Yes, sir, they have done that a lot.
Mrs. Stone: I think my husband changed his boots when he went down.
The Coroner: Were there any boots found strewn about the pit, Mr. Bridges?
Mr. Bridges: Yes, sir, a lot were picked up in the workings.
The Coroner: There have been more boots down there, than feet to fill them.
In reply to a statement by Mr. Bridges, the Coroner said they must not regard the deceased men by appearance. They must regard them by their own judgment.