Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 30 November 1912
Colliery Prosecutions
Destructive Pit Boys
Sydney Richards (15), James Craven (16), Albert Alan (15), and John Kennedy (16), pony drivers of Conisborough, and also Alfred Taylor (15) a pony driver at Denaby Main, was summoned by the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company for breaches of colliery rules at Cadeby Pit November 6.
Mr F Allen (prosecuting) said that the defendants were charged with a breach of special rule four, which said that no one should do anything to endanger the safety of the mine. There had been working in the west district of the Cadeby pit, one of them and put some “sprags” out of the side of an airway. Other things they did were to pull down a “flat sheet,” and to upset one or two tubs of style. Of course this resulted in the road, which was both a travelling way and the return airway, being blocked up to a certain extent, and the ventilation was impeded.
Thomas Jeffcote, a pony driver in the west district say that he was with the five defendants and so all that occurred. Craven called the “sprags” out, and witness together with Kennedy, removed the “flat sheet.” Kennedy upset the dirt. He was presently Mr Bridges afterwards, and heard all the defendants, except Taylor and Allen, admit the offence.
Sidney John Bridges, under manager at the Cadeby pit said the danger lay in the ventilation being interfered with. Taylor and Alan denied the offence when spoken to, but the others admitted that they had done it.
On the defendants Kennedy now denied the offence. The others admitted been in the neighbourhood at the time but did not do the offences.