South Yorkshire Times, 6th of April, 1946.
Drowned In Canal.
Denaby Boy Overbalanced in Trying to Get Piece of Wood.
Reaching into the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Company’s canal at Mexborough Toll Bar with a long stick to recover a piece of wood, a Denaby boy fell into the water and was drowned when the stick broke. This story was told by an eight-years-old companion at the inquest at the Monatgu Hospital, Mexborough, on Saturday, on Ivor Boyer (7), son of Horace Boyer, 53, Doncaster Road, Denaby, colliery surface worker, whose body was recovered from the canal on Thursday, eighteen days after the tragedy occurred. The Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile), returned a verdict of ‘Accidental Death.’
Could Not Swim.
The father stated that his son, who had enjoyed good health, was unable to swim. He last saw his son alive on March 10th about 2-50 p.m. A few minutes later he left the house with his brother, aged nine, to play. About 5-30 p.m., the same afternoon, witness was told that he had fallen into the canal at the Toll Bar, Mexborough. On Thursday, March 28th, about 10-30 a.m., he was told by the police that a body had been recovered from the canal and he went there and identified it as that of his son.
John Bennett (8), 37 , Doncaster Road, Denaby, stated that on March 10th he went with Boyer and other boys to play in the quarry near to Vyner’s field, Denaby, but later they walked to the Red Rose football field, where boys were playing football. He, Bernard Earp, Ivor Boyer and George and Raymond Sambrook went to the canal at the side of the football field. George and Raymond Sambrook left them, and Ivor went to a place under the bridge. Witness was on the bridge, Ivor had a long stick and said. ‘I am having this square of wood.’ There was some wood in the water, and in reaching over the water the stick broke and he fell in.
Bennett stated that Boyer shouted for help and witness ran with Bernard to get some help. Frank, John, and Peter and some other small boys came. There were some grown-up men in the field and they asked if someone had fallen in and he said ‘Yes,’ but they did not come: they started playing. Witness went to the office at the pit and waited there until the police arrived.
Bernard Earp (6), of 35, Doncaster Road, Denaby, stated that he saw Ivor fall into the water. Witness was on the bridge.
Frank Storey, boiler chargeman, 33, Sprotborough Street, Denaby, said that on Thursday last, about 9-15 a.m., he saw a body in the canal about 200 yards on the Denaby side of the Pastures bridge. The body was three yards from the bank. With assistance he recovered the body, and informed the police.
Dr. Thomas Lindsay, Mexborough, who conducted a post mortem examination, stated that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition. Death was due to asphyxia due to drowning.