Denaby Youth who Lived for Nine Years with a Broken Back

March 1928

South Yorkshire Times March 30, 1928

Broken Back

Denaby Youth who Lived for Nine Years.

Mr. Frank Allen held an inquest Denaby on Monday into the death of John Thomas Cuttell, aged 25, of Edlington Street, Denaby Main, whose father, Willis Cuttell stated that the boy was injured in the Cadeby colliery on 12 February 1919. His spine was fractured, and he had not walked since.

He died last Saturday.

An account of the action was given by William Gardner, of 120 Sheffield Rd, Conisborough, a corporal on the underground haulage system at Cadeby, who said that Cuttell was walking, alongside a run of tubs when he was knocked down and received the injury.

Dr. T. Forde said up had attended the case ever since the accident. The spine was fractured at a point low down in the back and death was due to this injury, which later set up septicaemia.

The Coroner, returning a verdict of “Accidental death,” commented on the unusual vitality of the unfortunate young man, but mentioned that lie had known people who had lived even longer with such an injury.

In one case, the remembered a wan with a broken back who lived 14 years. Dr. Forde quoted a case of a Denaby man who lived 17 years with a fractured spine.