South Yorkshire Times May 26, 1956
“Fratching” at the Pit
Fighting in Path of Approaching Tubs
Two young Denaby haulage hands who were alleged to have behaved “rather violently” underground at Denaby colliery, were stated at the Doncaster West Riding Juvenile Court, on Wednesday, to have been pulled to safety by another haulage hand when they were fighting between a set of rails in the path of approaching tubs.
The two youths, aged 15 and 16, were given a conditional discharge after both pleading guilty to behaving in a violent manner in a coal mine. They were each ordered to pay £3 4s 2d costs
Prosecuting for the NCB, Mr Harry W. Dunk said that both the youths worked in the underground workings of Denaby colliery.
On March 30, he went on, and of a haulage hand, Mr Ronald Bucknell (27) went to investigate a stoppage in the line of tubs and saw the two youths fighting, between a set of lines upon which the tubs were approaching.
Mr Dunk said that Mr Bucknell pulled the two youths to safety, stopped them fighting and noticed that the younger one had a black eye.
Mr Dunk added that the two youths had been “fratching at the pit all morning.”