Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 22 July 1932
Life-Saving Certificate
Rare Honour for Denaby Official
Reward of Coolness and Skill
A belated honour came to Denaby on Saturday when, at the Ambulance Club, Supt. M. Hulley presented Mr. John Whimpenny, all under-manager at Denaby Main Colliery, with the Life Saving Certificate of the Yorkshire Collieries Ambulance League to mark his prompt action in the pit which saved the life of John Calladine.
The incident occurred on February 14th, 1927, when Calladine was severely injured by a fall of stone and was in danger of bleeding to death. Mr. Whimpenny, by efficient first aid, managed to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately the man died a couple of years or so ago while undergoing an operation.
The Ambulance League certificate was awarded Mr. Whimpenny in April, 1927, but owing to a series of misunderstandings did not reach Denaby Main until three months ago.
Mr. Whimpenny, who has been at Stanton Villas, Denaby, first became interested in colliery ambulance work in 1905 while a deputy at Thornhill. In 1923, when appointed to his present position at Denaby Main he became attached to the local division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and in the same year was raised to the rank of Ambulance Officer.
His enthusiasm and work for the division were recognised two years later by his promotion to divisional superintendent. The son of a miner, he began work in the mine when tea years old at Thornhill Colliery, where he remained about twenty years and became a deputy. In that period also lie obtained a colliery manager’s certificate and the bronze medal awarded by the Board of Education far proficiency in mining science.
Mr. Whimpenny’s medal was the third to come into Yorkshire. He was later employed at various collieries in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, and seven years ago came to Denaby Main.
Presenting the certificate. Mr. Hulley said they had officials at Denaby and Cadeby who were trained to deal not only with minor but with major accidents. The ambulance men envied Mr. Whimpemmy not the certificate but the coolness and skill which enabled him to win it.
Mr. Whimpenny briefly acknowledged the presentation.
Mr. Hulley also had the pleasant task of presenting trophies and medals won by competition teams of the Denaby division. The Jackson Shield and cups were handed to B. Henson (capt.), A. Box, L. Wood, F. Hanson and G.Williams (instructor), and the medals awarded the runners-up in the Wood Shield competition, to B. Henson, A. Box, B. Whitehouse and J. W. Scales.