Retirement of Colliery Engineman – Remarkable Experiences

May 1936

Mexborough and Swinton Times May 15, 1936

Retirement.

Mr Richard James Rosser, of Low Road, Warmsworth, and formerly of Park Road, Conisbrough, who retired on Saturday after 53 years service in the employ of the Denaby and Cadeby Main collieries, Ltd., as an engineman, has, during his working life, had some remarkable experiences.

One of the most alarming took place in 1919 when the cage broke away while Mr Rosser was winding. He reversed the engines, but this seemed to meet them go faster.

At last the cage was pulled up by the rope becoming wound round the girders. The strange feature of the incident was that Mr Rosser had dreamt all this a few weeks before.

On one occasion Mr Rosser dreamt that the shafts broke. As a result he wound the man with the greatest of care, and sure enough, when he began to wind coal the shaft broke, and it was only by exercising the greatest care that he got the cage to the surface safely.

He was later congratulated by Major J. H. Leslie, Jack managing director of the Yorkshire Amalgamated Collieries, Ltd. for bringing the cage at safely.