Mexborough and Swinton Times February 4, 1927

The bravery of Miss Florence Winifred Grimes, a Wath girl, was recognised at a meeting of the Urban District Council on Tuesday, when the chairman (Mr A Bramham) presented to Miss Grimes a certificate of the Royal Humane Society.

The Acting Clerk (Mr Roberts) said that at 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 26, John Pearson, aged 5, fell into the canal while playing with another child near Gore Hill Bridge. His companion had the presence of mind to run to Pearson’s home and inform the parents of what had happened, and Miss Pearson, on running down to the waterside, met Miss Grimes and told her that her little boy had fallen into the canal. Miss Grimes ran on and throwing off a heavy coat, jumped into the canal, brought the boy to the side, and with artificial respiration, managed to bring him round.

Miss Grimes, who lives at Canal Terrace, Doncaster Road, Wath on Dearne, learned swimming at Wath Baths as a scholar at the Victoria Council Schools, and gained her life-saving certificate.

Before the Royal Humane Society could grant their certificate, Mr Robert continued, they had to be satisfied that the girl endangered her own life to save another, and he had pointed out to them that the day was bitterly cold, and it required a great deal of moral courage for a girl to jump straight into the canal while dressed in her best clothes.

The Chairman then presented Miss Grimes with the certificate, and Mr Steer voiced the congratulations of the Council.