South Yorkshire Times, June 30th 1933
Bird Nesting Tragedy
West Melton Boy’s Horrid Fate
The Inquest
No One to Blame
Coroner’s Tributes to Gallantry
Shaft to be Blocked
At the inquest at Wath Town Hall yesterday the question of the safety of the wall surrounding the shaft was raised. The Coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon Parker
Asked whom the shaft belonged to, and eventually sent for Mr. Richard Payne, of Newhill Hall, who gave evidence on behalf of the owners. In his summing up the Coroner remarked that no criticism could be levelled at anyone.
The Father, Leonard Dalton, gave evidence of identification. He said he heard that his son had fallen down the shaft at Newhill and the body was recovered about six o’clock the following night.
The Coroner: do you think anyone was to blame or was it an accident?
Witness: Purely an accident, sir.
Mr. Dalton said he understood the shaft was about 300 feet deep and contained about 35 yards of water. He was satisfied that the boy was either drowned or died from injuries sustained from falling. He did not desire a post-mortem examination.
P.s. Slaughter: Do you consider that the shaft was adequately protected, apart from anyone climbing the wall?
Father’s View
Witness: I think it could have had a grate at the top. Little boys will climb anywhere. In my opinion if there had been a grate this would not have happened. Witness added that on three sides of the wall, broken glass had been placed, but there was no glass on the other side where an elder bush was growing. He could not say whether there had been glass there because he had never been to this spot for many years. It was easy for children to climb the wall because there were toe holes. Also there was a tree for a boy to climb up.
The Coroner said he understood from the police report that everyone was satisfied that the shaft was properly fenced. The question of railings being necessary suggested something different.
Asked by the Coroner to whom the shaft belonged P.s. Slaughter said he understood the owners were Payne’s Trust. He could not explain who Payne’s Trust were, but Mr. Richard Payne, of Newhill Hall, had handed him a note. Mr. Payne lived about 100 yards from the shaft. The coroner here sent a constable to fetch Mr. Payne to the inquest.
Story Of The Accident
George Thomas Cutts, unemployed miner, 29 Newhill, said he heard about the accident shortly after it occurred. Along with others he worked with grappling irons until 2.30 a.m. and then abandoned the search until daylight. About 6.30 on Tuesday evening, they felt a heavy weight on one of the irons, but as they pulled it up it fell back. This occurred several times and he told his mates that if he caught it again, he would he would go down and see what it was. Later they again felt a tug on the rope and he was then lowered to find that the iron had caught on the boy’s arm. The body was brought to the top about 7 o’clock. Witnessaid he was down the shaft a little over 20 minutes. So far as he knew, no-one had ever fallen down the shaft before, and he had never heard anyone say it was dangerous. People were in the habit of going to look at the shaft.
Dragging Operations
P.c Pearson said he had been in the district three years and knew of the existence of the shaft. It had never occurred to him that it was dangerous to children. The body was recovered about 6.30 on Tuesday evening, and the neck and both arms were broken. There was also a cut over the right eye. Round the top of the shaft there was a square wall eight feet high, and both inside and outside the wall elder bushes were growing. Apparently, the boy had climbed up the elder bush on the outside to look into the bush on the inside and had overbalanced and fallen down the shaft. When he heard of the accident about 9 p.m., he examined the shaft and surface of the water, but could find no trace of the missing boy. John Poole of the Wath Rescue Station went down to search with a lamp, but was unsuccessful. Dragging operations were continued the following evening, and the boy was got out. George Thomas Cutts was lowered down the shaft, and secured the body with another rope. The body was then taken to the mortuary.
Questioned about the broken glass on the wall top, witness said that part of the wall had been knocked down since the boy got in.
Do you mean to say that before that there was glass all round?
Witness: Yes, so far as I know. Workmen trying to get him out destroyed it.
The father: that is not so. At the top side the glass was missing.
Shaft To Be Blocked
The coroner: Was it not missing because of the efforts to get the boy Out? Witness: No. sir. It was at the other side where the wall was taken clown. The coroner addressed himself to the constable. “Do you live near this shaft?” he asked. Witness: Yes. Have you ally children?—Yes. three. Do you think this wall is sufficient, or could you like something else to prevent them getting down?—l should consider it. The Coroner: It would be a funny wall that a boy could not climb. Did you see this wall before the accident? Witness: I have never been close to it, but anyone could walk up to it. Having said he would give evidence if the Coroner wished it. Mr. Payne was called. The Coroner: Can anything be done to make this shaft safer? Mr. Payne: Of course. There are two ways; one is filling it up, and the other is putting something on the top. The Coroner: I don’t suppose anyone will ask for it to he filled up. Will you put something on the top Mr. Payne? One or the other will be done. There are several such places and some of these have been filled up in recent years.
In reply to the coroner the father intimated that he was satisfied.
Coroner’s Comment
Summing up the coroner said that it appeared to him that no one would suspect that there was any danger in the shaft before the accident. It seemed to have been adequately protected by a high wall, though glass might have been removed from one place by children playing there. It was almost impossible to make a wall perfectly safe, because boys would climb whatever they did. He thought the elder bushes ought to be cut down at once. Mr. Payne had said that steps would be taken to prevent any possibility of a further accident of that kind. He did not think that any criticism could be made of anyone who owned the shaft. “It seems to me one of those cases in which it is easy to be wise after the event.”
The coroner added ”I think a word of praise is due to everyone who endeavored, at some personal risk, to remove this poor little boy from the shaft on the night he fell down and the following day. I should also like to express my very real sympathy with the parents. It is a very sad and vey horrible accident. The only consolation, I think, is that he would not realise much about it after he had got down. Death would occur very quickly, I am very sorry for you all.
The corner returned a verdict that the boy was accidently drowned or died from injuries received in falling.