South Yorkshire Times, January 13th, 1933
Cortonwood Disaster
The Eighth Victim
A Boys’ Brigade Leader
Yesterday the funeral took place of John William Eccles (22), trammer, of 28, Stokewell Road, Eccles, whose death in the Beckett Hospital on Saturday, brought the death toll of the disaster to eight. He was Secretary of the Princess Street Wesleyan Methodist Church, West Melton, and a lieutenant in the Wath Boys’ Brigade. He was actively associated with local sport, and a well-known figure in the district.
A choral service was conducted in the Wesleyan Methodist Church by the Rev. A, B. Brockway, assisted by the Rev. H. W. Wade. The hymns “Through all the changing scenes of life,” and “In heavenly love abiding,” were sung and Psalm 23, and verses from Revelations, 21, were read by the Rev. H. W. Wade. The Rev. A. B. Brockway, a a short address, commented on the service rendered to the church by Mr. Eccles. “We were eagerly anticipating his rejoining us in our church fellowship,” he said. “but this was not to be. We have the memory of his companionship. We can offer little sympathy. We must commend the bereaved ones to the all-sustaining love; the refuge of the Everlasting God.” The church would miss a valued worker.
Mr. H. Buncall (church organist) played “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” as the cortege left the church, headed by the Boys’ Brigade, under Captain. Beaumont and T. Espley. The Colliery Company was represented by Mr. H. Fawcett (manager) and the Yorkshire Miners ‘Association by Mr. T. Smith, Mr. T. Bird, Mr. J. Hudson and Mr. F. McGuinness. The Wath Urban District Council was represented by its chairman, Mr. W. Popplewell and the Wesleyan Church by the choir and members of the congregation. The bearers, Messrs. R. T. Carr, W. Whitehead, V. Horsley, P. Saunders, S. Maude, A. Higginbotham, W. Clegg, and H. Clarke were church officials.
The grave in the churchyard was draped with purple and decorated with white chrysanthemums and mimosa. There were wreaths from the directors of the Cortonwood Colliery Company, by the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Boys’ Brigade. The coffin was surmounted by a single cross of white chrysanthemums and the deceased officer’s cap and bugle.