Mexborough and Swinton Times February 6, 1909

The Swinton Drowning Fatality.

Trammer Risks His Life To Save Five Minutes.

Unheeded Warnings

The Deputy Coroner, Mr. J. Kenyon. Parker, held an inquest at the Council Offices at Swinton, on, Friday afternoon, on the body of Harry Whittaker (24), a Trammer at Manvers Main Colliery, whose body had been recovered from the canal on the previous Wednesday.

Alice Wragg, of 48, Crossland street, Swinton, identified the deceased as her son, who was 24 years of age, and lived with her. He was employed, as a trammer at Manvers Main Colliery. He usually went to ‘work walking by the canal. He left home on Tuesday morning at a quarter-past five. He was in good health and spirits. The morning was very thick and foggy. Owing to defective eyesight witness had repeatedly warned the deceased not to go on the canal bank when it was foggy.

Amos Brammall said he lived at the house of the last witness, and worked at Warren Vale. He last saw Harry Whittaker alive on Tuesday morning at ten minutes past five. He was then in the house, and was having his breakfast when witness left. Deceased mentioned that he was a bit late, but said no more. Witness noticed nothing unusual in his manner. He knew that deceased had defective eyesight as the result of an accident that he met with at Rotherham. On this .account deceased had been warned against walking along the canal bank to work. The path by the canal bank would save deceased about five minutes in going to work.

P.s. Dyson said that at 10-50 on Wednesday, Jan. 27th, he recovered the body of the deceased from the Bowbroom lock. The body bore no marks of violence. Deceased was reported as missing at 4-30 p.m. on Tuesday, and witness went down to the canal, but owing to the black fog he could not see the bank or the water or even his own feet. Dragging was commenced at 9-30 next morning, and they found the body at a spot where anyone with good eyesight might easily have fallen in. Several drowning cases had occurred at this spot, but still people would use the canal bank.

The Coroner said there ‘was no suggestion that deceased committed suicide, and there seemed little doubt that he got into the water by accident. People who chose to walk along the canal on a foggy morning to save five minutes were taking a great risk.

The Jury returned a verdict of “Accident drowned.”