Hi Phil,
Yes, it's Sargeant Arthur Thomas Winborn who received the Edward Medal, 2nd
Class for work at the Markham Colliery disaster. The Council of the Institution
of Mining Engineers acknowledged him as such, cf p.527 of Vol.46 (1913-14)
Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers (TIME).
"Serjeant Arthur T. Winborn" was engaged at Tankersley on 5 Jan 1903 as
Instructor and Caretaker, and in April proceeded to Shamrock Colliery,
Westphalia to learn about German practice and use of the Giersberg rescue
apparatus.
As you probably now, he gave a couple of papers
- "Notes on recent experience in the practical use of rescue-apparatus", p.7 of
TIME, vol.35, 1907-8
- "Suggestions for the organization of colliery rescue brigades", p.81 of TIME,
vol.37, 1908-9
He resigned in 1910, but can be followed through his membership of the
Institution. He remained a member of the Midland Institute of Mining and
Mechanical Engineers when he had moved to Glenview House in Crumblin (Crumblin
station opened 1 July 1910). At this point your ancestor, Walter Clifford took
over as Instructor and Caretaker at Tankersley on a salary of 30s /wk with house
and coals. When Walter Clifford then went to Stoke, J. Donald Rose was engaged
as Instructor and Caretaker, as of 18 March 1911.
I am surprised Sgt Winborn is described as simply 'collier', but it may be a
typically wayward minor detail in a mining report - for example the 1908 Report
on the causes of and circumstances attending an underground fire which occurred
at Hamstead Colliery, on 4th March, 1908, (by R. A. S. Redmayne) refers to him
as "Arthur James Winborne" which is wrong on two counts, although it's clearly
the right man - probably the 'T/J' initial being confused as you suggest, and
James being assumed.
At Hamstead the report (p.12) makes specific reference to Winborn "not being a
miner, but an ex-sargeant of the army, he was not permitted to descend until
after the danger was over. He did good work in looking after the men and
apparatus". He was clearly brought into the early rescue work largely for his
experience of commanding and instructing others - a military drill approach
which it was felt was necessary for training, equipping and maintaining an
effective rescue corps - perhaps influenced by contemporary Austrian and German
practice in this regard. Tankersley Rescue joint station continued this military
instruction approach in 1912, obtaining the services of Sergeant Ketteridge of
the Birdwell Drill Hall to provide cover in the event of the unavoidable absence
of instructor Rose. I'm not entirely sure what tasks the instructor would have
been engaged in as part of a rescue operation, but he could certainly drill the
men and organise the shifts of exploration parties, whilst ensuring any
breathing apparatus was being used correctly.
Arthur T Winborn also published a further text on this issue:
The use of oxygen breathing or rescue apparatus for work in noxious atmospheres,
etc. Newport: Monmouthshire Collieries Rescue Association, 1912.
Chris Jones
----- Original Message ----
From: Phil Clifford <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, 30 October, 2010 17:16:34
Subject: A T or A J
Hello list
I am hoping that someone can assist with confusion over a name?
I am fully aware of the first Superintendent of Tankersley Mines Rescue Station,
one Arthur T Winborn. I am also aware that, on leaving Tankersley, this Arthur
T Winborn went on to be the Superintendent of the Monmouthsire Collieries Rescue
Association at Crumlin.
My confusion arises in that an Arthur Thomas Winborn was the recipient of the
Edward Medal 2nd Class for a rescue carried out at the Markham (Tredegar)
colliery in 1912. D. V. Henderson's "Heroic Endeavour' lists him as a 'Collier'
but with no reference to him being a full time rescue team member. (I also
would not expect a central rescue team superintendent to be actively involved in
a rescue underground).
Can anyone throw any light on whether these two were one and the same?
Many thanks
Phil Clifford
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