Mexborough and Swinton Times June 28, 1929

Boy Drowned.

Kilnhurst Child Who Slipped Into Canal.

While playing on the canal bank on Sunday evening near the Kilnhurst Pottery, James License (6), son of Harry License, of 67, South Terrace, Kilnhurst, fell into the water and was drowned.

Mr. J. Kenyon Parker conducted an inquest on Tuesday and recorded a verdict of “Accidentally drowned.”

Velma May License (mother), gave Evidence of identification. She last saw the boy alive at 6 p.m. on Sunday when he left home by himself. She did not know where he was going. Fifteen minutes later, a boy named Joseph Haythorn ran to the house and told her that James had fallen into the river. Witness ran to the place which was near the Pottery, and could not see a sign of the lad. She told other people round about of what had happened.

In answer to the Coroner, witness said that Haythorne had told his mother that James got an elderberry stick and was lying on the bank with the stick in the water when he fell face first into the canal. The scene of the accident was only five minutes walk from the house and just before he left, she had told him to keep away from the place.

Lorenze Meggatt, miner, 54, South Terrace. Kilnhurst, said he went to look for the lad. Seeing a stick floating on the surface of the river, be commenced dragging And the lad’s body was recovered about 6-30. Though artificial respiration was tried by several men for some time the boy was dead.

P.c. Makin said he received information about 6.40 p.m. and when he arrived at the place, the boy’s body was on the bank of the canal. From the evidence he had received the lad met his death accidentally.