South Yorkshire Times, August 13, 1960

Drowning Fatality At Kilnhurst Pond

Coroner Commends Men Who Tried To Rescue Boy

At a Swinton inquest yesterday the Sheffield District Coroner, Mr. A. P. Lockwood, recorded a verdict of “Death by drowning” on eight years old Graham Ellis, whose body was recovered from a water-filled excavation at Kilnhurst on Monday.

Non-swimmer Alfred was unable to assist his brother. The alarm was raised and nearby construction workers Leslie Jones, of 1. Windhill Terrace, Mexborough, and a friend Charles Peter Sanderson, went to give assistance.

After diving into the muddy waters continually for 15 minutes, they recovered the body.

Police and ambulance men were called but although artificial respiration was applied and injections given, the boy failed to respond.

Action Commended

Graham was out fishing with his 10 years old brother Alfred, when he fell into a pond on the private property of Manvers Brick Company Ltd., Kilnhurst.

At the inquest, the Coroner commended the action of the two men. He said it was tragic that despite their prompt and unselfish action , they were unable to get the boy out alive. “It was nevertheless a great achievement to get him out at all,” he said.

The boy’s father, Mr. Graham 1: Stanley Ellis protested about the lack of fencing around the escavation.

Mr. William Howard Bradley, manager of the brick company said it would have been impracticable to fence off the excavations. They were made, he said, to test the nature of the sub-strata, and although they were not at present in use, it was hoped to make use of them in the near future.

The erection of danger notices had been in hand, but had not actually been completed until the day following the fatality.

Summing up, Mr. Lockwood said that there had been no breath of the law, and that it was not a matter for the inquest to take further action.

He added that it was up to the boy’s father to make his own representations to the Council authority.