W. Simons. Coal Mines. Is this casualty researchable?

Hi everyone, I'm wanting to research the 15 casualties on the Sutton-in-Craven war memorial from WW2.

I should be able to get some basic info' on the first 14 names from CWGC, however the last name looks like it could be a challenge!

W. Simons. Coal Mines. (see image below)

Has anyone got any ideas how I may research who this bloke was and what role he played during WW2.

Stating the obvious it looks like he was a civilian miner, but why would his name be on the WW2 war memorial?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, many thanks, Andrew

 

Andrew, could it be that he was a civilian conscript & as such, the parish felt it appropriate to record his name.

I would think that if killed in a mining accident, then there would have been a published notice in either parish newspapers or parish records.

I hope this helps

Regards

simon

 

Maybe he was a Bevin Boy.

 

could it be that he was a civilian conscript & as such, the parish felt it appropriate to record his name.
Ah, good point Simon. I wonder whether government conscription during WW2 was not just restricted to the armed forces, but also extended to essential services/industries such as coal mining, engineering etc? :m1helmet:

 

Without doubt,a Bevin Boy casualty.

By 1944,it became apparent that the rate of conscription intake was in excess of military manpower requirements while in the coal mining industry there was a shortfall in manpower required to meet the required coal output.It was decided to divert conscripts into the mines,particularly deep mined collieries.The scheme was named after Ernest Bevin,the then Minister of Labour in the Coalition Government at the time,who introduced the policy.

Most of these youths worked in support roles on the surface or underground as coal tub boys,(Haulage Hands) ensuring that the full coal tubs were transported to the pit bottom to the cage on appropriate tracks.Then, after the coal was wound to the surface,there would be others who worked on "the screens"(Screen Hands) whose role was to pull off foreign material such as large "bats" from a moving conveyor before the coal was powered screened.After emptying,the coal tubs would be returned to the pit bottom and run to the various coalfaces in use,for the coal hewers to fill.The process would then start again.

At that time,there was little,if any coal cutting machinery in collieries and the hewing of coal was done by pick and shovel with shotfiring used to penitrate the seams to free the coal.Coal hauling was undertaken by "boys" known as Haulage Hands,using horses and ponies to haul the tubs. Bevin Boys tended to discharge this role.It was a dangerous job for both animal and man.Runaway tubs were usually the cause of injury and death from crushing.The only method of regulating the speed of tubs was through emergency action using locking pins which the Haulage Hand would thrust into the spokes of the tub wheel in order to lock and brake the tub.At the pit bottom,the Haulage Hand would be responsible for loading the full tubs into the cage (winding compartment) and off loading the empties as and when they arrived back at the pit bottom.Again a dangerous job,supervised by a Banksman, especially dangerous if there was a lack of discipline in safety standards when loading and unloading tubs at the pit bottom into and out of the cage.

An added point.I would think that there would be people around Craven who would know the background to this casualty.I would think he would have been employed in either the Durham,West Yorkshire or South Yorkshire coalfields.Just for the record,Len Shackleton (the ace) and John Downie,later a Scots International were Bevin Boys at Fryston Colliery and started their football careers at Bradford P.A (long gone from the Football League)

 

Without doubt,a Bevin Boy casualty.
This is very interesting Harry, thank you for your detailed description of the WW2 Bevin Boys. I have to agree, this chap probably was a Bevin Boy.........

but, in response to Owen's post and the link to the Bevin Boys Association (thanks very much Owen), I have just telephoned this organisation and spoke to a chap there.

I asked if records exist of the names of the Bevin Boy casualties from WW2. I was horrified when he told me that no records exist. Apparently it was government policy to have them all destroyed after 10 years So in the 1950s they all went up in smoke!

I mentioned the casualty W. Simons listed on the Sutton memorial and he quickly uttered that he could equally have been a (regular) miner, as opposed to a Bevin Boy. I asked if any records exist of any mining casualties during WW2 and once again he said no.

It looks like my only hope is to try & find a living relative, or speak to some of the senior (very senior) residents still living in Sutton to see if they know of, or knew W. Simons.

Thanks again guys, this is all excellent information. Regards, Andrew :thankyousign:

 

It is shocking to hear that Bevin Boy casualty lists were destroyed after 10 years.
Also that mining casualty lists don't exist.
Why?

 

Some further clarification is needed:

1. The response from the Bevin Boys Association was not as helpful as it might have been. There is no realistic reason why an ordinary civilian miner should have been recorded on a specific war memorial. The almost certain probability is that the man was a conscript under the Bevin Boys scheme, and therefore recorded equally with his military service colleagues.

2. As Harry Ree has explained, the administration of the Bevin Boys scheme was the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and National Service as part of the whole National Service process. Such records would have dealt with the selection and allocation of the men, but they would not have included personnel records after allocation; those would have been the responsibility of the private mining companies. Therefore, even if the records had survived, they would not necessarily have included a record of the accident, although they might have confirmed the man's status as a Bevin Boy.

3. The destruction of individual records of civilians liable to National Service was by no means confined to Bevin Boys. Most records relating to individual conscientious objectors were destroyed, and I imagine that records of men exempted by Hardship Committees, and people subjected to directed labour were also destroyed.

4. The principle of selection of Bevin Boys was that every week a number 0 - 9 was drawn out of hat, and men whose NS umber ended in the relevant digit were automatically allocated to the mines, subject to exemption on health grounds or if they had very specialist skills useful to the military.

5. It is unhelpful to repeat the wholly misleading appellation "Bevan Boys", persistently used by some. They had nothing whatever to do with Aneurin Bevan, who was a backbench MP during WW2.

6. It is very likely that the miner's death was reported in the local press. Possibly other, non-Bevin Boy, miners were killed with him.

 

6. It is very likely that the miner's death was reported in the local press. Possibly other, non-Bevin Boy, miners were killed with him.
Hi Drayton, yes I agree. I reckon this lads death must have been reported in the local press, namely 'The Craven Herald' and 'Keighley News' in his case.

The problem being of course, what date was he killed in order to narrow down the newspaper search?

As I say, I'll attempt to locate a living relative of his to ascertain more information. If I can find the date of his death it should be easy to pin-point a newspaper report.

 

This site here is a good resource, but no W. Simons on the database. Maybe you'll have better luck? Is the spelling correct? could be simonds, simmons, or bill etc, worth a try.

Can't find him here either.

PS - might also be worth asking the NCM if they could help?

 

Hi RemeDesertRat, these are 3 excellent websites for checking coal mining casualties. In actual fact, the website CMHRC ‘Roll of honor 1945-1949’ does come up with a hit for a William Simons (injured)

What’s more, I have now established (within the past hour) that the W. Simons in question was called William (Willie) Simons and it is confirmed that he was indeed a Bevin Boy. He lived at 9, Hazel Grove, Sutton-in-Craven. My inquiry has now made its way to Canada to someone who apparently knew Willie where I am hoping his date of death can be established. That should lead to a local newspaper report giving details surrounding the circumstances of his death.

By the way, the William Simons (injured) from the CMHRC ‘Roll of honor 1945-1949’ could be the same chap. He may have been initially injured and died from wounds sustained later on.

Good stuff, thank you very much. :thankyousign:

 

Hi Andrew,

Just had a quick look on ancestry.co.uk for you there is 15 death index entries for a William Simons between 1945 and 1949 does the CMHRC give a location?

Dave

 

there is 15 death index entries for a William Simons between 1945 and 1949 does the CMHRC give a location?
Hi Dave, unfortunately the CMHRC ‘Roll of honor 1945-1949’ simply lists 4,300 names alphabetically from A - Z with no other details.

Anyway, thanks for checking the Ancestry death index. I think we can probably exclude names listed from 1947 onwards which may narrow the search down. Actually you've just given me an idea to check FindMyPast for William Simons deaths between 1939 - 1946, of which I note there are 13. So too many really to make a postive identification of my man. I'll wait to see what comes back from my Canadian contact. Thanks again. Andrew

 

Glad to be of help, I have access to ancestory so give me a shout if you need a look up!

Dave

 

If the Bevin scheme was only introduced in December 1943, that should help possibly eliminate any earlier deaths than then???
Might be worth checking this lad out:-
Name: William R Simons. Birth Date: about 1924. Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1944. Age at Death: 20.
Registration district: Wakefield. Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding. Volume: 9c. Page: 18

 

Hi Kevin, I think you've nailed it my friend! Concurring with your message above, I've just received an email saying a tomb-stone has been spotted in St Thomas' graveyard at Sutton-in-Craven with the inscription:

In Memory of Willie son of G & E Simons 1924-1944
Also the above Emma Simons 1887-1948
George Simons 1884-1973

The email goes on to say that William Simons death registered at Wakefield Sept qtr 1944

So that's it, looks like W. Simons has now been positively identified

The emailer is now going to check out the local papers for me which will hopefully spell out the circumstantial evidence of what lead to his death. Clearly a coal mining accident at Wakefield.

Excellent work fellas, I'll report back when I have more info'. Andrew

 

The fatal accident must have occurred in the Wakefield Registration District.There was a large number of collieries in the area,some group owned, others owned individually.

 

Not sure this is going to be an easy one to find out!! Apparently HM Vhief inspector of mines didn't keep individual records so only stats for the whole of GB in 1944 exist

List of Collieries in and around

Wakefield / West Yorkshire Area (1944)

Name of Colliery​​​Place
Ackton Hall​​​​ Featherstone
Allerton Bywater​​​ Castleford
Fryston Colliery​​​​ Castleford
Wheldale Colliery​​​Castleford
Crigglestone Colliery​​​ Wakefield
Allerton Main​​​​ Woodlesford
Primrose Hill​​​​ Woodlesford
Victoria​​​​​ Woodlesford
Snydale​​​​​Snydale Nr. Wakefield
Water Haigh​​​​ Woodlesford
Whitwood​​​​ Castleford
Newmarket Silkstone​​​ Methley
Robin Hood Jane​​​ Robin Hood
Rothwell Haigh Beeston​​​ Rothwell
Rothwell Haigh Fanny​​​ Rothwell
Rothwell Haigh Rose​​​ Rothwell
Shaw Cross​​​​ Dewsbury
Prince of Wales​​​​Midgley
Upton​​​​​Upton, Nr. Pontefract
Grange Ash​​​​Flockton
Gregory Spring​​​​Hopton, Mirfield
Lepton Edge​​​​Lepton
Whitley Clough​​​​Hopton, Mirfield
Hartley Bank​​​​Netherton
Glass Houghton​​​​Castleford
East Ardsley​​​​East Ardsley, Nr. Wakefield
Combs ​​​​​Thornhill, Nr. Dewsbury
Ingham​​​​​Thornhill, Nr. Dewsbury
Howroyd (New)​​​​Whitley, Dewsbury
Park Hill​​​​Wakefield
St Johns​​​​Normanton
Caphouse​​​​Overton, Nr. Wakefield
Cross Clay​​​​Kirkburton, Nr. Wakefield
Shuttle Eye​​​​Grange Moor, Nr Wakefield
Lofthouse​​​​Lofthouse, Nr. Wakefield
Manor​​​​​Wakefield
Sharlston​​​​Sharlston, Nr. Wakefield
Sharlston West​​​​Sharlston, Nr. Wakefield
Newmillerdam​​​​Newmillerdam, Nr. Wakefield
Stoney Royd​​​​Hopton, Mirfield
Greatfield​​​​Ossett
Nostell​​​​​Nostell, Nr Wakefield
Prince of Wales​​​​Pontefract
West Riding​​​​Altofts, Nr Wakefield
Hemsworth​​​​Hemsworth, Nr. Pontefract
South Kirby​​​​South Kirby, Nr. Pontefract
Park Mill​​​​Clayton West
Swindell Hill​​​​Hopton, Mirfield
Old Roundwood​​​Wakefield
Waterloo Main (Park)​​​Temple Newsam
Waterloo Main (Temple)​​Temple Newsam
Fallhouse Wood​​​Whitley, Dewsbury
Woolley Edge​​​​Woolley, Nr. Wakefield

Number of persons killed and injured at mines under the Coal Mines Act in Great Britain (1944)

Underground Accidents
By explosions, fires and suffocation by natural gases​​​ X29
By falls of ground​​​​​​​335​
Shaft accidents​​​​​​​​ X19
Haulage accidents​​​​​​​146
Miscellaneous accidents​​​​​​ X44
X
Total of underground accidents​​​​​​573
X
Surface Accidents
All causes​​​​​​​​ X50
X
X
Total underground and surface​​​​623
Source : Report of H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines for the years 1939 – 46 (HMSO, 1948)
X

X
X

 

Dave,

A large number of these collieries can be eliminated from place where Willie Simon met his death.Historically,some have been in other registration districts such as the adjacent Pontefract Registration District but on 1 January 1939 there was rationalisation of the Wakefield Registration District.

On this date,the following civil parishes were transferred to Lower Agbrigg Registration District:

Chevet
Crigglestone
Crofton
Emley
Flockton
Horbury
Lofthouse
Newland with Woodhouse Moor
Normanton
Rothwell
Sharleston
Sitlington
Stanley
Walton
Warmfield cum Heath
West Bretton.

So all collieries situated in these parishes were outside the Wakefield Regristration District.It is then possible to narrow down those collieries within the Wakefield Registration District but the actual colliery where Willie Simon met his death will only be identified by his death certificate or from close relatives or from Sutton in Craven local knowledge.