b. 01/08/1875 Lamberhurst near Hastings, Sussex. d. ? 1963 Maidstone, Kent.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 18/05/1912 Markham Colliery, Tredegar, Wales.
Arthur T Winborn EM
Arthur Thomas Winborn was born on 01 August 1875 in Hastings, He was christened as Thomas Arthur but seems to have changed the order of his names probably reflecting that both his father and brother has the same name!. Arthur enlisted in 1892, with the 3rd Dragoon Guards and served in India before he left the service, with the status of Sergeant, in 1901. On 05 January 1903 he was appointed as the first Instructor and Caretaker of the newly formed, and first, Mines Rescue Station at Tankersley, near Barnsley. He oversaw much of the early development of the mines rescue service including the development and use of self contained breathing apparatus. Whilst at Tankesley he presented two papers to the Institution of Mining Engineers namely: “Notes on recent experience in the practical use of rescue apparatus” (1908) and “Suggestions for the organisation of colliery rescue brigades” (1909).
Winborn was also involved with the attempted rescue of miners at the Hamstead Colliery in 1908 for which he was awarded a Gold Medal in recognition of his work. His team from Tankersley received the Edward Medal (Silver) as well as the Gold Medal.
In 1910 he resigned his post at Tankersley and took over as Superintendent of the newly built mines rescue station at Crumlin, Monmouthshire.
In 1912 he published a book entitled “The use of oxygen breathing or rescue apparatus for work in noxious atmospheres etc.” Also in 1912 he was awarded the Edward Medal (2nd Class) for work, with others, in saving a trapped miner following an explosion of firedamp at a mine in Tredegar (Markham Colliery), Glamorgan.
He married Kate Smith in Colchester, Essex in 1903, and they had two daughters. In later life he moved down south and lived near Maidstone, Kent. He died in 1963 aged 88.
EM CITATION:
On the 18th of May last an explosion of firedamp occurred at one of the pits which was in process of sinking at the Markham Colliery, Tredegar, and resulted in the death of five men. At the time of the explosion two men were down the shaft, which was then full of afterdamp. A rescue party was organised, consisting of the men above-mentioned, who descended the shaft, and after an hour’s work reached the pump lodge room at a depth of 350 yards from the surface, where they found a man named Snashall, who was badly burned. After some difficulty they managed to get Snashall into the bucket, in which he was safely raised to the surface. All the rescuers were equipped with breathing apparatus, but Mr. Wooley had not previously worn it.
BURIAL LOCATION: KENT AND SUSSEX CEMETERY, ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
