b. ? 1872 Tow Law, Durham. d. 13/11/1932 Bishop Auckland, Durham.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 07/01/1925 Mohpani Colliery, India.
James Kipling EM Grave
James was born in 1872 in Tow Law, County Durham, the 2nd youngest of four children, born to miner James Kipling and his wife Anne. James followed in his father’s footsteps and became a miner, and was still living with his parents and younger sister at the time of the 1901 Census. By this time, they were residing in Crook, near Bishop Auckland. In 1922, he travelled to India, where he became an Under Manager at the Mohpani Colliery. Following the award of his Edward Medal, he returned to his native North East, where he died in November 1932, aged 60. It appears he never married or had children.
EM CITATION:
On January 7th, 1925, in the course of operations at the Mohpani Colliery of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway a very heavy fall of roof took place killing one miner instantaneously and completely burying another named Nanoo Maora. On a report of the accident reaching Mr. Kipling, the Under-Manager of the mine, he immediately proceeded to the scene accompanied by Mr. Johnston, the senior European Overseer, and Nani Khan, a native timber drawer. They crawled through the fall of stone and earth and eventually after fifteen minutes’ work succeeded in extricating the entombed man.
The rescue party ran a very grave risk as falls of stone were continually taking place. Indeed, within ten minutes of their extricating Nanoo twenty tons of rock fell on the very spot where he had been lying. Mr. Kipling took the leading part in the work of rescue but he could not have accomplished it alone and there is no doubt that it is to his efforts combined with those of Mr. Johnston and Nani Khan that Nanoo owes his life.
BURIAL LOCATION: CROOK CEMETERY, CROOK, COUNTY DURHAM.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD. SOLD AT DNW IN MAY 2011 FOR £1,400.
Acknowledgement:
Dix Noonan Webb – Image of the Kipling Edward Medal.