b. 13/10/1892 Conisbrough, Yorkshire. d. 18/02/1949 York.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 03/04/1913 Swinton Common Colliery, Yorkshire.
Thomas William was one of three children born to Edward John and Bertha Thompson on 13th October 1892 in Conisbrough, Yorkshire. By the time he was 9, the family had moved to Mexborough near Rotherham, where his father was a coal miner. Thomas followed his father down the pits and became a colliery pony driver, and he moved out of the family home, boarding with the Bless family at 17 Frederick Street. Following his actions at Swinton Colliery on 3rd April 1913, he was awarded the Edward Medal in Bronze. On 13th April 1914, he married Pamela Elizabeth Newham in Kilnhurst. Thomas and Pamela would have 7 children, though sadly their eldest child Frank was killed in a mining accident in Wales in 1944. Thomas died in York, aged 56 on 18th February 1949.
EM CITATION:
A heavy fall of roof shut off the coalface. Four of the five men working there got out, but the fifth man was injured and could not escape. Thompson worked, almost without a break, for ten hours, removing debris before the injured man was liberated. The roof was dangerous and three falls occurred during the rescue.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
