Albert Opie EM

b. 1st Q 1877 Stithians, Cornwall. d. 21/05/1929 Redruth, Cornwall.

DATE OF EM ACTION: 26/04/1911 East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall.

Albert was one of eight children born to John and Honor Jane Opie (nee Dunstan) in 1877. The Opie family grew up in the village of Stithians, Cornwall, and Albert followed in his father’s footsteps and became a miner. In 1902, he married Emily Hill in Redruth, and they had a daughter Louisa. He received his Edward Medal from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 6th March 1912. Little else is known about Albert’s life following the award of the Edward Medal. He died in 1929 in Redruth, aged 52 and is buried in St Eurys Churchyard. 

 

EM CITATION:

On  April  26th,  1911,  three  men employed at  the  East  Pool  and  Agar  United  Mines  at Camborne  were  descending  to  their  work  and were  accidentally  lowered into  an  accumulation of  water,  which  was  known  to   exist  but   had greatly   increased   during   the   previous night without  the   knowledge  of  the management. Two of the  men, who were on the  outside  of  the skip,  jumped  off but  the  man  who was inside was drowned. One of the  two survivors  caught hold  of  a  ladder   and  managed  to  climb  up the  shaft  to  safety,  while  the other  held  on  to an  air  pipe,  but  was afraid  to jump  across  the intervening space to the ladder.    On the  alarm being  given,  Opie  immediately  came  down  the shaft  to  try  and  get this man out but  failed to reach  him.  Accompanied  by Kemp,  he then descended  another  shaft  and  travelled  along & cross cut to the  shaft  where the  man was hanging.       This  cross  cut  was  nearly  filled  with water,  which was constantly  rising,  and  at one point  actually  touched  the  roof.    Opie,  at  the risk  of his life,  plunged  under  the  water,  came up  on the  other  side,  and  made his way to  the shaft  where  the  man  was  hanging.    He  succeeded  in  bringing   him  out  by  dragging  him through  the  water  in the  cross cut.    Kemp did not  go under water, but  stayed  in  a position of considerable  danger  to  maintain  a  light  while the  man  was being  brought out. These  Medals  were  presented  personally  by The  King  at  Buckingham  Palace  on  the  6th of  March, 1912.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: ST EURYS CHURCHYARD, REDRUTH, CORNWALL.

B68/2

LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.