b. 06/07/1900 Rawmarsh, Yorkshire. d. 06/06/1962 Barnsley, Yorkshire.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 20/04/1918 Grimethorpe Colliery, Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Charles Henry was the fourth of seven children born in Rawmarsh, Yorkshire, to George and Clara Sellars (nee Scholey). Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Grimethorpe, near Barnsley, where his father gained employment as a miner deputy. The family lived at 10, Deputy Row in Grimethorpe. From a young age, Charles, along with his two older brothers, followed their father into Grimethorpe Colliery. Charles became a deputy, and was awarded the Edward Medal at the age of just 17. Sadly, Charles had just had the tragedy of the death of his eldest brother, Thomas, who had enlisted for the First World War. On the 29th September 1923, at St John’s Church in Cudworth, Barnsley, Charles married Elsie Mary Smith, and they had four children. Charles retired from mining in the mid 1930s, and lived in retirement at 156 Brighton Street, Grimethorpe. Charles died in Beckett Hospital, Barnsley on 6th June 1962, aged 61.
EM CITATION:
On the 20th April, 1918, a collier was buried by a fall of roof. Sellars was soon on the spot, and, after failing in an effort to get at the man by working under falling ground, he got on the top of the fall and worked along with Wiseman. After two-hours and a half of persistent effort they succeeded in rescuing the workman. Both Sellars and Wiseman ran the risk of being injured by further falls.
BURIAL LOCATION: GRIMETHORPE CEMETERY, BARNSLEY, YORKSHIRE.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
Acknowledgement
Wayne Bywater – Image of Sellars Grave