b. ? 1848 Hethel, Norfolk. d. 1st Q 1931 Staveley, Derbyshire.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 08/01/1913 Markham No 2 Colliery, Staveley, Derbyshire.
George Bush was born in Hethel, Norfolk in c.1848, one of eight children born to James and Julia Thompson (nee Bush). He spent all of his childhood in Norfolk, with his father passing away when he was 22. On 15th March 1874, he married Ann Belinda Marshall in Henstead, Norfolk and they had a son George William, born later that year. Soon after their marriage and the birth of their son, they moved north to Yorkshire, where they settled in Skinnigrove. George gained employment in the local colliery as a labourer underground. Sometime during the late 1890s, George and Ann moved south to Staveley, Derbyshire where George was now employed at Markham No 2 Colliery. This is where George spent the rest of his working life. At the time of the incident which led to the Edward Medal, George was 64 years of age, making his part in the rescue even more incredible. George died in Staveley, Derbyshire in 1931 aged 82.
EM CITATION:
On the 8th January last a steel girder fell from a roof in the Markham No. 2 Colliery, Staveley, Derbyshire, causing a fall of the roof. Mr. Cooper, the under manager of the mine, who at once went to the place, took steps to repair the damage, and, while the debris was being removed in tubs, a second fall occurred without warning and buried three men engaged in the work of removal. Though fragments of the roof were still falling, Mr. Cooper dashed over the heap of debris and, being joined later on by Mr. Hewitt, the manager, he succeeded in rescuing two of the men. They then proceeded to search for the third man and discovered him completely buried. George Thompson, a workman employed at the mine, came to help, and the three worked for about fifty minutes in order to extricate the unfortunate man. They had all but succeeded, when a further heavy fall took place killing him outright. Notwithstanding the risk of further falls, the work of rescue was continued for four hours, till the dead body was reached. The three men incurred prolonged and serious risk in their efforts to save life.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
