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East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall. 1912
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East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall. 1912
Surface view of the shaft, scene of the rescue by Kemp and Opie. Mine Shift Bosses, William Kemp and Albert Opie were awarded Edward Medal awards for their bravery during the mining incident recounted here. Three men were descending the shaft in a skip when they were dropped into water, which unknown to everyone, had risen from its previous level. Two men jumped off the skip but the other man was drowned. One man grabbed a ladder and climbed to safety. The other man was afraid to jump across an open space to the ladder and held on to an air pipe. Opie descended the shaft to try and rescue the man, but failed to reach him. Opie and Kemp then descended another shaft, to travel via a cross-cut to reach the frightened man. The cross-cut had water in it, which was rising all the time. At one place it was touching the roof. Opie went under the water, reached the other side, then proceeded to the shaft where the man was hanging to the air pipe. He dragged the man through the water in the cross-cut to save him. Kemp waited at other side of the water, in considerable danger, to keep a light for when the man was brought out. Photographer: Arthur William Jordan
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TRURI : MIeap.15
Media ID 11420331
© From the collection of the RIC
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EDITORS COMMENTS
East Pool Mine, Illogan, Cornwall, 1912: A Heroic Rescue This evocative photograph captures the surface view of East Pool Mine in Illogan, Cornwall, in 1912. The scene before us is a testament to the bravery and quick thinking of two mine shift bosses, William Kemp and Albert Opie, who risked their lives to save a colleague during a tragic mining incident. Three men were descending the shaft in a skip when they were suddenly dropped into a rising pool of water. Two men managed to jump off the skip and swim to safety, but the third man, in a state of panic, clung onto an air pipe, unable to reach the ladder. Opie, one of the shift bosses, descended the shaft to attempt a rescue but was unable to reach the stranded man. Undeterred, Opie and Kemp decided to try a different approach. They descended another shaft and traveled via a cross-cut to reach the frightened man. The cross-cut was filled with water, which was rising all the time. At one point, the water was touching the roof. Opie bravely went under the water, reached the other side, and proceeded to the shaft where the man was hanging. He dragged the man through the water in the cross-cut to safety. Kemp waited at the other side of the water, keeping a light burning to guide the rescued man out. The heroic actions of Kemp and Opie resulted in them both being awarded the Edward Medal for their bravery. This photograph, taken by local photographer Arthur William Jordan, serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by miners and the selfless acts of courage that could save lives.
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