1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Facts, Stories and Features

WARNEFORD CAWTHORNE

Chartered Mining Engineer

Foreword by John Doxey

Out here in Australia there is a special name for people who are successful in what they do without making a big fuss of it, often these people contribute to the community they live in. They do not seek a reward for their efforts, they are quite happy at just seeing their efforts accomplished, these people are known as "Quiet Achievers"  Warneford Cawthorne falls into that category.

Born in 1915 the son of Jack Cawthorne born in 1881 a mining contractor who also worked at Silverwood, Jack was there in the sinking of the colliery.

Warneford not only came from a mining family he also was to marry into a quite large mining family, the Hartles.

Warnefords family of miners were

Harold Cawthorne born 1898 also worked at Silverwood.

Herbert Cawthorne born 1908 who signed on aged 17 at Silverwood in October 1925 as a driver.  He was living at the  New Bungalow Ravenfield
Jack Stanfield who was Warneford's half brother born 1900 who became an underground train driver at Silverwood .
Cyril Stanfield born 1934 son of Jack above also worked at Silverwood

1927 ONWARD

Warnefords achievements began at School when attending the Ravenfield School and was awarded a County Minor Scholarship to Rotherham Grammar School in 1927 - one of the few children to manage this at the time.

Starting out as a coal hewer Warneford progressed in stages to become firstly an Overman, then Manager, an Area Method Study Engineer, and finally a Charted Mining Engineer. He was to work at quite a few mines in his working career. He also was the NUM rep for the pit for quite a while before leaving in 1953 when he got a job as Undermanager at Gomersall Colliery near Heckmondwike.

Now Mining Engineers are a very important factor not only in the structure of mines, but also for ensuring that safety is a paramount feature in all aspects of design. The need for mining engineers was first realized in the early part of the 19th century and from there grew the many colleges that emerged even into the 20th century specializing in mining engineering. Obtaining a certificate in mining engineering requires a fair bit of dedication into studying the many fields involving mining, differing rock strata, gases, and how machinery could effect the soundness and safety underground being just a few.

Somewhere between leaving School and furthering his career Warnford met and married the love of his life Doris Hartle, setting up the family home at Ravenfield.

Warneford became very much involved with the local Community at Ravenfield to the benefit of one and all.

He was very active in the school PTA when his children started School.

Tennis was the sporting pastime Warneford enjoyed, but Ravenfield did not have a Tennis Court, but this lack of a venue was rectified by Warneford,  and Stephanie his daughter recalls " I remember the first meeting my Dad set up in our front room when he had a plan to fill in the first quarry and build a tennis courts over the top.  There was enough interest in the plan and a club was formed with the intention of building some tennis courts over the quarry.  He arranged with Mrs. Morton, down the common, to buy and donate the land.  He also arranged wagons from the steel works, or was it the 'pit' to fill in the quarry with slack and clinker.  Then the group built the courts with help from other volunteers". Sadly those tennis courts have disappeared today but there is no doubt that they were a valuable asset and source of enjoyment to the tennis players in the locality. However Warnford started another successful club when the family moved near Bradford.
Stephanie remembers ' My father built two bungalows on Moor Lane - by hand with the help of his brothers and was one of the few people in the village to have a car in the late nineteen forties/fifties.  People used to knock on our door and ask if my dad would take them to Cleethorpes, Bridlington etc.  On one occasion the starting handle flew out of his hand into a neighbour's garden but they would not allow him to collect it - they had a dog guarding it.
 

Sadly Warneford Cawthorne Chartered Mining Engineer and quiet achiever passed away prematurely, and was buried at Ravenfield along side his parents, grandparents, and other family members.

Copyright Stevie Marsh

Stephanie 'Stevie' Marsh who has kindly sent in the photos and information regarding the Hartles and her father Warneford Cawthorne and has also supplied information for the Ravenfield pages. Stephanie is quite an achiever in her own right, and is now a retired School teacher living in sunny [ ahem!] Lancashire.  On behalf of everyone I would like to say thanks for sharing your family with us Stevie it is much appreciated..

John