In late June 1905, a tragic drowning occurred in the River Ribble at Walton-le-Dale. On the afternoon of Wednesday 28th June, two men—John Mahoney, aged 48, and James MacIntyre, aged 40—entered the river to swim across it after making a wager for a gallon of beer. While in water around twelve feet deep, Mahoney sank and began to drown. MacIntyre attempted to rescue him but was dragged under by the struggling man and only managed to free himself after a desperate effort. Exhausted, he eventually reached the riverbank. Mahoney’s body was recovered approximately ten minutes later, but he had already died.
The incident prompted acts of bravery that were later formally recognised. On Saturday 19th August 1905, at Walton-le-Dale near Preston, Constable Winstanley of the County Constabulary, along with W. Leggett and H. Gregson, were awarded certificates by the Royal Humane Society for their actions in diving into the river and recovering Mahoney’s body. Additional certificates were also presented to H. Lowe and J. Kirby for a separate act of bravery at the same location, in which they rescued a boy who had got out of his depth while bathing near Walton Bridge.
FATAL WAGER AT WALTON-LE-DALE.
Two men, named John Mahoney, aged 48, and James MacIntyre, aged 40, jumped into the river Ribble, at Walton-le-dale, yesterday afternoon, to swim across for a wager of a gallon of beer. Mahoney sank in twelve feet of water, and MacIntyre, endeavouring to rescue him, was dragged down by the drowning man and only released himself after a desperate struggle, being utterly exhausted when he reached the bank. Mahoney’s body was recovered ten minutes afterwards, but life was extinct.
Fatal Wager at Walton-le-Dale – Thursday June 29th 1905
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BRAVERY REWARDED AT PRESTON.
At Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, on Saturday, Constable Winstanley, of the County Constabulary, W. Leggett, and H. Gregson were presented with the Royal Humane Society’s certificate for diving and recovering the body of a labourer named Mahoney, drowned in the Ribble on June 28. Certificates were also awarded to H. Lowe and J. Kirby for rescuing a boy who got out of his depth while bathing at Walton Bridge.
Bravery Rewarded at Preston – Monday August 21st 1905
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River Ribble looking east. Taken from Church Deeps, Walton-le-Dale. Photographic print circa 1938. Reference identifier 30118072442472. Courtesy of the Lancashire County Council Red Rose Collections.
https://redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk/view-item?i=214136
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