JOHN DANIEL (JOHNNO) PEARTON III
Johnno's grandfather - John Daniel Pearton - with his wife and children, came to Australia from Middlesex as assisted migrants on the Wanderer in 1855. He died in Launceston in 1858 at the age of 40. Johnno’s father was four years old when the family migrated to Australia and he later married Anne Mitchell and her first born was John Daniel who was followed by Alice, Nell, Florence, Sarah, Ada, George and William.
Johnno, born 1877, joined the Mount Lyell field in the early 1890s. He returned to the Mount Lyell field after a trip to New Zealand and commenced work at the iron blow mine and from there he commenced working for the Mount Lyell mining and railway company in 1896. He worked on the surface and underground in all branches of mining and in 1911 he was appointed Underground Foreman.
On Saturday 12 October 1912 a fire began in the pump house on the 700 foot level of the North Lyell mine. The fire was the start of a tragedy known as the North Lyell disaster in which 42 miners lost their lives. Urgent assistance was requested from Hobart and Melbourne. From Hobart came Superintendent Trousselot of the Hobart Fire Brigade with special diving equipment. Superintendent Trousselot put on the diving equipment to which were attached air hoses and assisted by Johnno descended to the 700 foot level.
The fire had burnt the legs of the mine timbers and tons of rock blocked the level but through an opening in the rock fall he could see clear air and removed his cumbersome breathing helmet which almost proved fatal as the air, although clear, was toxic and caused him to collapse. This was witnessed by Johnno who had stayed at the flat and although he had no breathing equipment reached the collapsed fireman and assisted hm to safety.
R.M. Murray, who was the engineer in charge at that time, recorded the following appraisal:
The work of John Pearton and M Lonergan who did the whole of the work of bringing the men up on a bucket, taking turns of about five in number and travelling no less than five miles in the bucket, is deserving of special mention.
For his involvement with the rescue Operations Johnno was awarded the Mount Lyell Gold Medal and the Silver Medal and Certificate of the Royal Humane Society.
Johnno was also involved with another rescue when he and Patrick Sullivan attempted to rescue Paolo Vella who had fallen from a chain ladder into a pass that contained poisonous gas. Sullivan volunteered to be lowered down to Vella but was overcome by the gas and collapsed. The other miners tried to haul him to the surface but on doing so his body became trapped under an outcrop of rock and he became unmovable. Johnno was then lowered into the pass and freed Sullivan and both men were hauled to the surface. Vella succumbed. Sullivan was presented with a Silver Medal while Johnno received a Clasp to his already awarded Silver Medal.
Johnno was also involved with the rescue of a miner whose foot was trapped by a rock fall. Attempts to free the miner’s foot were futile, and because of the danger to the miner and his rescuers from another rock fall, Johnno severed the miner’s foot above the ankle with an axe, and as the party left the stope, the expected rock fall eventuated, and but for Johnno’s understanding of the mine, an his courage, there would have been five fatalities instead of one buried foot.
Geoff Hudspeth, one of the rescuers, described Johnno’s action as: showing initiative and cold guts. Johnno was the foreman in charge of the miners who drove the North Lyell from both ends. The finished tunnel was a remarkable achievement of accuracy considering the surveying that was done by James Hornsey was by theodolite and transfer lines over the mountain.
Johnno played a major role in opening the Royal Tharsis and West Lyell open cuts. He received his Mine Manager’s Certificate in 1934, and prior to retiring in 1944 he was the Surface and Underground Manager for all the mining operations. A great achievement indeed, to start as a 14 year old boy who could not read or write and to finish in charge of the most important operations job on the field.
Johnno was a great family man and he ensured they were well educated. His greatest downfall was the demon drink. One of his favourites was Navy Rum and milk. He loved a pub brawl, even though he lost more than he won. He had a camp and property at Lynchford where he and his mates ran cattle, sheep and horses. Fishing and hunting were two more of his recreational activities, and he and his mates would row his Huon pine dinghy from Strahan to Birches Inlet and then walk down the coast to the Spero River. His Huon pine dinghy is still in use today.
He declared he would never work for anyone, other than R. M. Murray, so they retired together on 31st May 1944.
He was a legend in Australian mining. He was blue-eyed, bald, semi-literate, tough, aggressive, rum-loving and fond of a brawl in a pub.
A miner of the old school, he had a wonderful knowledge of practical mining, and uncanny eye for dangerous ground, arms of steel that had won him many a hammer and drill competition, and an overpowering personality that won him the self-styled position of Underground Manager.
In a temper, he would thrown his hat on the ground and stamp on it, in danger he was quiet and self-possessed, a born leader whose courage made him a hero of the North Lyell disaster, and a right-hand man of R.M. Murray thereafter.
From The Peaks of Lyell, G. Blainey.
Upon R.M. Murray’s death, Mrs Murray wrote to Johnno, and part of the letter reads:......You have been so loyal and stood by him and supported him through many a critical time, and he once told me he had a real love in his heart for you.
Rocky Wedd describes Johnno as; A fearless miner.
G. Fred Jakins was Mine Superintendent when Johnno retired, and he recorded the following in a letter that he sent; throughout your career you have blazed a trail of unswerving loyalty and devotion to duty which will be remembered by all who have known you. The skill, brave determination and fairness that you have displayed in the direction of all the work entrusted to you, will be a lasting example to those whom you have trained to follow you. Having been closely associated with you for the last 35 out of 50 years that you have been continuously employed here I cannot but express my regret both personally and officially of your decision to retire from the exacting activities of your present position as Underground and Surface Manager.
Extract from newspaper, October 1949:
The death of Mr John Daniel Pearton removed one of the State’s outstanding mining personalities. Upon retirement from Mount Lyell he resided in Devonport with his wife until he died. He leaves three sons and four daughters. Two sons are Foremen with Mount Lyell. His sound judgement in mining won him the confidence of management and employees. The Company was represented at the funeral by Mr C. F. Jakins.