Cumberland BC: The Cumberlander Articles Section
Uncategorized · 2nd July 2008
Chamber of Commerce
Ginger Goodwin’s great-nephew proud of what he did for miners.
Family history is important to Bob Goodwin, the great-nephew of Ginger Goodwin.
That’s why he returned to Cumberland to coincide with Miner’s Memorial Day celebrations and a showing of a condensed version of the Dancing in the Coal Dust performance held Friday at Cumberland United Church.
“This is my second visit to Cumberland,” said 67-year-old Goodwin, while standing beside his great-uncle’s grave in the Cumberland Cemetery. “I’ve wanted to see the show and when Roger (Stonebanks, author of Fighting for Dignity: The Ginger Goodwin Story) said it was being shown this year my wife (Ann) and I said we’d like to be here. Honestly, I think it’s great we’re here to see it. It’s not the full show, but at least we get to see part of the show.”
Residents of Swinton, Yorkshire in England, the Goodwins were here in 2005, so are familiar with the coal mining history of Cumberland and the story about Goodwin being shot and killed by a 30-30 bullet fired from a special constable’s rifle on July 27, 1918. The date of Goodwin’s death is wrong on this grave marker, noted Stonebanks, with the stone’s inscription reading July 26, 1918.
“It’s good that people still remember Ginger Goodwin and his story,” said Goodwin. “Was his death an accident, or was it deliberate. No one really knows (with the passing of time), but it gets you thinking about what really happened when you look at his grave stone and see that he was shot. It’s there for life, and I’m proud to be a relative of his and to see that he did some good for the miners back then.”
While he never worked in the Yorkshire coal mining town he calls home, Goodwin’s father and other relatives all spent time underground in coal mines.
“With my brothers and father, we’re a big (coal) mining family,” he said.
While Ginger Goodwin’s history is preserved here and is the basis for a new musical being directed by Jeff Hyslop, a community adjacent to where Goodwin lived before he came to Canada is showcasing the Ginger Goodwin story at the Conisbrough Library. Denaby Main is next door to Conisbrough.
“We’re taking more photos while we’re here, and doing some video, which we’ll take back with us and give to the library,” said Goodwin. “And we’re really looking forward to the show and meeting the cast who are in it.”
Goodwin said his introduction to his great-uncle came about after Stonebanks contacted him while he was researching his book on Ginger Goodwin. The two have struck up a friendship, with the Stonebanks hosting Bob and Ann in Victoria.
“I’ve learned a lot about Ginger through Roger’s book,” he said.
With Ginger Goodwin being part of Cumberland’s history, his great-nephew questions why the Liberals a few yearas ago took down Ginger Goodwin Way road signs on Highway 19.
“I’d like to see those signs go back up. (The government) is taking history down. People are going to know where Ginger lived and worked when they drive through this area.
“History should be carried on, not taken down. Why would they take the signs down? Ginger Goodwin is part of the history here and signs were up recognizing this. Then they are taken down. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Family history is important to Bob Goodwin, the great-nephew of Ginger Goodwin.
That’s why he returned to Cumberland to coincide with Miner’s Memorial Day celebrations and a showing of a condensed version of the Dancing in the Coal Dust performance held Friday at Cumberland United Church.
“This is my second visit to Cumberland,” said 67-year-old Goodwin, while standing beside his great-uncle’s grave in the Cumberland Cemetery. “I’ve wanted to see the show and when Roger (Stonebanks, author of Fighting for Dignity: The Ginger Goodwin Story) said it was being shown this year my wife (Ann) and I said we’d like to be here. Honestly, I think it’s great we’re here to see it. It’s not the full show, but at least we get to see part of the show.”
Residents of Swinton, Yorkshire in England, the Goodwins were here in 2005, so are familiar with the coal mining history of Cumberland and the story about Goodwin being shot and killed by a 30-30 bullet fired from a special constable’s rifle on July 27, 1918. The date of Goodwin’s death is wrong on this grave marker, noted Stonebanks, with the stone’s inscription reading July 26, 1918.
“It’s good that people still remember Ginger Goodwin and his story,” said Goodwin. “Was his death an accident, or was it deliberate. No one really knows (with the passing of time), but it gets you thinking about what really happened when you look at his grave stone and see that he was shot. It’s there for life, and I’m proud to be a relative of his and to see that he did some good for the miners back then.”
While he never worked in the Yorkshire coal mining town he calls home, Goodwin’s father and other relatives all spent time underground in coal mines.
“With my brothers and father, we’re a big (coal) mining family,” he said.
While Ginger Goodwin’s history is preserved here and is the basis for a new musical being directed by Jeff Hyslop, a community adjacent to where Goodwin lived before he came to Canada is showcasing the Ginger Goodwin story at the Conisbrough Library. Denaby Main is next door to Conisbrough.
“We’re taking more photos while we’re here, and doing some video, which we’ll take back with us and give to the library,” said Goodwin. “And we’re really looking forward to the show and meeting the cast who are in it.”
Goodwin said his introduction to his great-uncle came about after Stonebanks contacted him while he was researching his book on Ginger Goodwin. The two have struck up a friendship, with the Stonebanks hosting Bob and Ann in Victoria.
“I’ve learned a lot about Ginger through Roger’s book,” he said.
With Ginger Goodwin being part of Cumberland’s history, his great-nephew questions why the Liberals a few yearas ago took down Ginger Goodwin Way road signs on Highway 19.
“I’d like to see those signs go back up. (The government) is taking history down. People are going to know where Ginger lived and worked when they drive through this area.
“History should be carried on, not taken down. Why would they take the signs down? Ginger Goodwin is part of the history here and signs were up recognizing this. Then they are taken down. It doesn’t make sense to me.”