Today I received a death certificate from Basford. It has left me very sad as my grandad, Ben Fawcett, used to sit in his prefab and sing very sad songs to me. I had remembered he was a twin sometimes crying over his lost brother, Walter. So today, I found Walter; aged 20 had been killed at Moorgreen pit in August 1900. Grandad Ben had married Fanny Elizabeth Eaglefield just two months previously to this and Walter had been his best man. I have found the record of his death but he is named as William instead of Walter.

. Moorgreen Colliery

I am wondering now if he had disliked his name and used his dad’s name, or the writing around that time was hard to read. Ben had named his first born Walter who grew up to also be a miner and stood 6` 2" and a gentle giant.

Princes Street, Eastwood today

Last year my husband and I went to ‘Princes Street’ in Eastwood where the family were registered at. I feel very sad today for the pain his parents had gone through but hope my dear ‘granddad Ben’ is happy that I have found his beloved twin. Granddad Ben worked down Bentley pit, Doncaster until aged 65 and died aged 84 in 1963. His Woodbines and weekend beer did him no harm. He measured just 5' 2" when he died.

Thank you for a fantastic four hours on your site and related sites.

Christine.

7 March 09

Hello Fionn,

Your email today was so welcome, interesting and informative and I very much look forward to visiting the site again.

I have only had the computer for three years. I joined G/R and have built my family tree on there and have made 59 contacts.

I began it with my husband’s tree, who are mainly Taylors, who originated from Clowne. I found some fascinating information, also that we should be called Magnall, not Ward. My father-in-law, also an ex-miner, had a birth certificate showing him as Ward Magnall but mum-in-law would never use the Magnall as Annie Taylor had never married him. She had five children to her husband, Henry Ward, a farmer, then he died and she took up with James Magnall and had 5 more children. How interesting life became after I got this computer.

I have a lovely photograph of Granddad Ben Fawcett and Fanny Elizabeth with their Children Walter, (named after the late Walter) Linda and Fred, taken in Nottingham. Would it be possible to put this on the website? That would be wonderful but I am not sure how to do it.

If only someone somewhere had a photo of the late Walter or even any information on the Fawcett or Eaglefield families. I would be very grateful for anything.

Before I close, I also obtained another death certificate yesterday which also upset me. Linda, as mentioned above, married Percy Devy who was born at Newstead (Priory?). I had contact through G/R where I found he had 11 siblings but John Thomas had died aged 17. He had died of Phthisis which I looked up as a form of wasting disease, consumption. He was also a miner. As a mother of three myself, all now in their forties, I cannot contemplate anything like the mothers went through all those years ago.

Mining Accidents - William Fawcett

William Fawcett, aged 20, occupation loader died 12th August 1900 at Moorgreen Colliery as the result of a roof fall . The Colliery was owned by Barber Walker and Co

Notes: Fall of roof. Deceased was wedging coal down when a long length of roof fell and fatally injured him.
In the notes it says he died on the 25th instantly, which does not match the 12th August above.

(Wedging, using wooden wedges to loosen the coal instead of blasting)
(A Loader or Loaderman would normally fill tubs, trains or minecars at loading point so when he died he was actually doing the work of a collier or hewer)

From: Alan Beales
Sent: 10 March 2009

Hi Fionn, If Christine wants address inquest date re William Fawcett I have it

Cheers A B

Glossary of Terms

Hi
I’ve been searching for information concerning my grandfather Jesse Lewis, born 1876 in Madeley, Staffordshire. Son of George Lewis. He married Mary Alice Crutchley (Born 1975 in Hanley, Staffordshire,) in Keele in 1900 and had three children Millicent, Elsie and my mother Ruby Jessie.

The family resided in Newcastle Road, Madeley and were there in 1911. After that date, my mother and her sister Elsie moved to live in an orphanage in Suffolk and kept no information or had no knowledge of the demise of their parents.

I would be most grateful to learn if anyone has any information concerning them both. I have checked mining accidents, military records for 1914 – 1918, death records and all other records that cross my mind, but just cannot trace them.

Thank you for any help that you may be able to give.

Think that I have emailed you before with the Inquest on Gaythorn Bartholomew age 14 (Killed Steetley Colliery 1896)

I have now found out that another family member (1st cousin to Gaythorn Bartholomew) was killed, Frank Shone 1892 age 18 was also killed in a mining accident. He was living in Bolsover Derbyshire.

Have you anything in your data bases?

Regards Margaret ^._.^ ^._.^

Nottinghamshire Bat Rescue

www.nottsbatrescue.org.uk

Dear Fionn
I am trying to piece together the history of my Great Grandfather, William Alexander Penman. Apparently while he was with the Mine Rescue Service at Cowdenbeath 1915, they were called out on a rescue operation. The operation completed, he went home to bed and died aged 32.

He seemingly, on the rescue had come into contact with Black Damp and it is said in the family that if he had stayed in the fresh air for a while longer, he would have lived.

I am looking for any information on this incident, name of the pit where the rescue operation took place, the date etc. I would be grateful if you could post this plea on your site or point me in the right direction as to where I could glean this information.

Yours sincerely,
John Penman.

My father Reuben Young died a few years ago he was originally from the Caribbean and worked in Sherwood Colliery Mansfield Wood House.

I am wondering of there are any pictures of him available from the colliery or archives . I knew picture was taken of several miner and him but the picture got damaged and I'd love to have one to show his grand son

I am interested also in making contact with his very close friend Keith Kemp who was also a miner in the same colliery and lived in Wood house

I am unsure how to commence my search so would be very grateful if you could pint me in the right direction

Many thanks

Hope to hear from you soon with any advise you
Heather Young

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