In the first Wigan World of the New Year, I take you to foreign places, To Westhoughton.
And without shame, I admit that I wept when I read this port in a new book which details the life of the district and the terrible disaster at a pit there.
I had known of the explosion at the Pretoria Colliery but - locally overshadowed by the disaster at Abram's Mapole pit - I had never considered it in depth.
What caught my eye was a report that after the disaster in Westhoughton, there were so many funerals that one bride groom had to be married at five in the morning.

Doesn't that bring it all home? The disaster underground happened between Christmas 1910 and New Year's day 1911, different cemeteries in Westhoughton presented "appalling sights". The words of rector Coelenbier of Sacred Heart on January 1, 1911. He was to add: "No-one will ever forget the sights . . . the hearses, the mourning coaches, the long funeral processions, then throngs of bereaved widows and orphans, relatives and friends, the hundreds of visitors, all of them making their way to the last resting places.To see the people in tears, to hear the sobbing and sighing of the wives and children, brothers and sisters, was something beyond human endurance."

Jim Staveley was the only survivor of Pretoria Pit Disaster

The Disaster

Hi,

I'm researching an ancestor of mine whose name was William Henry Hill (born 1866) and shown on the 1911 census as an Instructor at the Howe Bridge Rescue Station and resident with his family at the station at the time of the census.

Have the individuals in the picture of 'Howe Bridge Rescue Team 1911, Lancashire' on page 3 of the website been identified as I would be very interested to know if William Henry Hill is among them ?

Kind regards,

Andrew Turner.

Thanks for your reply and for sending my mail onto John who has just been in touch to identify my relative in the picture which is great news.

Much appreciated for all your help,

Andrew.

Hi
I have an original copy of the photo on page 3 of the Howe Bridge rescue team. My Great Grandfather is the man on the far right, William Alfred Ewins.

They were involved in the rescue attempt at the Pretoria disaster in 1910. Both he and his brother, Walter, received the Hulton medal and are featured in the article concerning the presentation ceremony in 1911.

Many thanks

John Hayworth

Howe Bridge rescue team
My Great Grandfather is the man on the far right, William Alfred Ewins.

This is a photo of my Great Grandfather and his brother who were both members of one of the
rescue teams that went into the Pretoria pit.  In this photo they are in their St John's Ambulance uniforms and are wearing their Hulton medals.

Seated My Great Grandfather William Albert Ewins, Standing, Walter Ewins.

Hello

To let you know that the Lancashire Online Parish Clerk project in conjunction with the Westhoughton Local History Group has just published a comprehensive documentation of the Pretoria Pit Disaster . Click below

There is much factual information and maps about the pit and the disaster, though the main focus has been on gathering data about the 344 men and boys who died.

Our information is based on records of fact, not on annecdotal evidence, hearsay and faded memories and we hope will lay to rest some of the misconceptions that inevitably arise when a catastrophe of this size happens.

Regards
Peter Wood & Pamela Clarke

Hi my great, great uncle died in the pit disaster. I have only just recently found out he was George Sargeant. He was only young, with a wife and 2 kids. I was wondering if there were any photos of the miners so I could see what my uncle looked like?

He is buried in Westhorton cemetery. His wife was called Mary Ann and his children were William and Amelia.

Regards Wendy

Hi
I have only just found your site and enjoyed reading through it. I noticed there was a request from a Wendy Lapinsky asking about George Sargeant who was killed in the Pretoria Pit Disaster. I believe the anniversary of the disaster is tomorrow. I am Alan Sargeant and George Sargeant was my Great-Grandfather. My grandfather was William Sargeant - the first of his two children.

Do you have Wendy's email address - or could you forward mine on to her as I believe we have some old photos of George with Amelia (who we knew as Milly) and William.

All the very best to you and your site. A great idea.

Alan Sargeant
Moray, Scotland.

Tried emailing Wendy but she must have changed her email address. If you read this Wendy please get in touch.
PS I come from Hopeman, Morayshire but left when I was 8.
George Sargeant was 28 and a Collier working at Bank No.3, Pretoria. He died along with 344 others.