Leycett Explosion 1880

Jennifer Ham - Leycett 1883, looking for information about Frederick Dykes, born Buerton, Audlem in 1858
Colin Allen - My g.grandfather, Joseph Allen survived the disaster but died 1883 from Brights disease
Joan Darcy - My Great Grandfather, John Turnock, Was Killed In The 1880 Disaster At Leycett
Margaret Bryden - Any info: My Great Grandfather James Webb was killed in the 1880 explosion
Michael Hendry - Came Across List Of Contributors, Leycett Colliery Disaster Fund 1880
Any information about John Mc Cready died at Fairlady Leycett Pit 21st January 1880

From:
Sent:
Subject:

Jennifer Ham
4 February 2012
Leycett 1883, looking for information about Frederick Dykes, born Buerton, Audlem in 1858

Dear Website founder,

Your full and most descriptive description of the 1880 Leycett disaster has prompted me to ask if you have any information on the six people who died in the colliery disaster of 21 Oct 1883?

My great grandparents lived and worked in Leycett and my great grandmother left there with her daughter’s family in 1926.

He was called Frederick Dykes, born Buerton, Audlem in 1858. (They also had a son Fred Dykes, born Madeley 1880.)

Any help you can give would be much appreciated and with thanks and Best Wishes I am (Mrs) Jennifer Ham.

I have found a Frederick Dykes, who in 1881 was a coal miner aged 23, his wife Hannah was also 23. They had no children living with them.

Ten years later in 1891 he was still a coal miner and they had a son, Fred aged 11. Fred was a scholar at this time.

In 1901 Frederick Dykes aged 43 was the Head of the family and married to Hannah Dykes.
Frederick was born Bierton, Cheshire, England in the Civil parish of Madeley, in the Town of Leycett, Staffordshire
Registration district Newcastle under Lyme, about 1858. Frederick and Hannah had two children Fred Dykes, aged 21 and Emma Dykes aged 15.
If this is your Frederick they lived at Church Cottages and both he and his son were colliers while Emma was an apprentice dressmaker.

LEYCETT Disaster. Madeley, Stafforshire. 21st October 1883
The colliery was owned by the Madeley Coal and Iron Company, there was an explosion while trying to build off a gob fire and 6 men were killed:-

James Kirkwood, age 23, married with 1 child, surveyor, only married about twelve months.
Thomas Webb, married with 6 children
Joshua Leek, age38, married with 7 children
William Cartledge, age 32, married with 5 children
George Fox, age 29, married with 1 child
Richard Lewis, age 26, married with 3 children

With the exception of Thomas Webb who lived at Madeley, all the deceased men lived at Leycett.

More Information at:- http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/coalface/Disasters/fairlady1883.htm

From:
Sent:
Subject:

Colin Allen
28 November 2011
My g.grandfather, Joseph Allen survived the disaster but died 1883 from Brights disease

My great grandfather was Joseph Allen who survived the above disaster but who died in 1883 from Brights disease and Bulimia.(His wife reported the death.)

I have been unable to find out where he was living at the time of the disaster or who his parents were and so my family history stops there. Do you have any suggestions which might help please?

Colin Allen

From: Joan Darcy
Sent: 15 October 2008
Subject: My great grandfather, John Turnock, was indeed killed in the 1880 disaster at Leycett

I just want to say thank you for the work you are doing on this site. I have, after much searching, just confirmed that my great grandfather, John Turnock, (a loader) was indeed killed in a mining accident as my mother always said. His name appears on the memorial to those who were killed in 1880 at Leycett in the Fair Lady shaft. If you are collecting biographies I may be able to send you something about him once I have done a bit more chasing.

We went to Apedale Mining Museum two years ago but I did not see the Memorial. We shall now visit again next year.

Joan D'Arcy nee Mayer

From: Margaret Bryden
Sent: 19 June 2008
Subject: Any information: My Great Grandfather James Webb was killed in the 1880 explosion

My Great Grandfather James Webb was killed in the 1880 explosion are there any details of where he is buried and what compensation his widow with 5 young children got, or indeed any other information such as his address or where he was born.

Margaret B

Compensation
At the time mentioned 1880s there was no such thing. When a major disaster occurred there would usually be a local fund set up to collect donations for the bereaved and dependants. burial fees would be paid for the victims and weekly payments allowed for widows and children depending on the size of the fund. I haven’t found when it was set up yet, but most miners paid a few pence per week to the Midlands Miners fatal accident fund which provided similar benefits. The workmen’s compensation act was not passed until the 1890s when mining unions were able to employ lawyers to fight for compensation.

Alan Beales

Sent: 06 July 2007
Subject: Any information about John Mc Cready died at Fairlady Leycett Pit 21st January 1880

Hi
Do you have any info on this person please?

John McCready died at Fairlady Leycett Pit 21st January 1880 3.30am to 4.30am

From: Michael Hendry
Sent: 06 July 2007
Subject: I Came Across The List Of Contributors, Leycett Colliery Explosion Disaster Fund 1880

Whilst researching other names through the Times Digital Archive, I came across a list of contributors to the fund for the Relief of the Sufferers which might be of interest to you. Dated 7 February 1880.

Please contact me if you require further details.

Michael Hendry
Shropshire