Thank you for your wonderful site! It's absolutely brilliant!

I was the Ventilation Officer and then Fire/Dust Suppression Officer at Victoria Colliery for a number of years in the 60s and although I have read some of the reports before, I have found all of your site totally absorbing. However, if you go to the link below you will see that there were another 11 awards (bronze) given for actions during this tragedy. I have pasted the information below. I have also emailed them to tell them that I think they have made a transcription error i.e. the bottom name is given as Hoole, R. and I think that it should be Howle, R., who is mentioned on your site.The reason I think that you are right and they are wrong is amazing really. I am researching Sproston's ( my maternal ancestor's) and my brother -in-law is researching Howle (his paternal ancestors). The name William occurs for the last 7 generations in Sproston's and Richard occurs for the last 5 generations in Howle's ancestry.

What an amazing world we live in to think that in a disaster from 108 years ago my bro-in-law's ancestor saved the life of one of mine!

Regards and Best Wishes (keep up the good work)
Derek

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY BRONZE MEDALS CITATIONS
TAKEN FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1895
Compiled by Peter Helmore

• Sproston, John. Miner. Case 27572
• Johnson, John. Miner.
• Langshaw, Thos. Miner.
• Boulton, John. Miner.
• Carter, John. Miner.
• Hinckley, Amos. Miner.
• Bateman, Joseph. Miner.
• Barlow, Moses. Miner.
• Rowley, George. Miner.
• Maddock, Jas. Miner.
• Hoole, Richd. Miner.

On the 14th January 1895, at the Diglake Colliery at Audley, Staffordshire.

See Silver medals to Wm. Dodd and John Watts, Acts of Gallantry Vol 11 Page 88