P2 Manner Pit

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Gary Henshaw
24 Mar 2021
Pits in the East Midlands - Manners Colliery

Manners colliery did indeed close in 1949 (production having ceased in 1948), but many of the surface buildings, particularly the headstocks survived for the best part of three decades afterwards. This was due in part to its underground connections to nearby collieries (e.g. Shipley) for emergency access. But mainly as a training facility for the nearby Ilkeston Mines Rescue Centre, which was home to a mobile emergency winder in case any colliery headstocks suffered a calamity leaving miners trapped underground.
This was a very large and heavy vehicle which could occasionally be seen on the roads with blue lights flashing, hopefully only on a training exercise.

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Alan Sarson
5 July 2012
My dad, Bertie Sarson, aged 13 at Manner's Colliery

I found one of my dad’s brothers, Charles Sarson, killed in 1923 at West Hallam Colliery on Elaine Sarson's Mapperley Site. My dad Bertie would have been 113 tomorrow and I have a photo of him, see below, and many more young lads after their first shift underground at Manners Colliery 100 years ago.

Both Charles and his brother John L. survived the 1914-18 war only to come home and die in the pit. Still searching John’s death, thanks to Elaine's site, found Charles.

I have managed to find the photo of my dad at Manners Colliery. It is 100 years old and I have the original. It seems such an interesting piece of history as we look at young 13 year olds and what they had to do at such a young age. How hard it must have been. My dad, Bertie Sarson, worked all of his life underground until 1965. He cycled to Rossington in1921 when the pit was sunk and worked there until retirement. He is first on the back row. I am hoping someone can recognise their dad or grandad.

I was really proud of my dad as he and his fellow miners worked so hard in terrible conditions he passed away in 1979. The photo was taken July 1912.

Best wishes.
Alan Sarson

(Charles Sarson, aged 28, was killed on 12th Feb 1923 at West Hallam by a roof fall, Information from Alan Beales)

Miners

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Helen Coan, nee Disney
28 November 2009
Manners Pit Explosion 1905

Manner I'm researching my Disney family history and many of my ancestors were miners in the Heanor, Langley Mill, Ilkeston, West Hallam and Stanley areas from c 1890 - 1920. I have found that 2 Disneys were involved in an accident at the Manner Pit near Ilkeston in 1905, 3 men were killed in an explosion.

Would love to know more about the incident and obtain some photos I could add to my family history.
Plus contact with anyone who knew any Disneys in the area.

Helen Coan nee Disney

20 Feb 2013

I've already published Volume 1 of my family history and the Derbyshire branch should be in print by summer. Stephen is indeed related to the Samuel who was given the watch for his efforts in the mining accident. Both Samuels then joined the Pioneers in the RE in WW1 even though Samuel was by then 55 !!! I will contact Stephen straightaway.

Helen
P.S I have another Disney involved in an accident. Andrew Disney died in Stanley Pit 1st Feb 1929.

19 April 2011

Through my relative in Ilkeston I have copies from the Ilkeston Pioneer 1905 22nd Sept about the accident which resulted in three deaths. Ten injured men were taken to Ilkeston hospital and three died of their burns and injuries.

2nd March 1906 has details of a presentation to five men who helped in the rescue, one was my Samuel Disney a stallman at Manners pit who was given an engraved silver watch.

Another recipient was Joseph Henshaw a loader. Do you think he is related to the Joseph on your site and Gary Henshaw who wrote about Manners Pit?

I'd love a picture of Manners Pit for the Disney book I'm writing do you thing the owners of the ones on your site might let me use one? I could send you copies of the articles I have

Yours Helen

Hi Fionn,

Ilkeston and particularly Cotmanhay is a bit of a national nucleus for Henshaws, and when mining was at its peak around 100 years ago, along with Beardsleys and Websters, they were amongst the biggest "families" in that area.

I therefore can't rule-out being somehow related to a Joseph Henshaw at Manners Colliery in 1905, but this isn't something I am aware of.

Shipley Woodside Jan 2010

My paternal grandfather, another Joseph Henshaw, would have been at work as a hewer at Woodside Colliery in the Kilburn seam in 1905, where he spent all his underground working life. Reckoned to be the best house-coal in the country, this Shipley Kilburn coal fuelled the fireplaces at Balmoral, the downside being that it ruined my grandfather's (and probably many others') respiratory health, and he died in the early 1940s, aged 61 or thereabouts, after being forced to finish his working life early as a dayman through his work-related illness.

As Woodside and Manners were at that time separate privately-owned entities, it is unlikely he ever worked at the latter, even temporarily.

George Birkin was my grandad on my mother's side, he worked at Cossall Pit. I remember being told about George having a broken back.

Rgds,
Joe.

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Stephen Turner
19 February 2013
Manners Pit - Helen Coan nee Disney's emails, refers to "my Samuel" and the 1905 accident.

Hi Fionn,

Two weeks ago I started researching my family tree, with help from an acquaintance to start me off. My maternal grandmother's maiden name is Disney and, luckily, she was born in 1911 and so appears on the census of that year.

Her father and grandfather were both called Samuel and were both miners and would have been 20 and approx 45 respectively in September 1905.

Last night I did a google search and found your site and Helen Coan nee Disney's emails, one of which refers to
"My Samuel" and his involvement in the rescue operation after the 1905 accident.

My Samuel Disneys lived on Belvior Street, Ilkeston in 1911 and so wondered if one of them was him. I'll be making a visit to Ilkeston library and their microfilm copies of the Pioneer to see what I can find but wondered if it was possible for you to pass on my email address to Helen so we can compare notes if she so wished.

Best regards

Stephen Turner