Memorial to Dead Miners
A permanent memorial is planned to mark the lives of 57 miners killed in an explosion during World War II.
The men died when a spark triggered a coal dust explosion in number four pit at Sneyd Colliery, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on New Year's Day 1942.
None of the miners should have been working, but had gone down the pit to help with the war effort.
The memorial, whose location is to be chosen by the public, would take the shape of a pit wheel on a plinth.
Keith Meeson, one of the people helping to organise the memorial, said: "It was always a superstition and a bad omen for miners to work on New Year's Day.
"It was due to the war effort, as it was in 1942, they were asked to go into work, and all the men turned out that morning."
|
|
Bad Omen
An exhibition opens at the Burslem School of Art on Monday where people can find out more about the tragedy and the memorial campaign.
Beryl Royle's father Albert Ansell was one of the rescue team.
Mrs Royle, who was 11-years-old at the time of the tragedy, said: "He went out the house, a 40-year old man and, when he came back in, he looked 70."
Mr Ansell went on to write a book about the disaster, which he later destroyed.
Mrs Royle said: "My uncle, Joe Ansell, he read it, and said no way can you have that published.
"It would be too frightening, and we'd never get anyone to go down a mine again." |
