Hello,
I have looked at some of the comments about the Minnie Pit Disaster and note the question above about one of the victims E C Webb, he was my mother’s younger brother Edward Charles, son of Charles Henry Webb who had the awful job of recovering his son in 1919 being a mines rescue team member E C Webb in the list was not Edmond.

The news item on BBC1 Midlands Today prompted me to Contact you seeing that Herbert Webb that made some comments on the film clips was my uncle and brother of Edward.

I wonder if you could help me to locate the source of some of the information on Midlands Today 05 Mar 2014, The voice of Herbert Webb, who gave a very brief account of what happened in the disaster which he, his father and brother Edward (Ted) were in was my uncle, and I would like to find out if there is any more of the clip that might be available seeing that the BBC would have had to edit because of time limitations. I have emailed them to see if they can help and are awaiting their reply.

My uncle has not been around for many years so the recording must be stored somewhere in Staffordshire memorabilia.

I live in Warwickshire but spent much holiday time in Halmerend  when much younger (85 now).

Hello Fionn,
 
I'm doing some research on the people killed in the Minnie and noticed some correspondence on your site - but how do I contact the writers?
 
Ian Bailey.

Hi Fionn,  
I'm researching my family tree and it has always been thought that my grandfather Harry Rowley, a miner, died in the Minnie Pit disaster but that has turned out to be not the case as he died in 1916.  However, his brother (my great uncle) Fred Rowley did perish there.
 
Kind regards,
 
Phil Rowley

Email 2

Hello
Is there any way of finding out the names of the A. Rowley (37) and J. Rowley (42) killed in the Minnie pit disaster? One of them, or perhaps the one named as John Rowley (31) was married to my grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Rowley, who was aged 28 at the time, but I don't know which one. I know he was buried in the churchyard in Audley, but the gravestones (cornerstones) have been removed.

Thanking you in anticipation, Kind regards, Glynnis Rowley. Early records show A. Rowley aged 37. On the memorial the only A. Rowley is Arthur. John Rowley was aged 31 a Collier and lived in Halmerend Fionn

Click Image to Enlarge Click to Reduce

Dear Sir,
E C Webb was my Grandfathers brother, my father (Edmund Charles) was named after him.
Do you know if George Webb and E.C Webb were related.

Regards Phil Webb

Margaret Bryden

Dear Sir
I saw your site and it was quite moving to see the memorial and the tributes from everyone.

My paternal great grandfather died in the disaster. I was pleased to see his name, H Ashley on the memorial. His son (my grandfather) was also a miner, soldier in the Great War and then a master builder. His son was my father.

Just thought I would let you know.

Best Regards
Nick

Dr Nicholas V Ashley

Dear Fionn
I accidentally came across the memorial to the men involved in this disaster during a walk yesterday and subsequently looked up your site on the web.

If the R. Lockett, aged 51 was Reuben the son of Ephraim and Emma Lockett and husband of Annie, then he was the cousin of my wife's great grandmother, Elizabeth Lockett and as family history is my interest, I am writing to you.

What puzzles me is that I can find no record of the deaths of the three Locketts, listed as having died, in the official Government Index of Deaths registered in January, February and March 1918 and wondered why this might be.

If you have any information or ideas about this or further background, I should be delighted to hear from you.

Kind Regards
Mike Hewitt

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Hi Fionn,
Happy New Year to you.

I've been looking at your site again and have re-read Mike Hewitt's email of 7 June 2008 and can answer his puzzle about the registration of deaths for the three Locketts killed in 1918.

Some of the bodies of those who died in the disaster weren't recovered until 1919, including that of my great uncle Fred Rowley, and their deaths were registered in the Oct-Dec quarter of that year.

I looked them up on FreeBMD here http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl  and Arthur and George's deaths were registered at Newcastle U Lyme in Volume 6b, page 86.  Reuben's was registered at Newcastle U Lyme in Volume 6b, page 78.

I hope this is of help to him and anyone else trying to tie down the registration of death of a relative and can't find it.

I'd be obliged if you could forward this onto him. Kind regards, Phil Rowley