Memorial Recalls Victims

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Sent:
Subject:

Richard Ault
23 Jan 2016
Mining in North Staffordshire, Minnie Pit Disaster, 'Way We Were' edition of The Sentinel, Staffordshire

Hi,
I’m pulling together a supplement on mining in North Staffordshire, which will be a stand alone 'Way We Were' edition of The Sentinel.

As part of that, I have written a few separate articles about the Minnie Pit disaster.
What I would like to do is to use the list of the fallen miners from your website as part of the tribute to the men (and children) who died on that day.

I’ve previously spoken to John and he gave me permission to use work he has posted on the internet. I understand from the website that it was John who pulled together the list?

Anyway, what I propose to write in the supplement, regarding the list is below. As you can see I’ve credited your website. Is that okay with you?

Thanks,
Richard

FORMER miner John Lumsden has carried out research to find out the names of the miners who were killed in the Minnie Pit disaster.

John, now aged 87, of Longton, joined the Mines Rescue Brigade in 1953, a role he continued when he moved to Florence Colliery.

He was gone through archives and data to painstakingly find the names of the 155 souls who lost their lives in the disaster.

What is immediately apparent from looking at the data, is how many of the miners who died in the disaster were just children, many aged as young as 14. More than 40 of the victims were aged 16 or younger. The eldest person to die was 65-year-old Thomas Sherratt

The names John has found – which can be viewed on the website, www.healeyhero.co.uk which was set up in memory of Philip Healey, who served Ilkeston Mines Rescue between 1954 and 1971 – are below:

Minnie Pit Disaster January 1918 - Lives of the First World War

See Michael Glover - Lives of the First World War - 1918 Mini Pit Disaster Page - IWM

This is a breakthrough, miners who died or worked in the mines and survived during WW1 will now be renamed as Other Empire Force and the Regiment is the Coal Industry and rank of the miner is Coal Mine Worker!

Whow! Do what you can from your end and if you understand the process from IWM get other miners added not just those from the Minnie. Who knows may get a campaign medal for them all.

But of course this is only with the IWM.

Podmore Hall, Minnie Disaster - 1918

Wilfred Owen "Miners"
A poem he wrote in direct response to the Minnie Pit Disaster in which 156 miners died.

Minnie Disaster Memorial

Memorial Recalls Victims

Fathers and sons who died in North Staffordshire's worst ever pit disaster were remembered with the unveiling of a new memorial in the 86th anniversary year. Almost 200 people gathered at the Minnie Pit site, Halmerend, to remember the 155 men and boys who perished in the explosion on
12th January 1918.

The pit wheel monument was unveiled on Monday 12th January 2004, the anniversary of the disaster. Community leaders attended the event to commemorate those who lost their lives in the massive underground explosion, which ripped the colliery apart, burying fathers and sons alive. I believe it was the longest rescue and recovery job ever done, using continuously, self-contained breathing apparatus. The last body being recovered 19 months after the explosion.

Newcastle deputy mayor Freda Myatt unveiled the memorial, which was paid for from a Lottery grant of £1.400. Archdeacon Godfrey Stone conducted the service.

Youngsters from Heathcote Primary School composed and read poems for the occasion, while pupils from Thomas Boughey High School read out the names and ages of all the men and boys who died. On the day of the disaster fewer than 100 of the 247 miners working on that day came up alive.

An exhibiting on mining was displayed by Apedale Mining Museum at an event organised by the Halmerend Wildlife Trust. Trust chairman, Ike Williams, aged 79 said; it was a brilliant day, and so pleased so many people had turned up to pay tribute to the miners who lost their lives. It is important to remember our heritage and where we come from.

Forty-eight boys died under the age of 17 and 67 women were left widowed. It is important that we remember them.

From: Steve Austin
Sent: 14 November 2008
Original Email

Hi Fionn
I have been trying to trace a person from the Minnie Pitt Disaster. My father is named Harvey and says that he was always told that he was named after his dads best friend who died in the Minnie Pitt. I found an Earnest Harvey Corke on the memorial plaque at Alsager's Bank church.
I thought that you might like the photo of the names from the church for your records.

Best regards
Steve Austin

Click Image to Enlarge
Click to Reduce

Names of Men and Boys Killed

F. Aldersea - age 14

Joshua Amson aged 14 years, haluage

H. Ashley - age 40

John Austin aged 41 years, loader

G. Baddeley - age 14

T. Bailey - age 42

G. Bailey - age 51

John Barlow aged 18 years, loader

J. Barnett - age 34

Joe Bateman aged 32 years, collier

Alfred Beckett aged 35 years, shifter

Francis Beech aged 15 years, haulage

Peter Benson aged 14 years, haulage

Arthur Birkin aged 14 years, haulage

Daniel Brayford aged 16 years, haulage

C. Brindley - age 49

Charles Broad aged 32 years, collier

A. Broadbent - age 14

J. Broadbent - age 15

Bert Brockley aged 14 years, haulage

S. Brockley aged 19 years, haulage

George Browning aged 59 years, ropeman

George Burgess aged 42 years, collier

Jabez Burgess aged 20 years, loder

David Burgess aged 44 years, collier

Arnold Byatt aged 17 years, haulage

F. Cartledge aged 32 years, collier

J. Cartwright - age 35

Thomas Challinor aged 15 years, haulage

Thomas Cope aged 16 years, haulage

Earnest Harvey Corke - age 46

F. Cornes - age 16

Henry Dale - age 54

Enoc Daniels aged 38 years, pumpman

John R. Davies aged 18 years, haulage

William Davies aged 20 years, haulage

Jesse Dean aged 26 years, collier

John Dean aged 27 years, collier

Henry Dean aged 32 years, collier

Hugh Doorboy, Birchenwood Rescue Team

Ralph Dowling aged 26 years, loader

Edward Downing aged 44 years, fireman

H. Eden - age 23

Fred Edgeley aged 16 years, haulage

E. Farrall - age 24

William Genders aged 28 years collier

W. Gilbert - age 39

O. Green - age 14

A. Green - age 16

William H. Green aged 45 years, fireman

J. Hampson - age 14

A. Harrison - age 14

F. Harrison - age 15

Reg Harrison aged 15 years, haulage

Ernest Harrison aged 20 years, loader

H. Harrison - age 21

Job Harrison age 38 years, collier

John Harrison aged 28 years, collier

A. Harrison - age 27

B. Harrison - age 33

A. Henshall - age 21

R. Holland - age 15

R. Holland - age 18

Bernard Holland aged 23 years, loader

Elijah Holland jnr. aged 30 years, collier

William Hollier aged 42 years, collier

F. Howell - age 39

Charles Hulse aged 15 years, haulage

Percy Hulse aged 23 years, loader

John Hulse aged 31 years, collier

W. Ing - age 34

Ernest Jebb aged 20 years, loader

P. Jebb - age 23

G. Jebb - age 30

J. Johnson - age 14

E. Johnson - age 15

F. Johnson - age 17

G. Johnson - age 28

C. Johnson - age 32

B. Johnson - age 37

James Jones aged 16 years, haluage

Ben Jones aged 19 years, haulage

F. Jones - age 24

D. Jones - age 26

C. Jones - age 26

Henry Jones aged 36 years, collier

E. Jones - age 43

T. Jones - age 45

William Kestervan age 15 years, haulage

A. Kirkham - age 14

Joseph Lear aged 26 years, loader

John Lee aged 16 years, haulage

Eli Lee aged 17 years, haulage

P. Leek - age 23

Dan Leighton aged 39 years, collier

Charles Leighton aged 45 years, fireman

G. Lightfoot - age 38

G. Lockett - age 14

A. Lockett - age 14

R. Lockett - age 51

John Madew aged 42 years, collier

Joseph Mayer aged 16 years, haulage

Thomas Morgan - aged 44 years, collier

Charles Platt aged 35 years, ropeman

J. Platt - age 24

Ralph Pointon aged 16 years, haulage

William Pointon aged 15 years, haulage

R. Pointon - age 16

G. W. Pointon - age 23

Arthur Pointon aged 24 years, roadman

Len Pointon aged 30 years, collier

On the right Archdeacon Godfrey Stone
Middle Newcastle Deputy Mayor Freda Myatt
next to her Ike Williams

Pupils From Sir Thomas Boughey High School
Read Out The Victims Names

Pupils From Heathcote Primary School
Composed And Read Poems.

T. Poole Jnr - age 25

T. Poole Snr - age 49

Arthur Ratcliffe aged 20 years, loader

William Ratcliffe aged 32 years, collier

Fred Rhodes aged 15 years, haulage

S. Rhodes Jnr - age 17

John Richardson aged 50 years, shifter

W. Richardson aged 47 years, collier

S. Richardson aged 56 years, hooker

E. Riley - age 26

Albert Roberts aged 21 years, loader

George Rowley aged 18 years, haulage

Lionel Rowley aged 19 years, haulage

Vincent Rowley aged 20 years, engineman

Fred Rowley aged 25 years, collier

John Rowley aged 31 years, collier

A. Rowley - age 37 (Arthur?)

J. Rowley - age 42, Collier

Samuel Rowley aged 62 years, shifter

P. Salmon - age 14

Wilmot Scrivens aged 19 years, haulage

Thomas Sherratt aged 65 years, ostler

J. H. Smith - age 16

W. H. Smith - age 21

Bernard Spode aged 14 years, haulage

G. Steele - age 26

R. Steele - age 31

W. Stubbs - age 14

H. Sumnall - age 16

W. Swann - age 19

Leonard Taylor aged 31 years, collier

Thomas Timmiss aged 50 years, shifter

F. Tipper - age 47

F. Tomkinson - age 15

A. Wainwright - age 41

Harry Wareham aged 14 years, haulage

Edward Charles Webb - age 15

George Webb - aged 35 years, loader

Thomas West aged 30 years, collier

James Wilcox aged 21 years, loader

Henry Wilshaw aged 21 years, loader

Fred Woodvine aged 14 years, haulage

Jno Harrison - age 28

Job Harrison - age 38

D Whitehurst - age 38

Photographs by John Lumsdon

See Michael Glover - Lives of the First World War -
1918 Mini Pit Disaster Page - IWM