RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: P J Neylon (nee Collins) on Saturday 27 March 10 10:22 GMT (UK)
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Hi this is just my 2nd post so please bear with me if it's in the wrong place :)
I'm looking for some information relating to my maternal great grandfather. As far as I know he was employed as a collier in the Lancashire coalfield in the late 19th/early 20th century and was subsequently killed in a mining accident sometime between 1906 & 1908.
a distant cousin has researched some family history and thinks he was killed in 1908 after which his wife, being so distraught made the 2 eldest sons, one of whom was my grandfather, (also colliers) leave their jobs down the mines and take up other work. If this is the case the date of death must be incorrect as his wife had remarried by 1908 and on the 1911 census has a baby age 3 by her new husband!
My Gt Grandfather appears as a collier on census records and I have been told that he worked in “the deepest pit in Lancashire” which to my understanding was Golborne colliery. However this is only hearsay and I have been unsuccessful thus far in tracing any record of him.
He originated in Billinge Lancashire and was living in Downall Green, Ashton in Makerfield Lancs at the time of his death. Could anyone point me in the right direction as to where to find any info on a person killed in a mining accident at the trun of the century
thanks pauline :)
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You may wish to run his name through here:
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/home/
Maybe publish his name for some extra help and something to get our teeths into!
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Hi Pauline and welcome - would you like to post the name of your great grandfather? (it is RootsChat policy not to post details of the (possibly) living -but as you have stated he is deceased that does not apply)
Suz
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Welcome to Rootschat, Pauline. Have moved this thread to LANCASHIRE board for you since that's where your family lived. If you give us the name and any other details you have we'll see what we can find or suggest where you can search next.
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Thanks
will check lancashire board
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I've already moved this thread to LANCASHIRE board :)
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thank you.........couldn't find it but am here now! It may take me a while to get used to this.
I will try that link thanks :)
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I am unable to find any information of the date suggested.
Golborne Colliery Explosion Sunday, 18th March 1979
One hundred years after the King Pit explosion a tragedy occurred at Golborne Colliery.
Once more clouds of dust were the first indication that something serious had happened. Miners nearby also describe hearing two muffled thuds", and sensing a momentary reversal of air" and feeling a popping of the ears."
On the night shift of Saturday 17th/18th March a damaged fan had been found. The ventilation system was subsequently switched off, resulting in a build up of fire damp. This was carefully monitored.
On Sunday 18th March, a team of eleven were working to restore the system. At about 11.15 in the morning there was an explosion. Three men were killed and seven later died in hospital. Of the working party of 11 only one person, the apprentice electrician, survived. The deputy manager of the mine initiated emergency procedures. Men working in other parts of the mine were withdrawn and the Boothstown rescue brigade were summoned
Few Wiganers will forget that week. National news programmes opened their bulletins with progress reports on the injured miners. Tony Benn, the energy secretary, visited Golborne. As did Joe Gormley, the general secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers. Joe had several good reasons for being there. He was born in Wigan and his son was part of the rescue team.
The following is a short extract from the Daily Telegraph from Monday 19th March, 1977:
Three dead, Eight Hurt in Gas Explosion"
"Three miners were killed and eight seriously burned in a methane explosion 600 yards below the surface at Golborne Colliery, near Leigh, Greater Manchester, yesterday. All were electricians or development workers on ventilation maintenance work on a new seam roadway."
Further reading: http://www.wiganman.co.uk/Content/history/two_explosions.html
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His name was William Dearden born circa 1866 Billinge Chapel End
married to Martha Liptrot who later married Robert Boffey
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welcome to Lancashire Pauline :D
another site you could try is Wiganworld www.wiganworld.co.uk
Its a brilliant site for that area. I typed Mining Disaster into their search and this was the first one that came up, loss of 76 lives at the Maypole Colliery in 1908:
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/stuff/past3.php?opt=past
hope that helps
:) Barbara
PS just seen you posted his name, Dearden not in the list of miners killed at Maypole Colliery but it does say that some names are missing ???
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Hi
this Golborne pit explosion was 1979. This is the same pit that my distant cousin thinks he worked at but i can't find any accident at the right time
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thanks barbara I will check that one......can't believe how helpful everyone is on this site! :)
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Ah found it.
DEARDEN W.
Age: 26
Date: 18/06/1906
Year: 1906
Occupation: Shunt minder
Colliery: Ashtons Green
Owner: Bromilow Foster and Co
Town: St Helens
County: Lancashire
Notes: Inspection made and inquest attended. He was found under a journey of full tubs, coming up the brow; nobody witnessed the accident, hut probably he was trying to put one of the tubs on the rails when in motion and got run over.
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/database/cmhrc?action=fetch_by_id&record_id=188585
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Brilliant that date makes much more sense
Thank you so much
this is a fantastic site you are all so helpful
:)
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Your more than welcome. I am only returning the same help as I recievied when I started out. ;D
Good Luck. ;)
Look how many people from the same pit lost their lives or got injured over the years very sad:
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/database/cmhrc?text_search=ashton+green&action=search_by_keyword&Go=Search
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Oh My God
those mines must have been death traps......It puts family history into a different conyext when you read some of this
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Pauline
Just signed up to rootschat so was not able to join the conversation when it was live last year. If you didn't get an answer at the time, the following is possibly what you want.
Pewfall Colliery
Accident 2 July 1906
Died 4 July 1906
living at 15 Station Road, Garswood.
I have copy of death certificate.
I'll see what other info I have that might be of interest to you.
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Hi
this is definitely the right one
I have inboxed you on f/b and sent my email address :)