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Hello to all who sent a comment to me re. Staffordshire pit deaths. It would seem that my grandfather Thomas Keegan of 54 Newfield St, Tunstall was indeed involved in an accident at Birchenwood Colliery, Kidsgrove on Feb 1st, 1923, aged 55 years. A copy of his death certificate states cause of death to be a fractured pelvis and internal haemmorage caused by a rock fall. An inquest was held on Feb 3rd conducted by the coroner, one Hugh W Adams. Perhaps his name may be added to the list of other unfortunates who sadly met their end in the industry and whose deaths are as yet unrecorded. Thanks.

I have taken a look at the BMD column in the Staffs Evening Sentinel of Sat Feb 3, 1923 at my library (micro fische) which states he 'met his death at Birchenwood Colliery on Feb 1st'. Quite interesting, your comment, however - I never thought of him possibly being taken from his workplace to hospital due to illness. The newspaper listing goes on to say that internment 'will be on Monday at 1pm', merely 4 days after he died and certainly too soon to involve an inquest.

As a consequence, I will certainly obtain a copy of his DC from the local Regsiter Office which will give cause of death. Once again, many thanks for your input and I will certainly pass on the findings if it transpires his death was caused by an accident at Birchenwood. M

Hi, I'm new to this forum and am trying to find details of an accident which killed my grandfather Thomas Keegan of Tunstall. He died on Feb 1st 1923 at Birchenwood Colliery, Kidsgrove. As he was the only one killed, it therefore doesn't qualify as a mining 'tragedy' (I'm sure his widow and 6 children would have more than a problem with). However, details are nil as far as I see apart from a 4 line announcement in the Evening Sentinel (Feb 3 1923).

Anyone out there who can elucidate?