MINNIE PIT DISASTER

Updated 2 Sep 2020

12

 

New Publication
 

Victims of the Minnie Pit Disaster 1918


A tribute to the miners who lost their lives in the Minnie Pit disaster in Halmer End published by the Audley & District Family History Society on the 100th anniversary of the disaster in January 2018. The book contains information on every victim and their immediate families, giving dates of birth, marriage and death, along with details of the occupations of the miners in the pit, recovery of bodies and burials. The information has been extracted from parish registers, census records, electoral registers, birth, marriage and death indexes, newspapers, the Minnie Pit Disaster Official Report and Sentinel Minnie Pit Relief Fund documents. Photographs of more than 90 of the victims are included along with photographs of memorials in local churchyards and cemeteries, and copies of various documents relating to many of the victims.

Book size A4, 187 pages.


Now available - go to Publications page

 

What readers say

Can I just say, fantastic book.’

‘I managed to buy one on Saturday and it's well worth the money. I found out that I had an uncle who died the year he was born when I was reading about my uncle who was killed in the Minnie pit disaster. Very interesting.

’ ‘a very worthy memorial to those who paid the ultimate price for coal. Many congrats to the organisers and all the people involved in the production of the new book. Superb!’

‘A tremendous record. Very impressive.’

‘Thank you for the delivery of the Minnie Pit victims book. It has revealed huge discoveries to my family's history.  I want to thank all involved for the time and commitment in producing such an awesome tribute. Please pass on my comments to all involved‘

‘Very impressed by the Minnie Pit book. Many congratulations to all the researchers. What a painstaking and wonderful work.’  

'A most impressive book, the compilers have done a fantastic job and the amount of personal detail about the victims is amazing.' 

'What a good resource. Well pleased.'

'Many congrats to the organisers and all the people involved in the production of the new book. Superb! '

'A tremendous record. Very impressive. What painstaking work'.

'I was surprised at the size of the book, looks like the compilers have done a comprehensive job'.

'What a brilliant book it is too. So much work has gone in to it. Well done to those involved'.

'Brilliant day and a brilliant publication, the society have done themselves proud with this book. The work and research that has gone into it is amazing'.

'So much detail and thank you to all that were involved in producing a wonderful book'.

'The book is fantastic it shows that these miners are not just from Halmerend but all the villages around and beyond'.  

“Congratulations on the book. I can hardly put it down. A very fitting tribute. I love the interrelationships noted. Gives a real feeling for what a close knit community it was.” 

 

Included in the Book

 

1 2

 

 

Victims of the Disaster

Name

Born

Photo

 

 

Name

Born

Photo

 

 

Name

Born

Photo

Aldersea, Frank

1903

 

 

 

Harrison, Arthur

1890

Yes

 

 

Plant, John C

1881

Yes

Amson, Joshua

1903

 

 

 

Harrison, Benjamin

1884

 

 

 

Platt, James

1893

Yes

Ashley, Herbert

1878

 

 

 

Harrison, Ernest C

1897

Yes

 

 

Pointon, James A

1893

 

Austin, John S

1876

Yes

 

 

Harrison, Frederick R

1902

Yes

 

 

Pointon, George W

1894

Yes

Baddeley, George

1903

 

 

 

Harrison, Job

1879

Yes

 

 

Pointon, Leonard

1887

Yes

Bailey, George

1866

Yes

 

 

Harrison, John

1889

Yes

 

 

Pointon, Ralph

1901

Yes

Bailey, Thomas

1874

 

 

 

Harrison, Reginald

1902

 

 

 

Pointon, Richard

1903

 

Barlow, John S

1899

Yes

 

 

Healey, Samuel

1881

Yes

 

 

Pointon, William

1902

 

Barnett, John

1884

Yes

 

 

Henshall, Arthur

1895

Yes

 

 

Poole, Thomas junior

1892

Yes

Bateman, Joseph

1885

Yes

 

 

Holland, Bernard

1894

Yes

 

 

Poole, Thomas senior

1867

Yes

Beckett, Thomas A

1882

Yes

 

 

Holland, Elijah

1887

Yes

 

 

Ratcliffe, Arthur

1897

Yes

Beech, Francis J

1903

 

 

 

Holland, Redvers

1900

Yes

 

 

Ratcliffe, William

1885

Yes

Benson, Peter

1903

 

 

 

Holland, Roland

1902

 

 

 

Rhodes, Frank

1902

 

Birkin, Arthur

1904

 

 

 

Hollier, William

1876

 

 

 

Rhodes, Samson H

1900

Yes

Brayford, Daniel

1901

 

 

 

Howell, Frederick

1879

 

 

 

Richardson, John

1900

Yes

Brindley, Charles

1868

 

 

 

Hulse, Charles

1902

 

 

 

Richardson, Samuel

1861

Yes

Broad, Charles

1885

Yes

 

 

Hulse, John

1886

Yes

 

 

Richardson, Walter

1870

Yes

Broadbent, Albert

1903

 

 

 

Hulse, Percy S

1894

Yes

 

 

Riley, Edward

1892

Yes

Broadbent, John H

1902

 

 

 

Ing, William V

1883

Yes

 

 

Roberts, Albert

1896

 

Brockley, Bertie

1903

 

 

 

Jebb, Ernest

1897

 

 

 

Rowley, Arthur

1878

Yes

Brockley, Samuel

1898

 

 

 

Jebb, George H

1887

Yes

 

 

Rowley, Fred

1893

Yes

Browning, George

1858

Yes

 

 

Jebb, Percy

1894

 

 

 

Rowley, George

1900

Yes

Burgess, David

1873

 

 

 

Johnson, Benjamin H

1880

Yes

 

 

Rowley, John

1886

 

Burgess, George

1876

Yes

 

 

Johnson, Caleb

1885

Yes

 

 

Rowley, John E

1875

Yes

Burgess, Jabez W

1897

Yes

 

 

Johnson, Elijah

1902

Yes

 

 

Rowley, Lionel T

1898

Yes

Byatt, Arnold S

1900

Yes

 

 

Johnson, Frederick E

1900

Yes

 

 

Rowley, Samuel

1852

 

Cartlidge, Frank

1885

 

 

 

Johnson, George

1888

Yes

 

 

Rowley, Vincent

1897

Yes

Cartwright, John J

1882

 

 

 

Johnson, Harry

1896

 

 

 

Salmon, Percy

1903

 

Challinor, Thomas

1902

 

 

 

Johnson, Oliver J

1903

Yes

 

 

Scrivens, Wilmot

1898

Yes

Cope, Thomas

1901

 

 

 

Jones, Benjamin

1898

Yes

 

 

Sherratt, Charles T

1850

Yes

Cork, Ernest H

1871

Yes

 

 

Jones, Charles H

1891

Yes

 

 

Smith, James H

1901

Yes

Cornes, Alfred

1890

 

 

 

Jones, Daniel

1892

Yes

 

 

Smith, William H

1894

Yes

Cornes, Frank

1901

Yes

 

 

Jones, Ernest

1874

 

 

 

Spode, Bernard

1903

Yes

Dale, Henry

1863

 

 

 

Jones, Frederick

1894

Yes

 

 

Steele, George W

1891

Yes

Daniels, Enos

1879

 

 

 

Jones, Henry

1881

Yes

 

 

Steele, Ralph

1886

 

Davies, John R

1899

Yes

 

 

Jones, James

1901

 

 

 

Stubbs, Walter

1903

 

Davies, William

1897

 

 

 

Jones, Thomas U

1872

 

 

 

Sumnall, Henry

1901

 

Dean, Harry

1885

Yes

 

 

Kesteven, William

1902

Yes

 

 

Swann, William

1898

 

Dean, Jesse

1891

Yes

 

 

Kirkham, Albert

1903

Yes

 

 

Taylor, Leonard

1886

Yes

Dean, John

1890

Yes

 

 

Lea, John W

1902

Yes

 

 

Timmis, Thomas

1869

 

Downing, Edwin

1873

Yes

 

 

Lear, Joseph

1892

Yes

 

 

Tipper, Frederick W

1870

 

Downing, Ralph L

1891

Yes

 

 

Lee, Eli

1901

Yes

 

 

Tomkinson, Frank L

1902

Yes

Eden, Henry L

1894

 

 

 

Leek, Percy

1894

Yes

 

 

Wainwright, Arnold

1876

Yes

Edgeley, Frederick

1901

 

 

 

Leighton, Charles

1872

Yes

 

 

Wareham, Henry

1903

Yes

Farrall, Ernest

1893

Yes

 

 

Leighton, Daniel

1878

Yes

 

 

Webb, Edmund C

1902

Yes

Genders, William H

1890

 

 

 

Lightfoot, George

1878

 

 

 

Webb, George D

1884

 

Gilbert, William H

1877

Yes

 

 

Lockett, Arthur

1903

 

 

 

West, Thomas

1889

Yes

Green, Amos

1901

Yes

 

 

Lockett, George A

1903

 

 

 

Whitehurst, Daniel

1880

 

Green, Oliver

1903

Yes

 

 

Lockett, Reuben

1867

Yes

 

 

Wilcox, James

1896

 

Green, William H

1872

Yes

 

 

Madew, John

1875

 

 

 

Wilshaw, Harry

1896

Yes

Hampson, John G

1903

 

 

 

Mayer, Joseph

1901

Yes

 

 

Woodvine, Frederick T

1903

 

Harrison, Arthur

1904

 

 

 

Morgan, Thomas

1873

 

 

 

Doorbar, Hugh

1881

 

Hugh Doorbar was a member of the rescue team .

 

Corrections and Amendments

 

Unfortunately the following errors in the book have been brought to our attention. Please accept our apologies for the errors.

 

Page 29: The marriage of John Thomas Brockley is incorrect. He married Williamina H. Grant in 1934 at St John’s Church, Alsagers Bank (Thanks to Robert Mayer and family for this correction).

Page 39: John Brockley who married Annie Challinor is the cousin of nos.20 and 21 and not brother as stated. This error relates to that on page 29. (Thanks to Robert Mayer and family for this correction).

Page 45: Elizabeth Ann, the wife of Henry Dale, died in 1961 at Aspull, near Wigan, and not in Leek as stated. She in fact died as Elizabeth Ann Watmough, not Dale, as a result of a marriage in 1918 to Frank Watmough in Wigan, Lancashire. She separated from Henry Dale soon after 1901 and lived with Frank Watmough as housekeeper, during which time she had several illegitimate children by him. Frank died in 1919, just a year after their marriage. They are buried together in Aspull. (Thanks to Diane Leighton-Hall for this information).

Page 53: The photo source should read “Courtesy of Stuart Dean.”

Page 141: Payment for Edward Thomas (under documents) should read Edmund Thomas. (Thanks to Stuart Dean for this correction).

Page 142: Thomas Poole in the list of children is the same person as no.113 and should not be in the list. (Thanks to Stuart Dean for this correction).

Page 142: Henry Dean who married Annie Poole is the brother of no.40 and not the son as stated. (Thanks to Stuart Dean for this correction).

Page 167: The body of Ralph Steele was recovered on 28 August 1918 and not 28 January as stated.

Page 187: The inquest into the death of Hugh Doorbar took place on Wednesday 16 January 1918. The report of the inquest in the Staffordshire Sentinel of Thursday 17 January 1918 states that Hugh Doorbar went to the Minnie Pit with the Birchenwood rescue team on Sunday 13 January 1918 and was overcome by fumes as a result of a fault in his breathing apparatus. This date was taken as his date of death in the book as no other information was available at the time. The inquest on 16 January was adjourned until 19 February 1918 but the newspaper report does not give a date of death. However, other information seen since the book was published, gives the date of death as 14 January 1918.

The following note was unfortunately omitted on page 8: The names of the victims quoted in this volume are taken from all available sources found during research. The information listed about each victim will contain the source of any names which differ from those in birth registrations.  

IMPORTANT We have been notified that George Bailey, victim no.6 in the book, has been incorrectly identified. We are grateful to David Brown for bringing this error to our attention. After further research the correct George Bailey has been identified and the replacement entry for him is attached as a pdf download. The error means that Lydia Holland the sister of victims 63-66 and aunt of 137, has no connection to the correct George Bailey. Please accept our sincere apologies for this error.  

For information on George Bailey, go here

 

Survivors and Other Known Employees

 

A list compiled by Ian Bailey. The sources used are Christine Lamb's book on the disaster, but also the Sentinel, Staffordehire Advertiser and thje inquiry report.

 

For pdf go here

 

For word doc go here

 

 

 

 

 
 

Minnie Pit Centenary Commemoration

 

The Society's magnificant support of the Minnie Pit Centenary Commemeration has been recognised in the award of the plaque below:

 

plaque