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Whitwick Colliery Disaster Article by D. Spencer Name List from Historical Happenings See Also: |
On the 19th of April 1898, a fire broke out in pit number 5 of the
Whitwick Quarry, near Coalville in North West Leicestershire. At that
time, areas left empty when coal had been extracted were packed with waste
material. However, there were many air pockets in this material, and it
was in one of these areas (known as gobs) that the fire started,
apparently through spontaneous combustion of the flammable gasses in the
air pockets. There were 42 men in the pit, 39 of whom were beyond the fire, which was discovered by Deputy Joseph Limb. 5 managed to escape on another access tunnel, but one returned to try to rescue his comrades trapped behind the fire. He died trying to reach them. The youngest to die in the disaster was John Albert Gee, aged only 13. His body was only recovered some months later, and the official burial was on the 11th January 1899. He was employed as a driver of one of the pit ponies. Another person who died in the disaster was John Richards. This is a transcript of his grave: IN LOVING MEMORY He left behind a wife and two children. There follows a full list of those who died in the disaster:
The only survivers were:
A poem was composed in memory of those who died in the disaster. This can be read here http://www.cmhrc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/poem15.htm Article by D. Spencer |
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