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Criggleston Disaster - Wakefield, Yorkshire - 29th July 1941

Emails
Lamp

Paul Denton - 75th Anniversary of the Crigglestone Mining Disaster
Mollie Goodman - Looking For A Photograph Of Harry Hodson. Crigglestone Colliery, Yorkshire
Karon Whitehead - My granddad, Willie Handley, who I never knew, died in this disaster
Arthur Gill - I worked at Crigglestone Colliery from 1951 to 1968
Trevor Hartley - Error - Disaster 1941, Report 1841
Anne Deane - Ezra Lambert, Crigglestone disaster
Allen Schofield - My father, Joseph Schofield, was working in the offices
Jodie Payne - My grandfather, Ezra Lambert, died in the Crigglestone disaster

emailPaul Denton
25 Feb 2016
75th Anniversary of the Crigglestone Mining Disaster
75th Anniversary of the Crigglestone Mining Disaster

Fionn.

My name is Paul Denton and I’m a councillor that sits on the Crigglestone council.

We are holding a remembrance exhibition for the 75th anniversary at Crigglestone Village Institute from 29th – 31st July to mark the occasion.

We are trying to trace living relatives of the miners that lost their lives in the disaster. I know this is probably a long shot, but would you have any details on the miners family’s that you could put me in contact with.

I can see from your website you have had some email enquiries. If possible could you pass on my email or provide theirs so that I can get in contact with them and let them know about the exhibition.

Regards


From:
Sent:
Subject:
Mollie Goodman
15 Jul 2014
Looking For A Photograph Of Harry Hodson. Crigglestone Colliery, Yorkshire

I am looking for a photograph of my great uncle Harry Hodson. He was co owner of the above pit and manager, I think, after Nationalisation. I know there was one.

Thank you

Sent from my iPad

From:
Sent:
Subject:
In MemoryKaron Whitehead
31 July 2011
My granddad, Willie Handley, who I never knew, died in this disaster

Thanks for the information about the above, my granddad, who I never knew, died in this disaster Willie Handley, Ripper, my dad told me about him. His wife, my nana, was present as the oldest surviving spouse? at a presentation to mark the event a few years ago I think it was a picture someone had done I have the pictures and she was on the calendar, as my dad died last year I am completing our family history, again thanks for the information.

Karon Whitehead

From:
Sent:
Subject:
Arthur Gill
13 Feb 2010
I worked at Crigglestone Colliery from 1951 to 1968

I worked at Crigglestone colliery from 1951 to 1968 and around the area where the explosion took place, your other readers are correct it was on the 29th July 1941, I was on the safety staff and later a deputy, I have many fond memories of my time at Crigglestone and I made many friends and I still have my deputies flame lamp that I carried for 17 years.

I did have some books on the history of Crigglestone Colliery but sadly they have been misplaced, but I remember the Surveyor at the colliery Mr Walter Wainwright who did a lot of research on the history of the colliery, and after he died his son Mr Keith Wainwright carried on the good work his father started, he lives in Wakefield and from memory the books he published had photo's in them.
  
I have contacted Mr Keith Wainwright and I have arranged to go and see him, he is very interested in your work and he has plans of the colliery going back a number of years, he told me that he is writing another book so I will keep you informed of the progress, although it will be a little while before I see him.

I can't seem to find any record in your disaster file of an explosion at Walton Colliery Wakefield in 1959. I remember 3 men being killed , a person who I knew was a mines inspector at the time and I remember him telling me that he went to inspect after the event, so there must be some record of this disaster somewhere.
I know one of the miners killed was called Coe who lived on Lupset Estate Wakefield.

Kindest regards,

Arthur Gill


Lawrence Coe, an Overman aged 38 was killed at Walton Colliery, Wakefield.  There was an explosion of firedamp propagated by coal dust ignited from an electric arc from a damaged trailing cable of a coal cutting machine on 22 April 1959. Five were killed.


From:
Sent:
Subject:
In MemoryTrevor Hartley
17 Sep 2009
Error - Disaster 1941, Report 1841

Hi
With regard the Criggleston mine explosion.
I note on page 2 that you state the explosion took place on the 29th July 1941.
However, you state that the report was presented on 3rd November 1841, which is obviously 100 years too early?
 
Best Regards
 
Trevor Hartley (son of Willie Hartley killed in the explosion)


Sorry about that Trevor, thank you very much for pointing it out and keeping the site accurate and up to date.

Fionn


From:
Sent:
Subject:
Allen Schofield
18 January 2006
Crigglestone Colliery 1941

Hello
I was just looking at your web site and looked up the Crigglestone Disaster of 1941.

My father, Joseph Schofield was working in the offices, on the surface, at the colliery at the time of the disaster. I think he was a buyer or worked in the accounts department. I remember, as a young boy, he showed me locomotives at the colliery that he had bought. Plus a few thousand bricks as well.

He showed me plans of the investigation into the accident and the results of the inquiry. I do not know if my mother has then now or not (my father passed away in 1980).

I am the first generation of my family to have not worked in the pits. I now live in Australia but I do have an opal mining lease, if that counts?

The ‘Schofield’s’ lived around Horbury Junction and Thornhill Edge. A cross my father gave to the church is still in the church at Thornhill edge.

Best regards

  • ALLEN SCHOFIELD & ASSOCIATES
    Latitude 25° 32.50’ South
  • Longitude 152° 40.46’ East

From:
Sent:
Subject:
Jodie Payne
28 March 2005
My grandfather, Ezra Lambert, died in the Crigglestone disaster
In Memory

My grandfather, Ezra Lambert, died in the Crigglestone disaster. I have very little information about either him or the disaster, although years ago I saw the report and discovered that his body was closest to the site of the explosion. He came from the Mansfield area originally but at the time of his death was living in Middlestown with his wife and 4 children: Arthur, Donald, Margaret and Christine.

Jodie Payne

From: Chris McKenzie
Sent: 22 September 2005
Subject: Crigglestone Colliery Disaster 1941

Have just read a message from Jodie Payne relating to her granddad Ezra Lambert who was killed in the Crigglestone Disaster.
My name is Christine and I am the youngest member of the family mentioned in Jodie's message. Please would you print this so that Jodie can read it.
Thanks, Christine.


He was a Ripper, The explosion occurred in the No.1 West District of the Top Haigh Moor seam caused by shot firing.
22 died in the disaster.


From:
Sent:
Subject:
In MemoryAnne Deane
4 October 2008
Ezra Lambert Crigglestone Disaster

Hello
I have just found your site after looking into family history. Ezra Lambert was also my grandfather and I would be interested in emailing both Christine and Jodie who sent the emails posted on the site in 2005. Is there any way you could pass on my email address to them? I expect this is asking a lot but they are obviously close relatives.

Regards
Anne Deane


Emailed both Jodie and Christine
Fionn