I am writing to thank you for the information you provided on your website about the 1882 Parkhouse Pit disaster.

I have been looking into my family history and was trying to find information about the disaster and came across your website.  My 3 x great Uncle was Phineas Baker the “old pensioner”.  It is good to know that those that died in such awful circumstances are not forgotten.

Due to his death, my line of the Baker family moved from the Derbyshire area to Yorkshire to work in the mills.  (Another occupation with its many dangers.)  Whist another line moved to Utah in the US to escape the mines and went into farming.

Phineas’ father my 4 x great Grandad was James Baker, who also worked in the mines in the area. James’ other son, (he had 7 sons in total) my 3 x Grandad was Samuel Baker, Phineas’ brother, who began in the mines and then I think became a coal merchant, (I have a picture of him working for a “James Henry Baker” coal merchants.  (who I think may have been his uncle.)  It seems that all of their lives were tied to the coal industry at one point or another.

I just wanted to say thank you, as your work is very important as a link to those men that died and their families.

Regards, Janet Devereux

He was found on the 3rd Flat, in a stall to the north side

See also Alan Beales information and Bob Bradley's History of Mining

Hi,
My great, great, grandfather Philip Scothern died in the disaster aged 47. I've found the memorial but can't find anything relating to the story I was told that he was found dead sat with his arm around a young boy perished from gas inhalation as if asleep so the family story goes?

As Scothern was from Wooly more would he have been buried there?

Regards

Dear sir, I found your article online and found it to be most interesting. I have a friend who has a photograph of an ex-soldier – policeman who also served as a guard to Queen Victoria some time after the death of his father and two younger brothers in the Parkhouse disaster. My friend is trying to establish the name of the photograph's subject, but I noted that you have listed two Aaron Beesons! both "loaders" one at 23 years and one at 32 years and wondered if there was a typing error made ?

I found this site, Midlands Heritage, after coming across you page and discover 3 of the Hewitt family in the disaster!

Kind regards
Simon Debell

Henry Beeson (44) was a Stallman and father to John (15) Driver, and Aaron (23) a Loader - the other Aaron, apparently, did not exist - See also Bob Bradley's History of Mining - Alan Beales' Fatalities

At least 3 of the Hewitt family died.  The 1881 Census says George was a widower, had 5 children and they lived at 210 Clay and Company Block, Danesmoor. 

Thomas and Joseph died; his son George was 12 years old and a coal miner too, he is included in at least two lists of fatalities but not on others and he is not on the monument, so hopefully he did not die. George also had a daughter, Hannah, 18 at the time of the census, she is down as Assistant in House Duties, she had to look after the house and family.  He also had a son William, aged 10 in the census who was a scholar at the time.

Parkhouse or Catty Pit - Image From Staffordshire Past-Track

Regards
John Silkstone
Sent from my iPad

You can send this as a rider.
It is rumoured that the sinkers were staying nearby in lodgings.

The men were fed with what they thought was tasty rabbit, but after there was a decrease in the number of cats in the district it was realised that the landlady had served them cat pie instead of rabbit pie.

So goes the tale, handed down through generations. It does seem feasible as I don't suppose the men would have caught the cats themselves, do you?

Bob Bradley

Now that I hear Bob's contribution, yes, that was my father's story.

Thanks Bob.

Regards

John

Good Afternoon 
I was intrigued to find, when I used Google to search for Parkhouse Colliery, that you had put on your website that it was also known as Catty Pit. I've only ever heard my Mum and Dad refer to it as that. 

As I am, like most of the country at the moment, doing a bit of research on my family, I did ask my Mum why it was called that, but she had no idea. Unfortunately, my Dad died in 1977, so I can't find out from him. 

I was born in Danesmoor and lived there till I was about 13, and have lost touch with anyone from there who worked at the pit who may be able to help. 

Fingers crossed that you know, or know where I might be able to find out. 

Thanks, as they say, in anticipation. 

Avis Whileman

My great, great grandfather, Joseph Walters was killed in the Catty Pit explosion, as always only just found out… however… I'm plagued by a memory of playing, as a kid, around an area my uncles called Catty Pond… and I cannot for the life of me remember where it was… we used to walk up Hallgate Lane in Pilsley and cut across the fields towards Danesmoor / Claycross… was wondering if there was a link to Catty Pond and Catty Pit.

My great grandfather Arthur has a memorial in Clay Cross somewhere…killed in 1917

Kind Regards
Russel J Walters

Hello,

Thank you for all the information on the web site. I believe that there might be a small but significant typo: The article says that "The pit was sunk in June 1886"; however, the disaster occurred in 1882 so it must have been prior to that date. Else where the date of 1866 is mentioned -- perhaps that is what was intended?

My husband has recently discovered that his great-grandfather William Slinn died in that accident. Thank you for helping us to understand what happened.

Carolyn Hastings
Stow, MA USA