Apr 18, 2017 he was the relief overman during the lofthouse disaster and the subsequent rescue attempts and aftermath. The lofthouse colliery disaster was a mining accident which took place in the west riding of yorkshire, england on wednesday 21 march 1973, in which seven mine workers died when workings were flooded. The lofthouse family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920. It ceased production in 1981 and now serves as an example of one of the best preserved victorian collieries in europe. The events at lofthouse left a legacy that changed the nature of how collieries operated and led to the formation of a new safety legislation, the. On the causes and circumstances attending, the inrush which occurred at lofthouse colliery on the 21st. Grimethorpe, the mining village that hit rock bottom. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection.
Production began in 1877 and at the time of the inrush the saleable output was 18,500 tons per week with 837 men employed below ground and 207 on the surface. Stanley history online lofthouse colliery disaster. In 1973 800 men worked around the clock at lofthouse colliery in wakefield bringing coal out of its rich seams. Seven men died in the lofthouse colliery disaster 40 years ago, something the people who tried to rescue them have never forgotten. The lofthouse colliery disaster was a mining accident which took place in the west riding of. This is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the company, but an indication of the changes of ownership and the links between companies and directors in those companies. Lofthouse colliery nature park station playing field key entrance paths woodland public footpath water heathland public bridleway pit tub shaft n station playing field key entrance paths woodland public footpath water heathland public bridleway pit tub shaft. Lofthouse is mentioned in domesday as loftose or locthuse under lands of ilbert of lacey, having woodland and a mill. About 80 men died at lofthouse pit near wakefield over the years of its operation and seven men were killed. New book about all 7 yorkshire coal mines yorkshirelive. As far as i can recall,and without digging out my old reg,s books,regulations were put in place to avoid a repetition of lofthouse by requiring advanced drilling of boreholes and draining of old workings within 45 metres above or. Historic denver video podcast grandes parcerias radio online puc minas.
Full text of topography and natural history of lofthouse. Seven men are trapped 700 feet underground, behind a wall of water, pouring. Tony went underground aged 16 as a pony driver and at 18 started coal face training. You are welcome to use this album for uploading archive or historical photographs of lofthouse. Lofthouse colliery disaster, wakefield 1973 northern mine. Information, history photographs current and archive and documents for lofthouse coal colliery. If you are an archivist or custodian of this archive you can use the archive update form to add or update the details in discovery. Feb 03, 2011 my name is nobody western english free and full movie henry fonda hd spaghetti western duration. History of brandon colliery 18561960 moran, laurie on. John fozard co michael kaye 45 125 passes the remains of lofthouse colliery, heading its way towards wakefield 19th july 1983. Nov 30, 20 a memorial to those who died at a former colliery has been unveiled at a country park. The lofthouse colliery was in the north area of the national coal board and was about 2 miles.
Having reverted back to deputy in 1977, tony then worked on the shaft sinking at wistow mine in the selby complex where he became colliery overman in 1983 a position he held until illhealth retirement in 1995. The upcast shaft had many elements of older buildings incorporated in the structure. A mine disaster at lofthouse colliery, near wakefield, yorkshire. A section of this can still be seen crossing lime pit lane near to the entrance to the nagger lines. John goodchild a5 38pp subtitled company, management and men at lofthouse colliery 1872 1921. Lofthouse was used as the area training centre for bevin boys and youths from other pits in underground areas.
The old colliery workings at low laithes came to national prominence in march 1973 when it was found that a buildup of water in the old workings at the abandoned 19th century pits caused the terrible disaster at lofthouse colliery when seven men lost their lives from a huge inrush of water and sludge. Coal mining is considered much more hazardous than hard rock mining due to flatlying rock strata, generally incompetent rock, the presence of methane. After the lofthouse colliery flooding disaster of 1973, there was a massive effort by. Mar 24, 20 eddie downes, member of the lofthouse colliery action group and a mining historian and engineer, said more than 1,000 people from across the country, many from the mining industry, were expected. See all books memories of blackhall colliery read and share your memories of blackhall colliery itself or of a particular photo of blackhall colliery. Production began at the colliery in 1877 and at the time of the accident the colliery produce 18, 500 tons of saleable coal per week and employed 837 men below ground and 207. Family history book history books british history local history easington colliery bleak house billy elliot coal mining slums. No record, other than entry in the visitors book would then be made. Built in the 1840s this was in use up to the mid 1920s.
The others were the cambrian colliery explosion in 1965 30 killed, the michael colliery fire in 1967 8 killed, an outburst of coal and firedamp at cynheidrepentremawr colliery in 1971 6 killed, an inrush of water at the lofthouse colliery in 1973 7 killed, a roof fall at seafield colliery in 1973 5 killed, a cage crash to the. A memorial to those who died at a former colliery has been unveiled at a country park. Reyners photography added 80 new photos from march to the album. Lofthouse colliery disaster stanley history online. Class 47 on the up line passing lofthouse colliery, now the site of outwood station, the train is 10. These are selected lists of new or additional collections that were acquired by this archive during a specific year. It is the only source of information used on this web page. Coal mining in morley northern mine research society.
She died in 1988 leaving a bequest to provide seats in the countryside for walkers to rest their weary bones. Used coal mining in lunesdale, an introductory study into the history of coal. Lofthouse colliery miners remembered at services bbc news. When lofthouse colliery closed in july 1981, it had had a productive life spanning only some 103 years, but its story is nevertheless a peculiarly interesting and significant one. Mine and men, company management and men at lofthouse colliery, west. Jessica was a wellknown writer of more than twenty books on the lancashire countryside and its history. Apr 18, 2017 tony went underground aged 16 as a pony driver and at 18 started coal face training. The most lofthouse families were found in the uk in 1891. Documents must be preordered in advance of your visit. Vision to create an easily accessible natural environment that is good for wildlife and good for people. There was a sudden rush of water and sludge into the mine. This booklet provides a short account of lofthouse colliery, which was located a few miles north of wakefield in west yorkshire. The closure brought an end to over 650 years of coal mining in the outwood area.
Photos of lofthouse coal colliery upload archivehistoric photos. The coal mines in the county have shut but a new book is out called. Lofthouse colliery was in lofthouse gate close to outwood in the stanley urban district where many of the colliers lived. Seven men are trapped 700 feet underground, behind a wall of water, pouring in from a disused shaft nearby. Cwmtillery colliery south wales colliery, monmouthshire. March we take a walk round the lofthouse colliery heritage trail and learn all about the disaster what happened on the 21st march 1973. Yorkshire yorkshire collieries and coalfield moore books. Books about lofthouse gate area browse 30 photo books on lofthouse gate and the surrounding area. Full text of topography and natural history of lofthouse and its neighbourhood. Although green cross referenced his note books and page numbers on his field slip. About 80 men died at lofthouse pit near wakefield over the years of. On march 21 1973, miners at the lofthouse colliery in west yorkshire were working at a coal face which, unknown to them, was close to some 19th century mine workings that had become flooded. The lofthouse colliery was in the north area of the national coal board and was about 2 miles to the north of wakefield on the western fringe of the workable coalfield.
Mine and men company management and men at lofthouse. Records of henry briggs, son and company the national. Gary calton barnsleyborn peter haigh, 70, an administrator for the national coal board at the colliery from 197894, points out the. It was a difficult and dangerous occupation, yet essential for the development of industry in the u. Lcag are a group of people who have joined together for a common purpose to support lofthouse colliery nature park. Photographs of lofthouse coal colliery on the mining history web site uk. He operated ploughs, multijib cutters and shearers at manor colliery before moving to lofthouse colliery in 1966 and became a deputy from 1971. The colliery the lady victoria colliery, home of the national mining museum scotland, was opened in 1895 as scotlands first superpit. Lofthouse colliery nature reserve wakefield park, sports. Mine and men, company management and men at lofthouse. April 18, 2017 it was an industry that was once the very lifeblood of yorkshire, englands communities. In search of the black stuff occupational medicine.
D h c briggs, a merchant, a banker and the coal trade, presented copy from the author 1971. Books about blackhall colliery area browse 15 photo books on blackhall colliery and the surrounding area. This was about 33% of all the recorded lofthouse s in the usa. In 1947, lofthouse became part of the national coal boards north east division. A huge fan sited near the top of this shaft bu friday 12th december 1969. B lenman and others, dundee and its textile industry, 18501914 1969. Published by beamreach publishing, the 680page book takes in history, politics and sociology, covering the history of each pit from sinking to closure as well as topics such as yorkshire coal seams, yorkshire disasters from 1755, the mines rescue service, the national union of mineworkers num and the national coal board ncb. Eddie downes, member of the lofthouse colliery action group and a mining historian and engineer, said more than 1,000 people from across the country, many. Production began at the colliery in 1877 and at the time of the. Friday december headgear of a colliery at thatto heath, near st helens, lancashire. While the lofthouse companys own minute and account books seem not to have survived, their detailed printed reports and accounts have proved invaluable in the study of the colliery s history, and a long run of the lofthouse colliery lodge minutes is almost continuous from 1879 until 1922 with gaps in the years 189193 and 190105. Lofthouse gate is referred to in 1771 and lofthouse yate in 1709.
The line that most people know of today is the section that ran from lofthouse colliery down to the basin at stanley ferry, named the navigation lines hence nagger lines. Lofthouse colliery disaster, wakefield 1973 northern. The exhaustion of coal reserves led to lofthouse colliery being closed in 1981, with the loss of 900 jobs. A mining accident is an accident that occurs during the process of mining minerals or metals. Lofthouse colliery heritage trail at lofthouse colliery nature reserve.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the company, but an indication of the changes of ownership and the links between companies and. This was about 33% of all the recorded lofthouses in the usa. While the lofthouse companys own minute and account books seem not to have survived, their detailed printed reports and accounts have proved invaluable in the study of the collierys history, and a long run of the lofthouse colliery lodge minutes is almost continuous from 1879 until 1922 with gaps in the years 189193 and 190105. Majority rule for zimbabwe now protest, london 1972. The name lofthouse derives from the old norse lopthus meaning a house with a loft or upper chamber. Shakespeare colliery was given the front page of the times finance, commerce and shipping supplement on 24 april 1912, with drawings of the colliery, power house showing the close proximity of the secrailway lines simpson pit, number 3. New book about all 7 yorkshire, england coal mines. T r hornshaw, copper mining in middleton tyas 1975.
Lofthouse colliery in the north yorkshire area of the national coal board. The mining disaster here in the 70s shook the community. If you are an archivist or custodian of this archive you can use the archive update form to add or update. The lofthouse colliery disaster of march 21, 1973 was one of the worst.
He was the relief overman during the lofthouse disaster and the. Lofthouse colliery memorial wakefield family history sharing. West yorkshire archive service, wakefield the national. The headgear of a colliery at thatto heath, near st helens, lancashire. Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. Lofthouse colliery 18721921 west yorkshire coal mining mine. Lofthouse colliery 18721921 west yorkshire coal mining. Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.
West riding colliery don pedro colliery whitwood and saville colliery lofthouse junction st johns colliery methley junction whitwood junction goose hill junction newmarket silkstone colliery colliery cutsyke junction sharlston colliery moss street works park hill colliery snydale colliery. As you will know, the airtight casing within the headframe tells us that this is the top of the upcast shaft. As far as i can recall,and without digging out my old reg,s books,regulations were put in place to avoid a repetition of lofthouse. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. Mar 21, 20 the events at lofthouse left a legacy that changed the nature of how collieries operated and led to the formation of a new safety legislation, the mines precautions against inrushes regulations. Full text of topography and natural history of lofthouse and. In 1840 there was 1 lofthouse family living in indiana. He was the relief overman during the lofthouse disaster and the subsequent rescue attempts and aftermath. Rescuers recall missing lofthouse colliery miners bbc news. Jul 21, 2015 a mine disaster at lofthouse colliery, near wakefield, yorkshire. My name is nobody western english free and full movie henry fonda hd spaghetti western duration.
West yorkshire archive service, wakefield the national archives. Memorial to miners killed at lofthouse colliery bbc news. Historic and archive photos of lofthouse coal colliery. Lofthouse gate photos, maps, books, memories francis frith.
1266 922 408 488 245 775 941 1484 619 601 713 611 1351 331 275 404 1478 1312 1108 1117 507 323 302 1317 421 291 336 669 216