Appeal to trace families of 13 miners who died in accidents at Derbyshire colliery – with memorial almost completed

Council staff have appealed to help trace relatives of 13 miners who tragically lost their lives at a colliery in Derbyshire.
By Tom Hardwick
Published 7th Jul 2022, 22:41 BST
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Derbyshire County Council wish to contact relatives of the men who are set to be commemorated with a life-size steel figure as part of the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial.

The memorial, led by the council and the Markham Vale Heritage Group, will eventually feature 106 life-size steel figures stretching between the village of Duckmanton in Chesterfield and the former pithead – now the Markham Vale business park.

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Each figure is part of a walking trail that symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and back home again – and represents the 106 men who lost their lives in three accidents at the site in 1937, 1938 and 1973.

These are the men whose families the council want to contact.These are the men whose families the council want to contact.
These are the men whose families the council want to contact.

There are now 93 figures in place, with the council continuing to work alongside partners to fundraise to see all 106 figures installed by the project’s 10th anniversary in autumn 2022.

The miners whose families they wish to trace are listed below:

David Bann, 54, contractor

Alfred Garland, 52, timber drawer

Robert Gregson, 36, contractor

John William Hadley, 31, contractor

Joseph Hibbard, 51, timber drawer

Joseph Lilley, 30, road repairer

Felix Linathan, 48, contractor

Mark Richards, 31, ripper

Samuel Edward Salt, 41, deputy

Clarence Silcock, 42, ripper

Fred Taylor, 53, contractor

Redvers Baden-Whitehead, 37, shot-firer

Matthew Williams, 36, contractor.

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Councillor Tony King, cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, said: “We would really like to trace the relatives of the 13 remaining men we will be commemorating as part of our Walking Together mining memorial.

“We have now commemorated 93 out of the 106 men with a life-size figure and we’re hoping to install the remaining 13 by the project’s 10th anniversary in autumn 2022.

“The site is now home to 70 businesses and many new jobs have been created, but it’s important that we don’t forget the site’s mining history and the incredibly brave men that worked there.”

If you are a relative of any of the miners or have any information, contact [email protected].

Related topics:Derbyshire County CouncilDerbyshire