New statues remember miners lost in Markham colliery disasters

Fifteen new statues have been have been added to the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial at Derbyshire County Council’s Markham Vale Business Park.

The business park was developed by the county council on the site of the former colliery and the memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site’s strong mining heritage.

Each statue symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and represents the men who lost their lives in the three accidents in 1937, 1938 and 1973.

The new statues takes the total of life-sized steel figures to 77 and the council continues to work alongside partners to fundraise for all 106 miners to be commemorated.

Derbyshire County Council leader councillor Barry Lewis said: “Although the landscape looks very different, Markham Vale is a hive of industry and employment today just as it was back when the pit stood there and, it’s important we don’t forget the area’s roots.

“As we enter the final stages towards completing the memorial project, I’d like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions so far, including Viridor Credits Environmental Company for funding the most recent group of figures through the Landfill Communities Fund.”

These most recent additions have been dedicated to Charles Bown, George Clarence Briggs, Joseph William Brocklehurst, George Cyril Foulds Buckley, John William Watson Commons, George Eyre, Clifford Brooks, Joe Hardy, Clarence Hill, Fred Reddish, Harry Hudson, Benjamin Wallace, George Henry Jackson, William Edward Whelpton and Michael Kilroy.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic it was not possible to hold a physical event to unveil the latest statues.

Instead a short film has been produced by the county council and its partners as a virtual commemoration and is available on the council’s website at derbyshire.gov.uk/markhamvale.

For more information about the colliery and the miners who lost their lives visit markhamstorymine.org.