Victims of the disaster
The 4th March 1908 marked a terrible disaster when file broke out causing the deaths of twenty-five miners and John Welsby, a member of the rescue team. He was posthumously awarded a EDWARD VII medal. A local road, Welsby Avenue, was named after him. Twenty-eight pit ponies also perished.
The 26 who died were
 Richard Ashton |
Age 33, married, from West Bromwich Haulage Man on Day Shift |
|
| James Bradley |
Age 45, married, from Hamstead Haulage Man on Day shift |
|
 Enoch Burton |
Age 39, married, from Hamstead Night Shift |
|
| Thomas Cole |
Age 34 Hamstead Loader on Night Shift |
Buried 15th March St. Josephs, Nechells |
 Alfred Thomas Curtis |
Age 34, married, from Hamstead Loader on Night shift |
Buried 15th March Handsworth Cemetry |
 John Guest |
Age 27, married, from Hamstead Deputy, Night shift |
Buried 15th March Handsworth Cemetry |
 James Hancox |
Hamstead Driver Night Shift |
|
 Joseph Hodgkiss |
Age 17, single Hamstead Timekeeper Night shift |
Buried 15th March West Bromwich |
 John Albert Hodgson |
Age 29, married Handsworth Minding Dams Night Shift |
|
 Thomas Hollyoak |
Age 39, married West Bromwich Haulage Man Day Shift |
|
|
Joseph Howell |
Age 35, married West Bromwich Deputy Night Shift |
|
 Edwin T. Johnson |
Age 30, Loader Night shift |
Buried 15th March Dudley |
 Ernest Jones |
Age 31, married Great Barr Loader Night shift |
 buried March 17th 1908, St.Johns, Perry Barr
(register entry 1995). Grave number 482. |
 William Lawley |
Age 27 Handsworth Minding Dams Night Shift |
|
 Arthur Merrick |
Age 23, single Hamstead Driver Day shift |
|
 Samuel Mitchell |
Age 44, from Hamstead Stallman on Night Shift |
buried March 17th 1908, St.Johns, Perry Barr (register entry 1998, grave possibly number 484) |
 Charles Summerfield |
Age 34, Stallman Night shift |
|
 John Summerfield |
Age 26, married Hamstead Driver Night shift |
|
 Walter Summerfield |
Age 21, married Hamstead Haulage Man night shift |
|
|
Joseph Titley |
Age 25, married Great Barr Loader Night shift |
|
| Samuel Turner |
Age 40, Loader night shift |
|
|
Henry Underhill |
Age 17, Driver Night shift (son of William Underhill) |
(register entry 1997, grave number 483) |
| William Underhill |
Age 48, Stallman, married Night shift (father of Henry Underhill) Handsworth |
(register entry 1996, grave number 483) |
 Henry Watts |
Age 47 Smethwick Loader Night shift |
Buried 15th March Handworth Cemetry |
|
Abnor Williamson |
Age 44 Smethwick Pikeman Night shift |
|
 John Welsby |
Rescue Man, Died on 5th March |
buried 14th March 1908, St Mary Magdalene, Altofts, West Yorkshire |
buried
March 17th 1908, St.Johns, Perry Barr Next - John Welsby
Information
- The HAMSTEAD MINERS MEMORIAL TRUST is a registered Charity No.1098711
- We welcome information and photographs on Hamstead Colliery and Great Barr