Easington Colliery Disaster. 29th May 1951. Whenever we talk of the price of any commodity we always think in terms of money. For many in the coal industry the price paid could never be measured in such a meaningless way. The history of coal mining is full of tragedy, full of sorrow, and has endured more than its fair share of injuries, illness and deaths. Disasters have occurred time after time, after time. The horrors suffered by miners involved in these disasters are difficult to imagine, even when we read detailed accounts in history books in newspapers, or elsewhere. I am not looking forward to the task of placing such heart rendering information on my web site. I know I will shed a tear or two and I will have more coffee breaks than usual. However mining disasters are an important piece of mining history which should never be forgotten. I have gathered quite a lot of information over the years, but I have repeatedly put off the task of placing it on the web. An ex-Easington Colliery worker, Mr. A. Bradley offered to send me some photographs and he has given me the push I needed. Mr. Bradley was kind enough to send me three photographs of the Easington Colliery mine Disaster Funerals. The disaster occurred on 29th May 1951. Mr. Bradley added this message. " My father Albert Bradley (Senior) and my uncle Joseph had just finished a shift when the call went out that there had been a massive explosion. It was typical that every miner returned to the pit to take part in the rescue. The community was devastated. There is a monument at the park avenue with a metal memorial plate. I often spent time there as a child. The colliery holds many fond memories for me. I am an ex Easington Colliery Co. Durham Lad who worked for the N. C. B. The photographs have been in my family but have never been published or shown to others. I too would like the world to know the price of coal, 83 miners lives." Easington Colliery Disaster. Easington Colliery was one of the most modern and productive mines in Europe. The seam where the incident took place was 900 feet below ground level. This is the what occurred on that terrible day, May 29, 1951. Work was progressing as usual, it was 4.20am, a coal cutting machine was working in the Duck Bill district of the Five Quarter seam. The picks of the cutter struck pyrites this caused sparks which ignited firedamp ( a mixture of methane gas and air, the most dangerous mixture is between 5% and 15% when an explosion is possible ). The outcome was an explosion so powerful that it brought down 120 yards of roof inflicting unbelievable pain and suffering on everyone involved. To make matters worse it was between shifts. 43 men who were working the fore-shift were about to take over from 38 men who were coming to the end of their shift. 81 men were Entombed. An eerie sound ( the dreaded colliery alarm ) signalled the accident and miners rushed from their homes to join rescue teams. Rescue operations began as soon as possible, the off-duty Easington miners were anxious to reach their friends and work mates. Help also came from miners of neighbouring collieries in the Durham Coalfield. There's a camaraderie among miner's which is difficult to explain, if a miner is in trouble they all want to pitch in to help in any way they can. Wives, Mothers and loved ones of those trapped underground gathered, a pithead vigil began. The vigil lasted three days, but their hopes and prays went unanswered, no one survived the horror of the explosion. Only one man was rescued from the Duck Bill seam but he died from his injuries in Ryhope Hospital a few hours after his rescue. Adding to the tragedy, two rescue men were killed, taking the death toll to 83. They were Henry Burdess, aged 43, a Deputy, from Brancepeth Colliery, and John (Jack) Young Wallace, aged 26, Back Overman, both overcome by noxious gas. Nearly every family in the community was affected by the tragedy. It's difficult to imagine the terrible scene one minute everything was normal, men were working in dark and dusty conditions with only their cap lights providing illumination. The next minute they were fighting for their lives against an horrendous explosion which was to give them no chance of survival. The youngest man was only 18 years old. He was Matthew Williams. The oldest man was 68 year old Frederick Ernest Jepson. The price of coal was far too high that day. A Garden of Remembrance at Easington Colliery Cemetery was created for those who lost their lives, and a memorial avenue was created as well, with a tree for each miner who died. Below are the names of those who are buried there. Anson, John, aged 64, Shifter. Armstrong, William, aged 55, Datal. Bedding, Mark Smart, aged 38, Filler. Blevins, Matthew, aged 27, Filler. Brenkley, George, aged 20, Filler. Brenkley, Thomas, aged 32, Filler. Brennan, Louis, aged 49, Stoneman. Brown, George Miller, aged 50, Datal. Burn, Bertram, aged 25, Filler. Cain, Emmerson, aged 63, Stoneman. Cairns, Frederick, aged 23, Filler. Calvert, George, aged 50, Stoneman. Calvin, James, aged 51, Conveyor Maintenance. Carr, George William, aged 45, Timber Drawer. Carr, James, aged 38, Timber Drawer. Challoner, John Edwin (Teddy), aged 53, Deputy. Chapman, Albert Kerr, aged 44, Stoneman. Charlton, Joseph, aged 42, Master Shifter, brother in law of John Lamb. Clough, John, aged 57, Shifter. Dryden, William Arthur, aged 27, Filler. Ellison, John, aged 19, Datal. Fishburn, Charles, aged 54, Shifter. Fishburn, Henry, aged 23, Filler. Garside, Thomas, aged 20, Datal. Goulburn, George, aged 57, Mason's Labourer. Gowland, Albert, aged 51, Deputy. Hepple, Thomas, aged 31, Filler. Hunt, Daniel, aged 54, Datal. Hunt, Stephen, aged 24, Filler. Hunt, William, aged 43, Datal. Hutton, Arthur Chambers, aged 42, Filler. Jepson, Frederick Ernest, aged 68, Shifter. Jones, Lawrence, aged 36, Filler. Jones, Thomas Edward, aged 35, Deputy. Jopling, Herbert Jeffrey, aged 57, Shifter. Kelly, John, aged 57, Datal, father of William. Kelly, William (Billy), aged 28, Filler, son of John. Lamb, John Edward Armstrong, aged 43, Datal, brother in law of Joseph Charlton. Link, Jesse Stephenson, aged 44, Datal. Lippeatt, Joseph Fairless, aged 37, Filler. Lynch, Peter, aged 20, Filler. McRoy, Denis, aged 23, Filler. McRoy, William James, aged 31, Filler. Milburn, Robert William, aged 26, Filler. Nelson, Harold, aged 49, Stoneman. Newcombe, Albert, aged 67, Stoneman. Nicholson, Norman, aged 29, Filler. Noble, Robert, aged 45, Shifter. Parkin, William, aged 24, Filler. Parks, William Edward Forbes, aged 62, Shifter. Pase, Robert, aged 63, Shifter. Penman, Alexander, aged 42, Cutter. Porter, James, aged 32, Filler. Porter, John Thomas, aged 23, Filler. Rice, Thomas Valentine, aged 53, Shifter. Robinson, John, aged 50, Stoneman. Robson, John George, aged 25, Filler. Scott, George, aged 53, Datal. Seymour, Albert, aged 64, Datal. Sillito, Frederick, aged 52, Shifter. Stubbs, George Henry, aged 60, Shifter. Surtees, Hugh Bell, aged 36, Datal. Surtees, Matthew White, aged 61, Shifter. Thompson, Laurence, aged 54, Datal. Thompson, Thomas, aged 28, Underground Bricklayer. Trisnan, Thomas, aged 43, Stoneman. Turnbull, Robert, aged 64, Master Wasteman. Wilkie, George, aged 63, Shifter. Wilkinson, Reginald, aged 40, Stoneman. Williams, Matthew, aged 18, Datal. Willins, Robert, aged 45, Fore Overman. Wilson, John, aged 62, Hauling Engineman. Details of the other men who died. Burdess, Henry, aged 43, Deputy, Rescue Worker from Brancepeth Colliery, overcome by noxious gas 1st June 1951 Carr, Frederick , aged 50, Electrician, buried in St. Matthew's Churchyard, Silksworth. Champley, Richard, aged 43, Cutter. Godsman, Joseph, aged 41, Cutter. Goyns, Ernest, aged 60, Stoneman. Goyns, Herbert, aged 56, Stoneman, buried in Thornley Cemetery. Harker, John , aged 53, Shifter, buried in Easington Village Cemetery. Henderson, John William, aged 56, Shifter. Peaceful, Stanley, aged 37, Stoneman, buried in Thornley Cemetery. Wallace, John (Jack) Young , aged 26, Back Overman, Rescue Worker, overcome by noxious gas same day. buried in Murton Cemetery Wilson, Stephen , aged 60, Shifter, buried in Easington Village Cemetery. It's now 50 years since this disaster happened, for some not a day will have passed without their thoughts returning to their loved one's who perished that terrible day. May God bless and take care of them now, for on the 29th May 1951, He seemed to turn his back as they suffered. In the same year there were three other Disasters. 06 Jul 1951 Eppleton, Explosion. 9 killed. 01 Oct 1951 Weetslade Colliery. Explosion 18 killed. 31 Oct 1951 Killingworth. ( Information required please. ) Pictures by courtesy of Mr. A. Bradley. Click to email Mr. Bradley. Copyright © Joseph Stocks.