South Kirkby Colliery, Yorkshire. 10 Killed. 23rd. August 1935.
Many thanks to Daz Beattie and Val from the South Kirkby Library for their help in compiling the account of this disaster; information they used included a great book entitled The Plough and the Pick by P.Rusieki.
Further information is from the George Cross Database website.
George Cross Database website.
On the evening of the 22nd. August 1935, 22 men (including George William Beaman) were employed in building two stoppings in the Barnsley seam.
Two small explosions had occurred at approximately 10.30p.m., these were believed to have been caused by a gob fire resulting from spontaneous combustion.
The stoppings were being built to seal off the affected area. This incident was reported to have taken place some 1¾ miles from pit bottom.
At 3.00 p.m. in afternoon of the 23rd. a third explosion in the area of the stoppings resulted in men being seriously burned. Three of the others, who had rescue apparatus, at once started to look for and help the injured, ten of whom were carried out of the district alive, but only one of these eventually recovered. During the progress of these operations some of the rescuers were considerably affected by fumes.
It was later found that one man (Frank Dale) was still missing and at 4.0 p.m. a search for him was renewed by Norman Baster, the colliery agent, with the manager and four rescue men. When Frank Dale was found he was dead.
A further explosion (at about 5.50 p.m.) then occurred while bringing Dale out on a stretcher; all six members of the rescue party suffered burns and those nearer the shaft who were looking after the men first injured, were also affected. At this point the rescuers left the body and returned to surface except for Charles Ball who had been injured in the third blast, he was somehow left behind. A party of 4 rescuers including Norman Baster and George Beaman went back inbye and recovered the body of Frank Dale and then made a return trip even further inbye in search of Charles Ball.
Baster had no breathing apparatus and was eventually so much affected by fumes and also suffering from fatigue he had to retire,
George Beaman and one other rescuer went even further in search of Ball but without success. Apparently at this point an erroneous report that Ball had reached the surface safely was made and it was not realised to be incorrect until sometime later.
At 10.0 p.m. that night a further rescue party led by James Pollitt under great risk of the cumulating threat of an even greater explosion managed to find Ball and brought him to the surface.
During these operations, which involved repeated journeys to and from the face, and some of the rescuers who were not equipped with special apparatus were considerably affected by fumes. They all displayed great courage and pertinacity.
Three Edward Medals were awarded on that day to :-
Norman Baster. (retired to Canada and was awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977).
George Beaman. (Edward Medal translated to the George Cross in 1971).
James Pollitt. (Edward Medal translated to the George Cross).
The Edward medals were presented by King Edward V111 at Buckingham Palace on the 15th of July 1936.
From reading the above accounts many more awards could have been made.
Names of men killed.
G. Bannister, aged 54, occupation Collier.
F. Baugh, aged 33. occupation Hewer.
J. Goodwin, aged 26, occupation Dataller.
J. T. Hancox, aged 26, occupation Dataller.
J. D. Jefferson, aged 59, occupation Deputy.
J. Newton, aged 25, occupation Dataller.
J. Stevenson, aged 24, occupation Collier.
A. Walstow, aged 54, occupation Dataller.
W. Woodall, aged 26, occupation Corporal.
F. Dale, aged 44, Asst. Supervisor Central Rescue Station.
Frank Dale was from the Wakefield Mines Rescue Station. It was his day off, but he went to help. (In commemoration, a large silver chalice was made, with his name on it. This was used as a prize in Mines Rescue competitions, and was called the 'Dale Rose Bowl').
Footnote from Joe Stocks:-
Re- Norman Baster.
After the South Kirkby Disaster Norman Baster left and became the Colliery Manager and Agent at Pope & Pearson's West Riding Colliery at Altofts, Normanton, from which he retired, Joe thinks, 1956 or 1957.
Joe worked there and got to know Norman Baster quite well. Every Christmas Norman Baster gave a party for the officials there to which Joe attended and was allocated the job of getting in all the beer and like refreshments. Joe also had the job from the officials of getting his Christmas present for him which usually was a box of his favourite cigars. However one Christmas in addition to these Joe got him a giant cigar which was about 12 inch long and 1 inch round, during the course of the evening he lit this cigar and said it was quite good, then it exploded just like a cartoon you would see at the cinema. However he took it with a laugh as we all did, but Joe did not know it was an exploding cigar when he bought it.
When he retired Joe helped him clean out his drawers and he probably still has some of the things he gave him in his garage. One of the items he gave Joe was his Wolf managers lamp, 
Also the lamp he had before that on which he had broken the glass. He did at this time tell Joe he was going to live with his daughter in Canada, and Joe supposes it was after this that he did retire to Canada.
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