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Large turnout for tribute to miners caught up in pit accident
THREE times as many people as expected turned out to pay a moving tribute to miners caught up in one of the region's most horrific pit accidents.
Over 150 survivors, relatives and friends turned up to honour the bravery of the dozens of local workers involved in the mine accident at Brookhouse Colliery 46 years ago.
The ceremony, led by Sheffield Lord Mayor Michael Pye, commemorated a tragedy that left 47 men from the Beighton area injured, traumatised or maimed for life. Many of the survivors hadn't seen each other since the fifties when the accident happened.
The event - which included the unveiling of a permanent memorial to the courage of the men - was organised by local residents and Full Circle, a creative regeneration project overseen by Sheffield-based cultural planning agency Eventus and funded by Objective One with additional cash from Arts Council England.
The accident in March 1958 became known by locals as the "Overwind" incident - it happened when a brake on a new electrical winding system on the miners' shaft cage failed to work, sending them plummeting to the bottom.
Ex-miner Pete Scott, chair of Beighton Villages Development Trust (BVDT), was already underground when the cage fell. He spoke at the ceremony.
"Many involved in the accident are no longer with us and it's right and proper their names are remembered in the village," he said. Amazingly, there were no fatalities. Miners involved in the incident say it would have been much worse if not for the bravery and comradeship of their colleagues, who carried the injured a full mile underground to the safety of the mine's twin shaft.
Vicar of St Mary's, Beighton, the Rev Mike Cameron, spoke at the ceremony - he was aged just 17 at the time of the tragedy and spoke to many of the miners in hospital.
Full Circle cultural development worker Catherine Mailhac said: "Residents and families of those involved in the accident have long wanted something to mark an incident which changed many of their lives forever.
"Sadly, some of the survivors have died over the past few years, making some sort of memorial even more important to their families."
Miners' families have welcomed the tribute. "My father was in the cage when it crashed to the ground," said Lorraine Henery, daughter of miner Arthur Davison, who has since sadly passed away.
"He suffered leg injuries and had to have his leg amputated. I'm one of 11 children, so as you can imagine, the accident had a lifetime of consequences for my family.
"We appreciate it being remembered in this way."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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