Mine Fire At Hamstead Colliery

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Date:March 1908

Description:A postcard issued to commemorate the victims and heroes associated with the 1908 disaster at Hamstead Colliery.

The victims were:

Abner Williamson (44), Headingley Road, Handsworth
Ernest Jones (31) Walsall Road, Hamstead
Charles Summerfield (33) Uplands Road, Handsworth
Enoch Burton (39) Holly Place, Hamstead
Richard Ashton (33) Parsonage Street, West Bromwich
Henry Underhill (17) New Buildings, Hamstead
John Summerfield (27) Chapel Street, Booth Street, Handsworth
John Hodgson (29) Avenue Road, Handsworth
William Underhill (48) New Buildings, Hamstead
Walter Summerfield (20) Chapel Street, Booth Street, Handsworth
William Lawley (27) Oxhill Road, Handsworth
Samuel Mitchell (44) Bradford Street, Hamstead
Joseph Howell (35) near Christ Church school, West Bromwich
Samuel Turner (34) Cambridge Road, Smethwick
Thomas Holyoak (39) Parsonage Street, West Bromwich
Arthur Merrick (22) Canal Road, Hamstead
Joseph Titley (25) Day's Buildings, Hamstead
James Bradley (45) New Buildings, Hamstead
Harry Watts (47) Post Office Row
Edwin Johnson (27) Post Office Row
Joseph Hodgkiss (17) Canal Row
Alfred Curtis (34) Eighty-eight Row, Hamstead
John Guest (30) Great Barr
Thomas Cole (34) William Henry Street, Nechells

Joseph Howell had had a premonition that something would happen. For four successive evenings he had refused to go down, on the fifth evening he descended to his death. A presentiment had saved the life of a fourth Summerfield brother; he had accompanied one of his brothers to the mine, but had then returned home.

James Hancox' body was brought up on March 28th; the last body, J. Hancock, was not found until March 31st. Also added to this list should be John Welsby who died trying to save these men's lives.

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Image courtesy of: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Donor ref:BMAG 1995V632.324 (16/2842)

Source: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery ,  Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

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