The William Pit has the dubious distinction of being the most serious post WW II mining disaster in the UK. It was also the most serious accident to occur under the NCB. I have a vague personal connection to William Pit. My paternal grandfather Arthur Kelly who had worked at William Pit prior to WW I (He joined the Enniskillen Fusiliers on the outbreak of war in 1914). He never went back to mining and by the time of the disaster he was a senior Customs Officer in Brighton (being responsible for Newhaven & Shoreham etc etc). He organised an appeal via the Brighton Evening Argus newspaper for the William Pit men and their dependents raising several thousand pounds. Later my father worked at Chislet Colliery in Kent. One weekend when grandad was visiting us Dad took him to Chislet and he was amazed by how modern it was compared to William Pit! One thing to remember is that the lives lost by the men Is the real price paid for coal. Again thank you very much for an excellent video.
Thanks for keeping the memories alive of all those that died Clive we must never forget their suffering and the hardships they had to endure 164,356 miners men boys and girls have died since working in the pits from 1700 - 2000 and countless others were maimed for life god bless them all
so much forgotten and undiscovered history, and seems the William Pit goes right back to around 1804? 150 years life until it closed around 1954, that is alot of stories right there, all the miners, generations of miners, disasters but also countless escapes and near misses and no doubt lots of characters around the town, maybe one peaceful day they may reappear, as the fella said 'God is good'
Mam's stepdad Tommy Iley was a member of the rescue team at William, he was a deputy at Solway and usually spent Tuesday (?) evenings training at Windscale rescue centre at Hunday manor.
Brilliant video, being frae Whitehaven, its appreciated
The William Pit has the dubious distinction of being the most serious post WW II mining disaster in the UK.
It was also the most serious accident to occur under the NCB.
I have a vague personal connection to William Pit.
My paternal grandfather Arthur Kelly who had worked at William Pit prior to WW I (He joined the Enniskillen Fusiliers on the outbreak of war in 1914).
He never went back to mining and by the time of the disaster he was a senior Customs Officer in Brighton (being responsible for Newhaven & Shoreham etc etc).
He organised an appeal via the Brighton Evening Argus newspaper for the William Pit men and their dependents raising several thousand pounds.
Later my father worked at Chislet Colliery in Kent. One weekend when grandad was visiting us Dad took him to Chislet and he was amazed by how modern it was compared to William Pit!
One thing to remember is that the lives lost by the men Is the real price paid for coal.
Again thank you very much for an excellent video.
Lovely video
Thanks for keeping the memories alive of all those that died Clive we must never forget their suffering and the hardships they had to endure 164,356 miners men boys and girls have died since working in the pits from 1700 - 2000 and countless others were maimed for life god bless them all
Are you from Whitehaven ?
so much forgotten and undiscovered history, and seems the William Pit goes right back to around 1804? 150 years life until it closed around 1954, that is alot of stories right there, all the miners, generations of miners, disasters but also countless escapes and near misses and no doubt lots of characters around the town, maybe one peaceful day they may reappear, as the fella said 'God is good'
Mam's stepdad Tommy Iley was a member of the rescue team at William, he was a deputy at Solway and usually spent Tuesday (?) evenings training at Windscale rescue centre at Hunday manor.
@@650Max uncle used to be part of mines rescue and lived in one of the mines rescue house on the left as you go towards Hunday Manor
Enjoyed this! But "Marchon" is pronounced "Marsh-on", not "Mark-on".
Thanks for that..It's not always easy with local pronunciation when you are from away...thanks for the correction
@@rossendalecollieries7995It's a contraction from the founders names, Fred Marzillier and Frank Schon.