Mine in Altofts, Yorkshire

[nadiawalton]

Hi Denn

Well this a bit of a long shot!
My Gt X5 Grandfather disappears between 1881 and 1891. He lived in Alftofts and was a coal miner.
If it was this Normanton mine he worked at, he could have been involved in the explosion in 1886.
I know it seems a bit of a long shot, but I just need to take a look down every road!
His name was William Sykes, b.1840 Bon Chapel (or just Chapel, Yorkshire!)
He lived in a place alled Cheesebrough Row, would this have been miners housing?

Nadia

[dennford]

Apart from the little snippet that I sent by pm, I can't find anything. How did you go with that curious fox piece?

                                       Denn

[nadiawalton]

I logged in and searched for it again (as it wouldn't let me reply unless I joined!) and I couldn't find it anywhere! I'll have another look today just to make sure.
I haven't been able to find much either, I'll have to have a look at old newspaper records for inquest details etc etc!

[dennford]

sent you another pm

[wildgoose]

wasn't the pit in Altofts called the West Ridng? 
As well as Popes & Pearson, there was one called Dom Pedro (named after the emperor of Brazil) at Loscoe, there was a pit at St Johns (back of the catholic club) and one at Snydale.

Anyone researhing SPINK family in Normanton?

[dennford]

Going to be very busy today, it's a lot of peoples birthday (the mother of my children, the person who looks after me, my soulmate and the lady I married) but I shall have a look at those as  soon as poss'
                                                       Denn

[nadiawalton]

wasn't the pit in Altofts called the West Ridng? 
As well as Popes & Pearson....there was a pit at St Johns (back of the catholic club) ....

Anyone researhing SPINK family in Normanton?

Have just discovered the death cert for my William Sykes! He died as a result of the roof caving in Stanley main Pit, St Johns Colliery in December 1882.
Can anyone tell me anything else about this pit?

[dennford]

      I don't have much on the St Johns mine, I beleive it began work about 1870 and consisted of 3 pits working the Haig Moor seam, the Silkstone seam (presumably where the accident occured)  and the stanley pit; I would guess that all three were connected underground because the haig moor was the only one that employed surface workers. the coal was of several grades, haig moor and silkstone were heating and gas coal while the stanley pit mined the much more valued steaming coal (could possibly have been the barnsley bed seam). from the surface it looks as though the coal was moved by canal.
      Finally many of the mines in the area belonged to the Pope family and a descendent of the Pope family is currently  living in New Zealand - There must be a way of finding him/her.

                                                       Denn

[dennford]

Almost forgot