Blakeburn Pit Disaster 13.8.1930 British Columbia

[CHupton]

Has anyone any information re Blakeburn pit disaster aka 'Black Wednesday' 13.8.1930, British Columbia.  My Grandad died at the age of 27 years after emmigrating to Canada the year before.

Any press, photos or knowledge of any good websites giving info.

Have found some but info is pretty basic.  I believe at the time it was a major disaster killing 45 men.

Many thanks

Carole

[Biker]

Hello,

As you say, some stuff on the net with some photos like this: http://town.princeton.bc.ca/history/ghostown/blakburn.htm

Not sure where you're located but if you get stuck you can always contact the B.C. Archives here: http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/index.htm  There is contact details on the site.

Best of Luck
Jonathan

[ajjbc]

Carole,
           Try contacting a TIM MALANCHUK" at     (*)
Do ask him about his book that he is writing about Blakeburn
and see if it is ready for publication.It will be an excellent book.
I was at the Princeton Museum in BC,Canada while he was doing his research.
He is extremely busy...
Good luck!

(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.

[RoseCanada]

Hi there........my father, now deceased worked at Blakeburn.  I'd be interested in finding out more.

[ajjbc]

Rosecanada and Carole post the name of the person you are seeking re; blakeburn mine........I'll see what I can find for you

[RoseCanada]

lol....I am having such a time navigating this site.  I read your post before I realized what it was in reference to

James Alexander Hoggan of Merritt, BC worked at Blakeburn in the 1930's.

[ajjbc]

Was he killed in the Blakeburn Mining disaster? OR Did he just work ther?If he was killed there I might have something.
Your public laibrary shoul have a book on Blakeburn,not sur of the namebut you could enquire,then get it through interlabray loan if need be.Give it a try.

[samthompson]

Hello

here is a list of the 45 miners (and their ages) who were killed in the Blakeburn disaster of August 13 1930. There may have been others who were transferred to other communities and died there.
From this site  (using Blakeburn as the place and 1930 as the year with no other names)
http://search.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/sn-3327FB6/gbsearch/Births,Marriages,Deaths

James Adamson   24
Mike Babich   42
Josiah Bradbury   48
Albert Cole   19
John Dreffrf   44
Harry Edwards   36
William Ewing   22
Paul Fleischman   35
Frank Gailus   27
Thomas Gibson   42
Ralph Hale  42
James Hatfield  43
Cornelius Hufton  22
Frank Jerosyk   31
Joe Konopka   39
Vide Kresich  31
Alexander Kruk  38
Zeke Labarda  41
Walter Laurie  37
Mike Lubardo  42
Mathew Marshall  37
Donald Mcdonald  43
Samuel Milligan  46
Jack Millitich  40
Joseph Nagode  30
John Nesbitt  38
John Njegovan  27
Frank Plut  27
John Purss  22
Herbert Ruckledge  37
William O Ross  64
Petor Shllinovich  30
William Sim  17
Robert Simpson  28
Charles H Smith  25
Clifford Alexander Smith  49
John Connell Smith  36
Peter Smith  36
William Smith  33
William Sonpronuk  35
Frank Stanich  30
Joseph Stanich  24
Joseph Sutich  34
Nick Storyk  36
Jno Vidosh  29

Here is a link to another site that is a tribute to other miners who died in mining accidents in and near Sparwood, BC. Many of these miners came from England, Ireland, Scotland, etc.
http://members.tripod.com/~coalminersmemorial/

My great grandfather came from the Stirling and Bannockburn, Scotland area to work in the mines in Coleman, Alberta in 1909. He was injured in a mine accident in about 1912 and had a metal plate put in his head. The metal plate resulted in pressure on, and damage to, his brain and he died in the Ponoka Institution for the Insane in Alberta

Coleman Cemetery KILGANNON James 1873 - 1915

He left a wife and 5 small children (the youngest my grandfather was born in 1911). My grandfather started working in the same mine at the age of 13 or 14. He survived 3 mine explosions before he was injured so badly that he could not mine anymore.




Good luck

Thelma

[Exmine]

1985 - Blakeburn From Dust to Dust by Don Blake - Out of Print
2005 - Blakeburn British Columbias Forgotten Ghost Town - Book now on sale- Author - Terry Melanchuk. Website - WWW.BLAKEBURN-FORGOTTENGHOSTTOWN.CA