Ralph Howd - Prudhoe Mine Accident

[Shamrosa]

Hello everyone,

I am writing on behalf of my husband Michael Howd.

Ralph Howd was Michael's grandfather (born 31 July 1878) who lived in Prudhoe and worked in one of the coal mines between 1907 and 1939.

Michael cant remember which mine Ralph worked in, only that it was not far from Prudhoe.

The story Michael was told, was that there was an accident in the mine and it was three days before Ralph was brought to the surface. Ralph suffered a broken back after which he was bed ridden.

Searches of the Durham Mining Museum records and the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers catalogue  have not provided any clues or answers.

We are compiling the family genealogy and history so if you could possibly help with this enquiry we would be very grateful.

Many thanks.

[Tickettyboo]

A free search of the 1921 census index on FindMyPast shows a Ralph HOWD, born 1878, Hexham, living in Prudhoe.

At the moment the 1921 census is pay per view, the image would cost £3.50 but one of the required questions was to show who he worked for.

Boo

[AllanUK]

Shamrosa -- are you aware that Ralph's son, John Robert, served in the Royal Air Force?

[AllanUK]

A search of newspapers has failed to find anything about Ralph having an accident.

The Newcastle Journal published on the 10th November 1937 ran an article entitled 'First Aid Awards at Clara Vale

The article started :
'For the third year in succession every student of Clara Vale Colliery St John Ambulance Brigade class satisfied the examiners in the ambulance and first aid examinations'

Listed under the awards for the Ambulance Division was Ralph Howd.

I believe that this is your Ralph Howd for the following reasons:

 1. Your Ralph Howd lived in Prudhoe -- Clara Vale Colliery was only 3 miles from Prudhoe

 2.  I can not find any reference to another Ralph Howd in Northumberland or County Durham.

EDIT:

Meant to add that the 1939 National Register shows Ralph and his wife living at Stelling Farm Cottage, his occupation is shown as 'Coal Mine Deputy Overman, Unemployed (Stelling Farm is near Stocksfield, not far from Prudhoe)

[Shamrosa]

Thank you all for your prompt replies!

That's very handy to know, Boo.

Allan, I cannot express how grateful we are for all of that information.

It seems to validate the story that Ralph was severely injured, in that he completed the St John Ambulance Brigade examinations in 1937 and was unemployed by 1939. This is incredibly helpful and gives us a much more compressed timeframe for the accident.

Michael was born in 1939 and his only memories of Ralph are of him being bed-ridden or sitting in his chair.

We are aware that Ralph's son John, served in the Royal Air Force and that he was mentioned in dispatches. Unfortunately, we have never found the reason's he was mentioned.

Thank you again for your assistance and this valuable information.

[AllanUK]

Always happy to assist as and when I can. Good luck in your further research.

Allan