John Henry Thorne

John Henry was born in Ecclesfield, on 05 March 1880, to parents George and Sarah Thorne. Little is known of his early life but census records show him to be a Colliery Deputy in 1901, at the age of 21.

He came to fame as a member of the Tankersley Mines Rescue team that distinguished itself at the Hamstead Colliery Disaster in March 1908. For his part in that disaster, Thorne was awarded the Edward Medal (first class) and also received one of the especially minted Gold Medals, also in recognition of his work at Hamstead.

In 1910 John Henry Thorne became one of only two ever to be awarded a 'Bar' to his Edward Medal, effectively meaning he was awarded the honour twice. This time the award recognised his endeavours in working at the Wellington Pit Disaster in Whitehaven following an explosion and subsequent fire on 11 May 1910.

Almost certainly due to his knowledge and his experience in these disasters John Henry was appointed, in 1912, as Superintendent in Charge of the Dinas Mines Rescue Station, built and provided by the Rhondda Collieries Rescue Association.

He was reported, by the Coal Magazine (September 1948) as the Chairman at the Conference of Mine Rescue Superintendents held in that year.

John Henry retired in 1950 after 38 years of service and died on 20 June 1955 in Blackpool. He is buried at Tankersley.

Do you have any further information about the life and times of John Henry Thorne? If you do please email me from the Contact Me page
Copyright notice - I am happy for anyone to either link to this site or its individual pages or indeed for the pictures and/or text to be quoted but I would request that full attribution to this site, or the stated copyright holder if listed separately, as the source of the information, is made in your text.