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Most of the information on this page is taken from various newspapers of the time.
Twenty-seven men lost their lives in the Maltby Main Colliery Company's pit, situated in thick woodland about a mile from the village of Maltby, Yorkshire. An explosion occurred in the pit early on 28th July, 1923. Only one body, that of a man named Renshaw, was recovered despite the effort of rescue parties. The rescue attempt had started almost immediately by volunteers with no consideration as to the danger they were putting themselves in. They moved forward toward the explosion area and came across the first and only body to be recovered, that of Original Renshaw, a road layer who had been working out-bye. Beyond this point progress was blocked by falls of roof and the men returned to the surface, a further attempt was made but with no progress. The rescue was abandoned after 12 hours when all hope of the possibility of any man still in the mine being alive had been given up.
Maltby Main Colliery
The explosion occurred at 9.15 am at the stoppings that were being put in 53's cross road. The force of the explosion was felt at the bottom of 95's cross gate, where two deputies were working, but these men got clear. The first rescue party found one body a hundred yards in-bye from the junction of 95's cross gate on the east plane. All men were then withdrawn from the pit. A second rescue party went down at 6 o'clock, but owing to falls in the road they could not get into the area where the explosion occurred. From the signs of violence found by the party there can be no hope of anyone being still alive. The second party returned at 8 o'clock.
The Leeds mercury Monday 30th July 1923
The following official statements were issued yesterday, at the Maltby Colliery, near Rotherham, where a terrific explosion on Saturday entombed twenty-seven men, who had been bravely fighting fires among coal refuse.
So soon as possible after the explosion occurred rescue parties were informed, and upon investigations made by two sets of parties, we were fully satisfied that none of the men imprisoned in the mine could possibly be living. Deliberations between representatives of owners, the management, H. M. Inspectors, and workmen are still being held, and a definite conclusion as to the policy to be adopted has not yet been arrived at. It may be taken for certain, however, that there is no hope of recovering the bodies of the dead for the time being.
As a result of deliberations held today it has been decided to erect certain stoppings close to the pit bottom, with the object of, at some future date, which it is to be hoped will not be far distant, being able in safety to re-open the majority of the workings in the mine. These stoppings are to be erected by volunteers from the official staff of the colliery.
The secretary who made the announcement, replied in answer to questions that the nature of the stoppings would be brickwork. “Does that mean that the bodies will never be recovered?” asked the Pressmen. “You cannot say that,” he replied. “At some future date they may be brought up.” He added that nearly 3,000 men would be out of work. If all went well it was hoped that the colliery would be open for work again in about three weeks, or a month.
The men who lost their lives
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1. George Perrins, 37, Deputy, 186 Muglet Lane, Maltby. Was in charge of the working party when the explosion took place.
2. John Henry Garratty, 38, Corporal, 56 Muglet Lane, Maltby. Had worked in Maltby about ten years. Has a wife and family.
3. Edward Mitchell, 23, Byeworker, 56 Athelstone Road, Conisbro'.
4. William Emberton, 27, Collier, 39 Salisbury Road, Maltby.
5. Raymond Clinton Bourne, 19, of 49 Salisbury Place, Maltby. (Brother of Harold Bourne.)
6. Harold Bourne, 25, Haulage Hand, 49 Salisbury Place, Maltby.
7. Harry Norwood, 30, Deputy, 5 Victoria Street, Maltby. Skilled in rescue work, and possessed an under-manager's certificate; has a wife and three children.
8. John William Green, 38, Haulage Hand, Nelson Road, Maltby.
9. Silvanus Turner, 27, Collier, 12 Beresford Road, Maltby.
10. George Brierley, 34, Collier, 57 Victoria Street, Maltby.
11. William (Billy) Preece, 24, Collier, married three years. He left a wife and two children.
12. Joseph Best, 19, Haulage Hand, 3 Deacons Crescent, Maltby. Was the son of a deputy at the pit. His father was underground at the time of the explosion.
13. James Smith, 37, Collier, 5 Portland Place, Maltby. Married, ex-serviceman.
14. Richard John Brooks, 24, Collier, 6 Coleridge Road, Maltby.
15. John Stoker, 30, Overman at the colliery. Maclaren Crescent, Maltby.
16. Joseph Spibey, 29, Collier, 96 Salisbury Road, Maltby.
17. John Spilsbury, 23, Collier, Cavendish Place, Maltby.
18. Ernest Dunn, 28, Collier, 3 Grange Lane, Maltby. Married with two children. Brother of Alderman E. Dunn, J. P.
19. George Hickling, 44, Ripper, 128 Tickhill Road, Maltby. Married with a family of ten.
20. Benjamin Jones, 26, Collier, 103 Salisbury Road, Maltby. Has not worked at Maltby very long.
21. Aaron Daniels, 46, Collier, 13 Coleridge Road, Maltby.
22. Bertie Beardsall, 29, Collier, Dukes Avenue, Maltby. Formerly worked at Tinsley Park Colliery. Married man with four children.
23. Leonard Meredith, 22, Collier, 26 Beresford Road, Maltby.
24. Ernest Clixby, 61 Church Road, Darnall, Sheffield. 25 years old and married a year ago. He studied at Sheffield University, and is an analyst. Served with distinction during the war.
25. Albert Smithson, 28, Collier, 9 Kings Avenue, Maltby.
26. Alfred Henry Fellows 15, Haulage Hand, 1 Tennyson Road, Maltby.
27. Original Renshaw, 48, Road Layer.
Image from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 30 July 1923
Herbert Smith
From very shortly after the disaster until late this afternoon the colliery has been continuously visited by officials. Mr. Herbert Smith, the President of the Miners' federation of Great Britain and the Yorkshire Miners' Association, went down the mine several times yesterday, and has been on the spot all the time; and among Government officials are Mr. H. Walker, deputy chief inspector of mines; Mr. F. H. Wynne, divisional inspector for the Yorkshire and North Midland Division; and Messrs. W. J. Charlton and H. J. Humphreys, senior inspectors in the Yorkshire and North Midland Division. These gentlemen, and the directors and officials of the pit, have been in constant conference.
Image from the Leeds Mercury 31st July 1923
The Rotherham Advertiser, 31st July 2015
The Rotherham Advertiser, 31st July 2015
The Memorial as it looks today
Photo' by Pat Bagnall, taken June 2018
Maltby Colliery finally closed in 2013, and demolition of the surface buildings took place in 2014.
Pat Bagnall
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