Maltby commemorates 100th anniversary of Colliery explosion with memorial event

The Rotherham suburb was the scene of the death of 27 colliers following an underground gas explosion in 1923.

On Friday, July 28, 100 years to the day, relatives of those who died along with villagers and miners from the pit, which finally closed in 2013, will pay their respects at a memorial event.

Organiser Bill Spilsbury says there will be some inspiring moments too.

The day before the main event, children from Hilltop School will lay wreaths at the Grange Lane cemetery at the graves of the only two men whose remains were ever recovered.

After a sermon at the grave of a miner called Original Renshaw, the children will then sing at the side of the grave of the Unknown Miner, whose remains were discovered years after the tragedy.

Bill says there was a joyful spin-off during the period when the centenary arrangements were being made.

He was contacted by the great-grandson of Harry Norwood, a 30-year-old deputy, who was one of the fatalities.

Bill, an expert on the events leading up to the catastrophe, was then able to put the Chesterfield man in touch with family members who he’d had no idea existed.

“After the explosion, a lot of families were split up,” he said.

“So it was nice to be able to tell him that he had family members living in Cannock and Whitby.”

Seventy-five-year-old Bill does his bit to make sure the young generation coming through is aware of the history of Maltby.

“Maltby isn’t a mining town any more - there may be kids growing up here who don’t even know there was a pit there,” he said

On the 100th anniversary, at 10am, the guests will include Lord Scarbrough, whose family owned the land where the pit was worked, the mayors of Rotherham and Doncaster, and the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Rev David Walker, who used to be industrial chaplain to Maltby diocese from 1986 to 1991.

Lime Kiln Road will be closed during the service.

Maltby Main Football Club is planning its own commemoration on July 29.