Walton Coliiery Explosion - Walton, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 39.248 W 001° 27.004
30U E 602434 N 5946156
This memorial pit wheel commemorates the dead of a 1959 explosion at Walton Colliery.
Waymark Code: WM17G58
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/16/2023
Views: 0
The coal mine initially started operation in 1890 when it was known as SharlstonWest Coal Mine. It was renamed Walton Colliery after the coal industry was Nationalised.
There were 1,285 men that worked underground on a number of different seams and 298 that worked on the surface. All the men that worked underground used safety lamps.
In the 22nd April 1959 there was an explosion when a faulty electric cable ignited Methane in one of the coal seams. Five men died and one was injured.
The coal mine closed in 1979 and in the 1980s the above ground buildings were demolished and the area landscaped to form Walton Colliery Nature Park.
The site has now officially been designate a Local Nature Reserve and the area has a mixture of areas including, woodland, scrub land and ponds.
This memorial in the form of a pit wheel standing on a small plinth was erected on the 19th October 2019 at the entrance to the nature reserve next to the car park on Shay Lane.
At the front of the piinth is a plaque that says 'Walton Colliery (Sharlston West) 1890 - 1979'.
On the side of the plinth is a plaque with the following text.
This memorial is in recognition of all our mine
workers and is dedicated to the memory of those
who lost their lives working here.
Their light will always shine.
Lawrence Coe, 38, William Hudson, 46, Charles Ray, 53, Jack Rothery, 54, and Wilfred Wardle, 38, died in the blast.
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