Durham Mining Museum - Newspaper Articles (original) (raw)

8th September 1922

The King's Message To Whitehaven

More Bodies Recovered

The following telegram was received from Balmoral Castle yesterday by the manager of the Haig Colliery, Whitehaven :—

"The King and Queen are grieved at the terrible disaster at the Haig Colliery, and desire to express their heartfelt sympathy with the families of those who have been killed and to know how the injured are progressing. The Majesties would be thankful if you could telegraph any further information and give the number of fatal cases. — Stamfordham."

Colonel Jackson, chairman of the company, replied informing their Majesties that the death-roll was thirty-nine, which was the total number of men employed in the district where the explosion occurred. He regretted that no hope could be entertained for the men still remaining in the pit, as they were buried under a very heavy fall of roof.

Lord Lonsdale has sent a message expressing his great sorrow, and has contributed £250 towards the Mayor's Relief Fund.

The total number of bodies recovered is now twenty-nine. Two bodies brought to the surface yesterday have been identified as those of John Pattinson, 35, a married man with five children, residing at Hensingham, and William J. Sparks, 21, of Williamson's-lane, Whitehaven. The latter was only recently married.