30^th May 1951

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63 Are Still Missing in Pit

Lord Hyndley and Mr. Shinwell at Easington Pit-head

'Won't Give Up Hope'

by Sunderland Echo Staff Reporters

As rescue workers battled grimly on in Easington Colliery to-day through a tangle of twisted girders and masses of debris in search of their 63 comrades, missing since yesterday's dawn explosion in the pit, Mr. E. H. D. Skinner, Chairman of Durham Division of the N.C.B., said: "Hope will not be given up until we know they are dead." The bodies of 16 men have been found, one rescue worker died at the pit yesterday, and a man who was rescued alive yesterday died later.

Relations of the missing men who had kept a ceaseless vigil at the pit-head since the explosion were still waiting for news as dawn broke to-day. They were joined by anxious crowds from cottages where lights had burned all night. Mr. Skinner's statement told them that rescue work is necessarily slow, and that it would be late to-day before any of the bodies which have been located can be brought out.

Lord Hyndley, Chairman of the N.C.B., and Mr. Emmanuel Shinwell, M.P., Minister of Defence, arrived at the pit to-day. Standing on the steps of a miner's home opposite the pit gate, Lord Hyndley, surrounded by miners and their wives, expressed his sympathy.

Lord Hyndley said: "The rescue teams have worked magnificently. The organisation on the management side has been splendid and the machine has worked as well as anybody could possibly have expected, and that is very satisfactory."

Mr. Shinwell spoke to people in the crowd at the pit gate. He was almost in tears as he turned from the men and chatted to individuals rather than groups. He said later: "This is not the time for making speeches."

Two are Safe

Two men earlier stated to have been among the missing, had their names removed from the lists to-day when they were found to be safe. They are Matthew Hood of Ayre Street, Easington, and Thomas Newton, of Warkworth Avenue, Horden.

Mr. Newton, who recently started work as a datal hand after receiving an injury in the pit some months ago as a hewer, was working in the south district of the seam where the explosion occurred.

He told a Sunderland Echo reported that a fault developed in his lamp a few days ago and it was taken away for repair and he was issued with a substitute. After the explosion he was told to come to the surface.

He did so and handed in the substitute lamp which he had used on that shift. The fact that his own lamp, away for repair, was missing from its place, leaving only the token which indicated that he was still down the pit, and he fact that he was using a different lamp had apparently been overlooked.

Mr. Hood, a 56-year-old shifter, rushed to the colliery to-day when he found he was listed as missing.

"I was asleep then the net door neighbour came to my house and showed my wife a paper with my name on it. She was going to sympathise with my wife who quickly ran upstairs to me, I think to check if I was still there. It has been a big shock for both my wife and me.

"I was working at the west engine house, a quarter of an hour's walk from the place where the first man, Matthew Williams, was found.

"Knocked off my feet"

"I was knocked off my feet by the explosion and covered with dust but I was not hurt. I came out of the pit and handed in my lamp, an indication that I was out and alive."

Two more names were later added to the list of those missing. They were G. Fishburn, of Cardiff Street, and J. G. Robson (26), of East View, both of Easington Colliery.

Mrs. Fishburn lost her first husband in an accident at the colliery in 1929.

Mr. Robson has been married for five years. He has a son and a daughter and his wife is expecting a third child.

Mr. Sam Watson, General Secretary of Durham Area of the N.U.M., said, "I am afraid that things are not improving at all. Conditions underground have deteriorated if anything."

Mr. Watson said: "There is absolutely no truth in the assumption that compensation is not payable after an explosion. The number of men involved in a disaster has no bearing whatever on the principle of compensation. It is payable in all cases."

Telegrams have been received from the Mayor, Mayoress, and citizens of war-blitzed Coventry by the Chairman of Easington R.D.C., Coun. J. Burnip, saying: "We send our sincere sympathies and deepest regrets on the sad fatality which has occurred at Easington Colliery."

A telegram from the chairman and members of Creswell Parish Council says "Our thoughts and sympathies born of experience are with you at this moment."

The Mayor of Sunderland (Ald. William Harvey) to-day dispatched the following telegram to the General Manager of No. 3 Area N.C.B.: "News of the Easington Colliery disaster was learned in Sunderland with deep sorrow. On behalf of the townspeople, kindly convey to the relations of the victims expressions of their sincere sympathy."

Among other messages of sympathy are those from the National Executive of the Labour Party, the Combined Coal Control Group, Essen, Germany, and the National Chamber of Trade, whose delegates are in conference at Hastings.

Mr. Emanuel Shinwell visited Easington Rural District Council offices to-day where he discussed the Council's proposal to launch an appeal fund. This decision will be confirmed at a meeting to-morrow morning. Mr. Shinwell gave Mr. J. W. Gray, Clerk to the Council, a cheque for £50 to open the fund.