30^th May 1951

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Relations Keep Night-long Vigil at Pit Head

Throughout the night small groups of men and women, shivering in the cold night air, waited for news of relations trapped 900tf. below the surface in the Five Quarter seam of Easington Colliery.

As dawn broke their hopes were fading, indeed, Mr. E. H. D. Skinner, Chairman of Durham Division of the N.C.B., said last night: "Hope is receding, it would be something in the nature of a miracle if we get any number of men out alive."

Rescued Man Dies

The number of dead at 9 a.m. to-day was officially stated to be 18. The first man out of the pit, Matthew Williams (19), of Ashton Street, Easington Colliery, died at 7.30 last night in Ryhope General Hospital; a rescue worker, Mr. J. Y. Wallace, of Deneside, Seaham, was killed while trying to reach his colleagues; and there are 16 unidentified bodies at the pit shaft.

Wallace was married only two months ago.

The number of unlocated men is 63. Throughout the night 12 teams of rescue workers — 55 men — in two-hour relays have been using pick axes and even their bare hands to reach the entombed men.

Mr. Sam Watson, Durham Area Secretary of the N.U.M., said last night that nothing would be left undone to see "if we can succour the men, but I would be failing in my duty if I did not suggest to the people that our hopes of rescue are beginning to fade."

Priests Stand By

Two Roman Catholic priests stood by the colliery all night waiting to administer last rites when bodies were brought to the surface. In a hut with resting rescue workers were two doctors and a nurse.

In 45 streets in this mining village families have men trapped below the surface. One street has seven men missing; another four; and men from surrounding towns of West Hartlepool and Thornley are in this casualty list.

Salvation Army workers were on duty at the pit gates throughout the night with a mobile canteen.

One of the rescue workers who left the pit this morning murmured: "If an atom bond had been dropped I don't think there could have been more devastation in the seam. It may be Friday before the get the men out.

Blown to Splinters

Reports filtering to the surface indicate that the first ventilating door which is three-quarters of a mile from the shaft in the direction of the entombed men, was blown to splinters. Coal loading equipment was also destroyed by the force of the explosion.

All cinemas in Easington were closed last night and a special service was held in the Church of Ascension, which has often been featured in miners' broadcast services. The Rev. R. A. Beddoes, Vicar of Easington, conducted the service.

Visitors to the pit-head last night were Mr. Arthur Horner, General Secretary of the N.U.M., and Lord Lawson, Lord Lieutenant of the County, who stayed until a late hour. To-day Mr. Noel Baker, Minister of Fuel and Power; Mr. Emanuel Shinwell, Minister of Defence; and Lord Hyndley, Chairman of the N.C.B. are to meet Mr. Skinner at the colliery.

"Always Hope"

Among the missing men is Jimmy McRoy (34), of Tower Street, Easington Colliery, who is a former regular soldier. He served with the Coldstream Guards and was in the Western Desert campaign. Taken prisoner, he spent five years in a P.O.W. camp and soon after his demobilisation resumed work at Easington Colliery.

His pale-faced 25-year-old wife, Gladys, carrying her two-year-old son, waited for hours at the pit-head yesterday. She said: "I will not give up hope — there is always hope."

Before this weeks shifts only 18 men were working on the coal face in the five-quarter seam. On Monday, 24 men were started. Of five new starters to the seam only one was not at work when the explosion occurred — Arthur Joyce, of Gayfield Terrace, Grant;' House, Easington — who slept the caller.

Prominent Men

Many of the entombed men take prominent part in the social affairs of the district. They include Mr. E. Cain, who was been Chairman of Easington British Legion since it was opened just before the war, and who is an active member of Coxon R.A.O.B. Lodge; Mr. Alex Penman, who replaced another workman at the coal face only a fortnight ago, is captain of Easington C.W. second cricket team, and was selected to play in a cup-tie last night.

Another of the men is Mr. Jack Porter, who after ten weeks off work through illness restarted on Monday.

Mr. George Calvert is a prominent pigeon fancier and takes a lively interest in his local homing society. Mr. R. Champerley is a well-known resident of Shotton and has a family of eight daughters, three of whom attend the local grammar school.

Native of Town

Mr. Fred Carr, 5 Leechmere Terrace, Ryhope, another of the entombed men, is a native of Sunderland, and was an electrician for some years at Silksworth Colliery, where his father, Mr. John Carr, was head electrician.

Aged 50, Mr. Carr went to Ryhope Colliery from Silksworth and then worked as an electrician at Vane Tempest Colliery before going to Easington Colliery about 15 months ago. He has a wife and three sons, aged 17, 16, and eight, and a three-year-old baby girl.

Explosion was the biggest disaster in Durham County since 1909, N.C.B.. officials stated. In 1909 168 men were killed at West Stanley.

Little Change in Position

Mr. Skinner said late last night: "The position has little changed. The rescuers have not got any farther towards the face than they had several hours ago. They cannot do so until they have consolidated a new area base farther in.

"There is a considerable amount of construction to be done. It is now a question of diverting the air. Until that has been done no further attempt can be made to get along the blocked trunk road."

King Sends Sympathy

Message expressing the deepest regret of himself and the Queen was sent by the King to Mr. E. H. D. Skinner, Chairman of Durham Division of the N.C.B.

The King said: "The Queen and I learnt with the deepest distress of the explosion at Easington Colliery and of the severe loss of life there. We send our heartfelt sympathy to all those who have lost husbands or sons.

Mr. Skinner later replied: "The people of Easington Colliery are deeply grateful for your Majesty's gracious message of sympathy in our sorrow. I deeply regret to say that hopes are dwindling but I assure your Majesties that rescue operations are being tirelessly pursued."

Lord Hyndley, chairman of the N.C.B., sent messages to Mr. Skinner, and to Mr. Sam Watson, Durham area secretary, N.U.M.