Further statues added to the Markham Colliery miners memorial
Fifteen new statues have been have been added to the ‘Walking Together’ mining memorial at the Markham Vale Business Park to commemorate miners who tragically lost their lives in 3 disasters at Markham Colliery.
The business park was developed by Derbyshire County Council and HBD on the site of the former colliery and the memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the site’s strong mining heritage.
Each statue symbolises a miner’s journey to the pit and represents the men who lost their lives in the 3 accidents in 1937, 1938 and 1973.
The new statues takes the total of life-sized steel figures to 77 and Derbyshire County Council continue to work alongside partners to fundraise for all 106 miners to be commemorated.
Councillor Barry Lewis Derbyshire County Council Leader, said: “Although the landscape looks very different, Markham Vale is a hive of industry and employment today just as it was back when the pit stood there and, it’s important we don’t forget the area’s roots.”
He added: “As we enter the final stages towards completing the memorial project, I’d like to thank all the sponsors for their contributions so far, including Viridor Credits Environmental Company for funding the most recent group of figures through the Landfill Communities Fund.”
These most recent additions have been dedicated to:
- Charles Bown, 27, contractor
- George Clarence Briggs, 52, deputy
- Joseph William Brocklehurst, 58, deputy
- George Cyril Foulds Buckley, 40, contractor
- John William Watson Commons, 33, contractor
- George Eyre, 60, gearhead attendant
- Clifford Brooks, 58, deputy
- Joe Hardy, 37, Contractor
- Clarence Hill, 29, belt-hand
- Fred Reddish, 53, development worker
- Harry Hudson, 26, gate-end
- Benjamin Wallace, 29, road layer
- George Henry Jackson, 43, contractor
- William Edward Whelpton, 32, rope greaser
- Michael Kilroy, 53, development worker
Due to the coronavirus pandemic it was not possible to hold a physical event to unveil the latest statues. Instead a short film has been produced as a virtual commemoration.
Find out more information about the colliery and the miners who lost their lives on The Story Mine website.
