Story
Arthur was born in Aberford on 12th January 1878, and was the sixth child of James Howson (1846-1906) and Elizabeth Pease (1845-1902) who married on 23rd December 1868 in Sherburn. James Howson also worked at Peckfield Colliery, as did his eldest son Edward Howson (1869-1935). Both James and Edward had just finished their night shift, and left the pit at 6:30am on 30th April 1896. James reported that when the night shift finished, the workings were fine, and there was no evidence of gas. He added that the roads in the pit were wide, and the workings were extremely well ventilated. As they were making their way back home, James and Edward met Arthur who was on his way to start work, along with his friend Alfred Wilson. They all lived in Aberford.
As it was a ‘laik day’ there were fewer pony drivers at work, so Arthur and Alfred had the pick of the ponies in the stable. They opted to take another lad’s pony for hurrying, as they thought it better than their own.
Arthur and Alfred made their way South down No.1 Dip. They passed the Air Crossing, and another set of doors, and were making their way to the coal face, close to where another Aberford miner, William Richard Wood Stead was working with his mate William Barker, when the explosion occurred. The explosion travelled down the No.1 Dip, killing Richard Shepherd, then George Edwin Dunnington, but the fire did not travel as far as Arthur and Alfred, because when it reached the Air Crossing, it made its way back up the No.2 Dip on the return. Arthur and Alfred had time to consider what they should do, and decided to leave their pony with its food and water and the lads made a run for it back up the No.1 Dip. Although the fire hadn’t reached them, there was still a lot of damage to the walls and roof, and they failed to even reach the Air Crossing. They met hurrier George William Hayes, and all three were overcome by afterdamp and died. Arthur Howson was 18 years-old. The pony which Arthur and Alfred left behind was later discovered over a fortnight later on the 15th May. It was weak, but still alive. It was brought out and well looked after, as the miners had a great regard for it.
Arthur’s body was brought out at 3am on Friday 1st May. His brother Edward, who had seen him less than an hour before he died, came back from their home at Bridge Foot, Aberford and identified his brother at the Inquest. He stated the only injury Arthur had sustained was a wound on his left cheek.
This was not the only death the Howsons suffered at Peckfield Colliery, as Arthur’s younger brother Fred was also killed later at Peckfield on 27th November 1913, when a stone measuring 4 feet square by 1 foot thick and weighing a ton, fell upon him and killed him. This was despite the bank being well-timbered. The deputy had inspected the place 2½ hours before the accident happened and found all safe. Fred was 41 years-old.
On the 5th Anniversary of the disaster, Arthur’s parents, James and Elizabeth, paid tribute to their son in the local press, and also two more of his siblings who had pre-deceased him:
Their father, James Howson, is the great, great, great grandfather of former Leeds United footballer Jonny Howson.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 