Story
Charles was born in Garforth in 1863. His parents were George Oxtoby (1832-1904) and Jane Willey (1838-1876), who married in Franham, Knaresborough on 9th August 1860. Both George and Jane were from the Knaresborough district, but moved to Garforth after they married. In 1891, Charles was still living with his widowed father in Garforth, and helping to financially support him, as he was a coal miner at Peckfield Colliery. Charles married Ellen Mallinson (1864-1945) in Garforth on 9th April 1892, and went on to have four children, one of whom, Seth, was born just after the Colliery explosion, and was killed on 22nd September 1917 during the First World War. He is buried at the Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Charles also had a brother, Henry Oxtoby (1864-1931) who married Mary Elizabeth Goodall in Garforth on 27th June 1885. Her father, Samuel Goodall was killed in the Peckfield Colliery explosion. Charles himself was fortunate to survive. He was late for work on 30th April 1896 as he had overslept. This meant his colleague William Flowers, who was waiting for him at the shaft bottom, came out of the pit and survived the disaster. When Charles arrived, both men joined the rescue efforts.
By 1901, Charles was a Colliery Deputy, living 85 School Terrace, East Garforth. His only daughter passed away in 1913 aged 18, and Charles died on 19th June 1935, aged 72.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 