Story
George Hopkinson was born in 1853, and baptised on 6th February 1853 in Coppull, Lancashire. He was the son of a Collier, George Hopkinson snr (1825-1900) and his first wife Elizabeth Brooks (1826-1862). They married on 28th December 1846, moved to Lancashire, and then returned to Derbyshire. After the death of his first wife, George snr. re-married one of her nieces, Ruth Brooks (1835-1866) on 24th October 1863, but Ruth also passed away early after the birth of a son, Joseph Hopkinson, who was also involved in the rescue efforts at the Peckfield Colliery Disaster. George snr. married for a third time on 5th February 1871, to Elizabeth Bates (née Handley), who was the widow of Alfred Bates (1818-1866). His third wife had a daughter from her first marriage, Sarah Ann Bates (1853-1926) and George Hopkinson jnr. married her on 29th November 1873 in Blackwell, Derbyshire, where he worked as a collier. George and Sarah Ann Hopkinson went on to have 10 children, 8 of whom survived into adulthood. In 1881, George had already been promoted to Colliery Deputy, and lived on New Lane, Blackwell. The family moved to 11 Station Row, Micklefield the following year, and George continued to work as one of the night deputies at Peckfield Colliery in the Beeston Bed.
George was 43 years-old on the day of the pit disaster, and lived at 1 North View. He was one of three Night Deputies, along with Joseph Lillyman and Joseph Backhouse, who inspected the pit overnight. The three deputies formed the first rescue party to try and reach the pit bottom at 8:30am, but found their descent blocked by a fallen pipe. After eventually clearing the blockage, they explored the pit bottom, and discovered the bodies of John Sutton, Charles Shepherd and George Simpson. Before they could stay long, Joseph Lillyman fell ill with afterdamp gas poisoning and they had to leave the pit. Joseph Backhouse joined the second rescue party and came straight back down again. George Hopkinson later stated at the Inquest into the disaster: “I have been deputy above five years. I descended the pit about 9 o’clock on the 29th of April last, and examined the East level, and found all right and safe. I came up about several minutes to 7 o’clock on the morning of the 30th ult. after signing the Ventilation Record book. On the 16th December 1895, I found gas at James Plumb’s gate. It came from a crack in the roof. I reported the gas. The place was fenced off but was all right at night. On the 23rd of the same month I found gas at the same place. The place was still fenced off. On that day, the deceased William Radford cleared the place and signed the Book. Nobody except the Deputy used lamps. I never expressed an opinion that naked lights ought not to be used.”
George became Colliery Underground Manager for a time after the disaster, and the family moved to North View, Micklefield. By 1911, they were living at 125 Low Oxford Street, Castleford, and George was a Colliery Deputy once more. He passed away in 1925 aged 73.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 