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Born 9th August 1868 in Manston, Crossgates, Herbert was the son of Thomas Eastwood (1842-1919) and Emma Atack (1844-1917) who married in Leeds on 11th July 1863. Emma is pictured on the left of the photograph below, with Herbert’s brother Alfred (1872-1909), his wife Mary Goodall (1873-1955), and daughter Emma Eastwood (1892-1975). Herbert’s father Thomas was a deputy at a local colliery:
Herbert’s first cousins on his mother’s side were William Atack (1860-1920) and his brother Caleb Atack (1862-1941) who were both survivors of the Colliery Disaster, which Herbert attended as a rescuer. Herbert was later interviewed by Samuel Cheesbrough regarding his experiences as a rescuer, and on 30th April 1954 wrote in the Leeds Skyrack:
Disaster Recalled:- Today (Friday) will hold tragic memories for some local people, for it is the 58th anniversary of the explosion at Peckfield Colliery, Micklefield, a disaster in which a number of Kippax families lost relatives and friends. Among those still living who took part in the rescue work is 84-year-old Mr Herbert Eastwood, of Station Road, who was working at Allerton Bywater Colliery at the time. Mr Eastwood attended the Allerton Bywater Colliery Veterans’ dinner recently, and was one of only three men now living who were placed on Mr E. Stringer’s N.U.M. pensions list of 211 in 1935. The late Mr Squire Goodall also took part in the work of rescue; and the late Mr George Cawood, who later became licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Kippax, was reported missing in the explosion. Fifty-eight years is a long time but there are still a number of people who are benefiting from the funds that were raised at the time.
The Eastwoods played in the Kippax Brass Band for many years. At the time of the disaster, Herbert had married his wife Ada Firth (1869-1946) in Kippax on 21st September 1889, and they had two sons and daughters. After the disaster they had a further three daughters.
In September 1939, Herbert and Ada were able to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary, which was reported in the local press:
At the end of his life, Herbert was living at 12 Station Road, Kippax. He passed away at the age of 93 on 29th September 1961. He left £1,510 1s 8d in his will to Albert Brookes, who lived in Kippax but was the Steward at Morley Working Men’s Club (pictured below left) who was Herbert’s son-in-law, after marrying his daughter Caroline Eastwood (1887-1962). The Brookes family were gifted sportsmen, with Albert Brooke’s brother William (1882-1947, pictured below right), playing for Hunslet Rugby League Club for over 30 years. He was a firm fan favourite, affectionately known as Tubby Brookes. Albert too was a well-known Billiards player and local league cricket player.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that a combination of the Brookes and Eastwoods produced cricketer Dennis Brookes (1915-2006), referred to in the above press article, who played 525 first class matches, scored 30,874 runs, which made him the 56th top run scorer in history, and he also played a Test Match for England against the West Indies. Dennis also served in the RAF in the Second World War, whilst his older brother Herbert (1908-1978) served in the Royal Navy.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 