Story
John Riches was born in 1855 in Saxlingham Thorpe, Norfolk, and was the son of a farm labourer William Riches (1794-1874) and Clara Gedge (1824-1887), who married in Saxlingham Thorpe on 3rd December 1841. John left home early, and like his father, he was initially an agrigultural labourer working and lodging on a Norfolk Farm. John moved North, and married Elizabeth Learoyd (1856-1923) in 1878. They went on to have 9 children, with one passing away in infancy. In 1881, John was living in Moor Garforth, and was working as a coal miner. By 1891, he was living on Aberford Road in Barwick-in-Elmet, working as a general labourer, before he moved to 2 Cliff Terrace, the following year, and started work at Peckfield Colliery.
On the day of the explosion, John was the senior colliery banksman on surface duties. Once he had recovered from the shock of the explosion bursting from the upcast shaft, he ran from the pit top to inform the manager Charles Houfton, the engineer Samuel Clough, and then the police and others.
After the disaster, John continued to work at Peckfield Colliery as a Banksman, and moved to 28 Cliff Terrace. Their youngest child Walter Riches was killed during the First World War, and is commemorated on the memorial in Micklefield.
John passed away in 1930.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 