Story
Joseph was the last child born to Thomas Day (1809-1866) and Maria Allen (1816-1866) who married in Duffield, Derbyshire on 12th October 1839. Joseph was born in 1856 in Church Broughton, Derbyshire. His mother passed away when Joseph was only nine, and his father passed away later the same year when he was 10 years-old. On the 1871 Census, Joseph is working as a farm labourer on Grange Field Farm, Trusley, Derbyshire. He was still a farm labourer on 25th July 1880, when he married Sarah Ann Winfield (1859-1932) in Church Gresley, Derbyshire. After their wedding, Joseph moved in with his wife’s family in Linton Heath, Derbyshire, and eventually joined the Winfields working in the coal industry. Joseph’s father-in-law George Winfield was killed in a mining accident at Netherseal Colliery, Leicestershire on 27th April 1887, and shortly after Joseph and Sarah Ann had a daughter, Ethel on 10th January 1888. The extended family then moved up to Micklefield to work at Peckfield Colliery. In 1891, Joseph, Sarah Ann and Ethel were living at 17 Station Row, and had a son, George Winfield Day on 25th April 1891.
On the morning of the disaster, Joseph was with his brothers-in-law at the pit-top at 6:30am. They went down in the lift together and parted at the bottom. Three of the Winfield brothers died in the disaster, and Joseph later identified the bodies of Walter, Herbert and Joseph Winfield at the Inquest. As relatives gathered anxious for news at the Pit-head, the comments of Joseph’s wife Sarah Ann are likely to have been inadvertently captured by a journalist who wrote: “A pathetic incident occurred whilst the police […] were clearing the anxious throng off the pit hill, so that there might be no interference with the workmen busily engaged above ground in furthering the rescue-work below. ‘Further back, missus!’ said a constable to a poor woman, who seemed intensely eager to learn who had been saved. She did not refuse to obey the order; she simply said ‘Maister, I’ve my husband and five brothers in the pit!’ and then retired with the rest.” Although only four of her brothers and her husband were in the pit, she did have a fifth brother, George Henry Winfield (1876-1940) who also worked there, but doesn’t look to have been working that day. Sarah is the closest match of all the relatives to this comment. Joseph was amongst the last group to be rescued, and had escaped the pit by noon. He was brought out with John Hardwick, Lot Mosby, Dan Warwick, William Atack, Fielding Pickard, and his brother-in-law Reuben Winfield. As soon as he had recovered, Joseph went back down the pit joining one of the rescue parties. After the disaster, Joseph continued working as a coal miner, but left Peckfield Colliery. The family moved to 18 Durham Street, then 63 Grafton Street in Glasshoughton. Joseph passed away on 9th August 1931 in Castleford, and his widow Sarah Ann died the following year. Their son, George Winfield Day (1891-1956) served in the First World War, and injured by a hand grenade during the conflict. He was brought back to East Leeds War Hospital, and survived his injuries.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 