Story
Joseph and Walter were sons of Richard Jackson (1839-1906) and Elizabeth Calvert who married in Selby in 1860. Joseph was the older of the two brothers, born in 1865, whilst Walter was born in 1870, and they were raised in Temple Hirst, Selby. The family moved to Garforth in 1874, but Richard did not work at Peckfield Colliery, he was a farm labourer or Nurseryman all his life. However, all of Richard’s sons were coal miners.
The brothers lived with their parents at Brick Yard Row, Garforth, until Joseph married Frances Barrass in Garforth on 1st April 1893 in Garforth. Walter married a widow, Mary Elizabeth White (née Hewitt) on 23rd November 1895 in Garforth. Both brothers had one child each, and were seen by their father on Wednesday night before they went to work the following day, Thursday 30th April 1896.
Joseph and Walter were working together in the No. 4 Dip, close to Thomas Oakley, Elias Clark, William Wilks and Amos Whitaker when the explosion occurred to their immediate North, about 570 metres from their location. The six men moved into a path that connected the No.4 dip with the No.5 dip, which had 4 sheets erected. The explosion carried down the No.5 dip, which was an intake. The miners would have heard the explosion pass them on their left, before it carried on round the back and then passed them again on their right, as it made its way back up the No.4 dip towards the West Level. The miners were unhurt by the explosion, but the No.4 and No.5 dips had sustained heavy damage in the blast, and they were the only two routes by which they could escape. The men did everything they could to survive. They rigged up a piece of brattice cloth at one end of the roadway to reduce the afterdamp they knew would follow the explosion. Their path had three South facing paths which they explored to no avail. Rescuers reported seeing the footprints of the six men in the dust as they tried to find a way out. Finding that all the gates were blocked, the six men sat down and covered their heads with cloth as afterdamp overwhelmed them.
Their bodies were found by their younger brother Fred Jackson, who was reported to so overcome with grief, that he had to be escorted back to the surface. Fred was also a miner at Peckfield Colliery, but was not at work that day. The bodies of Walter and Joseph were brought out at 3am on 1st May. They were identified by their father Richard at the Inquest, who stated they did not appear to be injured in the least. The brothers were members of the Wesleyan Church, and they had two wreaths of spring flowers with sympathy cards: “We mourn with you”, “In loving memory”, “Accept our sympathy”. Frances was 6 months pregnant when Joseph died, and this daughter died aged 10 months on 26th May 1897 and was buried with Joseph. Frances later moved to Melton, and worked as a Housekeeper.
On 5th December 1896, their brother Fred Jackson married Emma Holden (1874-1926) – sister of William Holden, who survived the disaster, and daughter of Henry Holden, who was operating the lift.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 