Story
Samuel Clark was born in Somercotes, Derbyshire in 1857. He was the son of George Clark (1830-1900, pictured below) and Ellen Smithard (1836-1896) who had married on 15th May 1853 in Riddings, Derbyshire. Samuel was 20 years old and working as a Miner when he married Eliza Longdon (1860-1945) in Tibshelf on 2nd July 1877. Eliza was the younger sister of Thomas Longdon who was killed in the disaster.
Samuel and Eliza moved to Micklefield around 1884, and they went on to have 8 children by the time of the disaster, although 3 died in infancy. They were living at 20 Station Row, Micklefield, and on 30th April 1896, Samuel was 38 years-old. Around 1893, Samuel’s sister Ellen also moved to Micklefield. Ellen had married Daniel Lawrence, who would be involved in the rescue efforts.
Sam was working with Josiah Godber at the coal face (Fairy’s Bord), which was at the East end of the pit in no.49. He had just been preparing his tools, when a strong current of wind struck his left side. He immediately guessed there had been an explosion, which was quickly confirmed by Josiah, who replied: “It’s fired reet enough”. There were 8 men in Fairy’s Bord, and 2 more came through a snicket and asked them what had happened. They scrambled on their hands and knees back along the East Level in the darkness, and met up with other miners, such as Charles Ball and his son, John Charles Ball. This group was the largest to survive the disaster. Sam stated that they all continued heading for the downcast shaft but found the air to be poisonous, so had to move instead towards the No.2 shaft. Sam escaped the pit around 11am.
After the disaster, Sam continued working as a coal miner. He passed away in 1936 at the age of 79.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 