Story
Samuel James’ father was Joseph James, a limestone miner from Sedgley, Staffordshire. Joseph married Ruth Southall (1824-1859) in 1845 in Dudley, Worcestershire, and the couple had a daughter Maria in 1850. After the death of his first wife, Joseph re-married Mary Bickle from Clutton, Somerset in 1860, and they had Samuel James in 1863. In 1881, Samuel was a coal miner, and was lodging with James Southall and his family. James was the brother of Joseph James’ first wife, Ruth. In 1888, Samuel married Mary Ann Fox who was from Tibshelf, and the couple had a daughter Ruth Mary James in 1888 in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, and then a son Joseph Edward James in Pilsley, Derbyshire in 1890. A couple of years later, the family moved to 4 Quarry View, Micklefield, and Samuel started working at the Peckfield Colliery.
On the day of the disaster, Samuel made his way up the West Level, and turned up New North Road. He walked passed John Goodall’s Gate which, minutes later, was the scene of the explosion. He turned right and was 120 metres away from Goodall’s Gate when the explosion happened. The majority of the blast made its way back down New North Road and the West Level, but a section of the blast moved North, burning three miners, and killing four in roof falls. Samuel survived the blast, but as a result of the extensive roof falls, he had no means of escape. The blast had destroyed New North Road, and Old North Road, cutting off both ways out. He was trapped in a gate that was named after him, along with some experienced miners in Joseph Wilson, David Shillito and George Daniel Edwin Taylor, but although they had time to get together, they quickly succumbed to afterdamp poisoning.
On Saturday 2nd May, Samuel’s body was found and recovered by Robert Routledge, who wrote in his diary: “I came out to report at 11 am. Saw Mr Wardell and Mr C Houfton and arranged with them for some more men to descend and help to carry the bodies out. Took Dr Griesbach down with us and left him at the bottom of the new bord. Going forward up the bord, found Mr J L Routledge, Halliday and F Wilson. Mr Routledge, Halliday and Wilson stayed at end of crossgate. Mr Wilson (Inspector) and I went on the crossgate and found five men at the bottom of James’ gate. Their names were Joseph Wilson 39, Dan Taylor 40, Sam James 41, David Shillito 42, and James Wilson 43.”
Samuel’s body was identified by his wife’s sister, Martha Hickman (née Fox), who had married Thomas Hickman of Pilsley. She stated that Samuel did not seem to be injured at all. After Samuel’s death, his widow Mary Ann re-married Randall Mortimer, whose brother George Thomas Mortimer was also killed at the older Micklefield pit on 25th April 1872 aged 14 (crushed by tubs). Mary Ann died in 1903 aged 37, leaving her two children as orphans. The eldest, Ruth Mary James, later married Sidney Arthur Rowe in 1909. They had a child Nellie, who was brought up by Walter Mortimer, Randall’s youngest brother.
30th April 1896. The Peckfield Colliery Disaster at Micklefield 