Skip to content

Restored pit disaster serviette donated to museum

Beamish Museum Two men and one woman, against a background of an old pit building. The man in the middle, who has grey hair and a beard and is wearing a brown jacket is holding a frame containing a serviette marked with a list of names and a floral border. To his left is a woman with dark short hair and glasses wearing a pink coat. The man on the right is dressed in a light blue shirt and a brown waistcoat with a watch chain - in the style of a miner from the 1900s. Beamish Museum
Former miner John Greaves (centre) found the serviette inside a book with his late friend John Beard. He is pictured with Mr Beard's widow Marie and Jonathan Kindleysides from Beamish Museum

A poignant reminder of one of the worst mining disasters in County Durham has been donated to a museum ahead of the anniversary of the tragedy.

The explosion at West Stanley Colliery on 16 February 1909 claimed the lives of 168 men and boys.

A commemorative serviette made from crepe paper and bearing all their names was discovered folded up in a book a couple of years ago.

Following its restoration on the BBC series The Repair Shop, it will now go on display at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North.

Commemorative items such as the serviette were often created following mining disasters to help raise funds for families.

This one was found by former miners John Greaves and his late friend John Beard, who gave talks on mining heritage.

'Sombre reminder of dangers'

Mr Greaves, who is from Seaham Harbour but now lives near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, said it was found inside a book that was among a number of books given to the men.

"I think it was probably two years before it was found," he said.

"It's made of crepe paper, luckily it survived.

"We took it to The Repair Shop, when we got it back it was amazing, it really was beautiful."

Beamish A paper serviette which has a leaf pattern on it. It show what was written on it, including words from a telegram from the King. It also has a list of victims. The wording is partially obscured.Beamish
The original serviette, which was found folded up inside a book
Ricochet/BBC/The Repair Shop Will Kirk, John Beard, John Greaves and Angelina Bakalarou on set at The Repair Shop. The two Johns are holding the framed serviette.Ricochet/BBC/The Repair Shop
John Beard and John Greaves hold the restored framed serviette, which featured on BBC series The Repair Shop. With them are the programme's Will Kirk and Angelina Bakalarou

He said it was always their intention for it to be returned to the area, and Beamish Museum is just over a mile (1.6km) from the former West Stanley Colliery.

It will be displayed in the lamp cabin in the museum's 1900s Pit Village, which tells the story of the region's mining communities.

Jonathan Kindleysides, Beamish's head of industry, said: "We are thrilled to receive such a poignant donation, with such a fascinating story.

"It is a sombre reminder of the dangers coal miners faced on a daily basis."

Beamish Museum Historic black and white photograph showing the aftermath of the West Stanley Colliery disaster in 1909. A crowd, mostly composed of men are milling around in front of tall, brick colliery buildings. Debris - what appears to be metal - is to the foreground and to the right a pipe is emitting smoke or steam.Beamish Museum
The disaster was caused by an underground explosion

Beamish Museum will hold an act of remembrance in its 1900s Pit Village chapel on Saturday to commemorate the disaster.

There will also be a service at the memorial site in Stanley, County Durham, on Sunday to mark the anniversary.

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.

More on this story
Related internet links