Appeal to find family of miners who died at Markham Colliery

People behind the memorial want to trace relatives of 13 miners who were killed at the pit

A council has shared an appeal on social media to find relatives of 13 miners who died in accidents at a mine.

The men, who died at Markham Colliery in 1937, 1938 and 1973, are set to be commemorated as part of the Walking Together mining memorial.

It features life-size steel figures of miners who were killed in accidents at the pit.

A total of 93 out of 106 figures have been placed between Duckmanton and the former pithead already.

The project is being run by Derbyshire County Council and the Markham Vale Heritage Group.

'Incredibly brave men'

Councillor Tony King, the council's cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, said: "We would really like to trace the relatives of the 13 remaining men we will be commemorating as part of our Walking Together mining memorial.

"The memorial is a permanent tribute to the 106 men who tragically lost their lives in three accidents at the site in 1937, 1938, and 1973.

"We have now commemorated 93 out of the 106 men with a life-size figure and we're hoping to install the remaining 13 by the project's 10th anniversary in autumn 2022.

"The site is now home to 70 businesses and many new jobs have been created but it's important that we don't forget the site's mining history and the incredibly brave men that worked there."

The remaining miners whose relatives still need to be traced are:

• David Bann, 54, Contractor

• Alfred Garland, 52, Timber Drawer

• Robert Gregson, 36, Contractor

• John William Hadley, 31, Contractor

• Joseph Hibbard, 51, Timber Drawer

• Joseph Lilley, 30, Road Repairer

• Felix Linathan, 48, Contractor

• Mark Richards, 31, Ripper

• Samuel Edward Salt, 41, Deputy

• Clarence Silcock, 42, Ripper

• Fred Taylor, 53, Contractor

• Redvers Baden Whitehead, 37, Shot-firer

• Matthew Williams, 36, Contractor