Hello….
My name is Bill Shaw, I am a member of a small group of ex miners called People and Mining (Registered Charity No 1166151).
We are raising funds to have a memorial to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of The Oaks Colliery Disaster, near Barnsley, which occurred on 12th December 1866 in which 361 Men and Boys lost their lives .
At the time this was the world’s worst mining disaster and to this day remains the worst mining disaster in England.
Scotland and Wales have National memorials to their worst mining disaster’s, as yet England does not. This needs to change.
December 12th 2016 mark’s the 150th anniversary of this terrible tragedy and we should not let this occasion pass by unnoticed. This was not only a local disaster for the People of Barnsley and surrounding area’s, it was a National disaster and we feel that the event should marked with a suitable memorial.
This is our chance to pay tribute to the 361 Men and Boys who perished on that fateful day, and at the same time leave a lasting memorial to remind future generations of the true price of coal.
We have been refused National lottery funding for the memorial and therefore have to raise the funds by other means.
We have had a design for the memorial which is being produced by Graham Ibbeson who is a local and nationally renowned sculptor, who’s great great grandfather was one of the unfortunate victims. Graham has produced several public bronze sculptures which are scattered across the country, including Laurel & Hardy, Dickie Bird, William Webb Ellis, Les Dawson and Eric Morecambe to name a few.
Images of the memorial can be seen on our facebook page "remembertheoaks".
People and Mining are a registered Charity… No 1166151
Donations can be made by bank transfer
HSBC Bank
Sort code 40-45-29
A/C No 31588508
Or by cheque
Please make checks payable to “People and Mining”
People and Mining
21 Ellis Crescent
Brampton
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S73 0UG
or
NUM Offices
Huddersfield Road
Barnsley.
S70 2LS
THANK YOU
Yours sincerely
Bill Shaw
e.mail "remembertheoaks"