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Miner John Briggs

Beighton's "sheer hell" remembered

Dozens of local miners were involved in a pit accident at Brookhouse Colliery in 1958. Forty-six years later their bravery was formally recognised in the form of a sculpture at Crystal Peaks.

The accident at Brookhouse Colliery in Beighton in 1958 became known as the 'Overwind' incident. It happened when a new electrical winding system on the miners' shaft cage broke, causing it to fall.

Miner William Wild recalls the event: "It was sheer hell down there. The cage was a mass of bodies thrown against each other and the pit bottom was full of moans and groans."

There were no fatalities but miners involved said it would have been much worse had it not been for their colleagues, who carried the injured a mile to safety.

"He suffered leg injuries and had to have his leg amputated."
Lorraine Henery, daughter of miner Arthur Davison

In 2004, the 'Time Works' sculpture was unveiled close to the commemorative bench and plaque opposite Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre, so that locals and visitors can learn about this part of Beighton's history.

Catherine Mailhac was a cultural development worker who worked on the project: "Residents and families of those involved in the accident have long wanted something to mark an incident which changed many of their lives forever."

"The ceremony was a mix of pride and sadness for the families, but we're pleased to be playing a part in ensuring the bravery of the miners on that day is enshrined in Beighton's history forever."

Lorraine Henery is the daughter of miner Arthur Davison who was caught up in the accident.

"My father was in the cage when it crashed to the ground. He suffered leg injuries and had to have his leg amputated. I'm one of 11 children, so as you can imagine, the accident had a lifetime of consequences for my family. We do appreciate it being remembered in this way."

Marilyn Stojak also recalls her father Arnold Clarke's injuries: "My father ended up with a crushed pelvis and no hip joint on one side. He couldn't go back down the pit as he couldn't bend, so he worked as a gateman for the National Coal Board for the rest of his life.

"When I was a little girl I had a bit of a limp because I used to go walking with him and copied his walk!"

last updated: 05/08/2008 at 09:56
created: 22/10/2004

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Matloub Husayn-Ali-Khan
From 1970-74, on my to School at Earl Marshal I went through Burngreave (Pitsmoor) Cemetery and noticed the ‘only’ graves of Muslims in the cemetery, who must have been the earliest Asian arrivals in Burngreave or Sheffield for that matter. The grave of Sultan Mohomed mentioned that he was killed in 1923 at Beighton Colliery in an accident – does anyone have any other information about this accident and the background of this family.

Thorpe
i count myself very lucky, the goverment introduced a law that you could not work underground under sixteen years, i would have been under close personal supervision to algy frith who was in the cage when the accident happened

carol ann garett
one day i will never forget i remember coming out of school,We lived opposite carter lodge on bieghton rd,and as i got to the school gates i saw there was a large black car out side our house a posh one i ran over and enterd the houes to find my mother crying,The first thing that went through my mind that my father was dead,two men standing by my mother both with bowler hats on and telling us that he was in hospital and that there had been an accident at the pit.and that he would be ok to our relief.As from that day it made things very dificult,geting to the hospital to see him.and had to walk to the manor top to catch a bus which she did on a daily basis and still had three children to look after.After John got mobil again till the day he died 22/2/01 he never went in a lift or even mooving stair way again Mrs C A Wilson

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