1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Facts, Stories and Features

ALEXANDER BANCROFT DUTTON

By Clive Garnett

Alexander Bancroft Dutton and his family were miners in Wigan having moved there from Cheshire, where they were an assortment of agricultural labourer's, blacksmiths and guests of the workhouse!

In 1901 Alexander and his brother Peter were found listed as Alexander  Dutton age 10   born on 4 March 1891Lancs Pemberton living at Lancashire Wigan, likewise Peter  Dutton age 5 born in Lancs Pemberton living at Lancashire Wigan. At some stage prior to World War 1 the two brothers left the coalfields of Wigan and ventured across the Pennines into South Yorkshire, as many more miners from Lancashire did. Both men signed on at Silverwood.

With the advent of the war both brothers enlisted.  Alexander His eldest son Alexander (Alec) Dutton Cranswick (bit of a delay on the wedding service - he met my grandmother whilst working as a Blue in the docks at Sunderland, having been wounded at the Front and released on convalescence.  Her first husband had been killed at the Somme and left her a widow with children.

Alexander then applied for a discharge from the army and also wrote to Silverwood Colliery in the hope of re-gaining his former employment

I have a copy of a letter dated 3 November 1916 from the Manager's Office, Silverwood Colliery, to my grandfather, in connection with his attempts to be discharged from the army (having been wounded) back to the mines, which reads:
 
"I am in receipt of your letter of 31st ulto., and in reply beg to inform you that I shall be pleased to re-employ you at the above colliery if you can obtain your release from the army, seeing that you were employed here at the time you enlisted."

Peter Dutton returned to the mine in August 1919 as a Filler, leaving sometime after, and returning again in 1921as a Stoneworker.

Alexander is found in June 1923 age 30 living at  14 Dalton Lane Dalton signing on at Silverwood as a Stoneworker having previously worked at Ryhope? Colliery.

Alexander worked underground until he was forced above ground by chronic bronchitis*, he was then given a job working in the lamp hut. Sadly he died on the 29th January 1961 in Thrybergh, having worked all his life in the coal mines, except for his time in the army during the First World War.

In recent times the family have contacted the Coal Board with a view of seeking compensation, however the board claim they have no record of Alexander working as a miner at all.

© Clive Garnett.

*

 Bronchitus v. Silicosis


 

Many thanks to Clive for adding his family here