1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Facts, Stories and Features

1875  WILLIAM PEERS  1953

By Janet Kato [ nee Winter ]

The story of the well known family of William Peers of Dalton Yorkshire starts back in the year 1837 when Williams Father John was born at Ince in Makerfield Lancashire. By 1881 John had married Ellen Cooper and they had a family of five.

1881 census
John  Peers  Head   M   Male   44   Ince, Lancashire, England   Coal Miner     
Ellen Peers   Wife   M   Female   36   Ince, Lancashire, England        
Joseph Cooper   Son   U   Male   16   Ince, Lancashire, England   Coal Miner     
William Peers   Son   U   Male   6   Ince, Lancashire, England        
Henry Peers   Son   U   Male   4   Ince, Lancashire, England        
Elizabeth Peers   Dau   U   Female   3   Ince, Lancashire, England        
Thomas Peers   Son   U   Male   1   Ince, Lancashire, England       
Dwelling   181 Ince Green Lane
Census Place Ince In Makerfield, Lancashire, England
Public Records Office Reference   RG11 Piece / Folio   3776 / 16 Page Number   26

By 1901 the family above had moved around somewhat and we find William as below.

William  Peers age 24 born Lancashire St Hellens[  spelling and place of birth from census are both wrong ] living at South Kirkby Yorkshire W. R. working as a Colliery Trammer Below Ground.

Meanwhile what appears to be his wife Ellen  Peers age 25 born Lancashire Ince is living in Ince In Makerfield Lancashire.

Whilst Williams father John  Peers now age 63 born Lancs Culcheth [ differs from 1881 census ] is also still living at Ince In Makerfield Lancashire working as a Stoker In Coal Mine, no light jobs for the old folks in them days!

Apparently William started work at Silverwood about 1908 after moving from Ince in Makerfield, Lancs. He lived with his wife, Ellen, and children at 10 Dalton Lane Dalton, This house number was later changed to 19  before 1969 when his wife died. William died in 1953.

William may have fought in the first World war as he is listed with around 700 other miners signing on at Silverwood in August of 1919 he signed on as a collier.

There is also a William Peers of 10 Dalton Lane age 14 who signed on as a Driver in July of 1921he had previously worked on the surface. Later this William was to live with his family at 18, Magna Lane Dalton

 Other members of the family were

John Peers -  (b) 1903 Do not know what year he signed on After marriage lived at Sunnyside.

Harry Peers  (b) 1908 Sign on date not known lived with his parents, married late in life.

Tom Peers (b) 1918 Sign on date not known. He enlisted in the army in  at the beginning of WW2 He drowned in Scotland in 1940 on practice manoeuvres.

Name: PEERS, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Unit Text: 2/6th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 18/12/1940
Service No: 4749594
Additional information: Son of William and Ellen Peers. of Dalton.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C. Grave 34.
Cemetery: DALTON (HOLY TRINITY) NEW CHURCHYARD

My grandmother, Ellen Peers was known all through the village of Dalton as Granny Peers and my grandfather and uncles frequented the Grapes and Progressive clubs, my grandfather also played bowls at the club. I can remember going  with him while he played.

Jack Winter (b) 1910 (my father) He worked for 51 and a half years all at Silverwood. He was also involved in the 1966 Colliery disaster and some of those killed were his fishing mates. From what I was told he only escaped because he was called back to the main office (he was shot firer) other wise he would have been on that train.
I lived at that time in Balby Doncaster and was 3 months of having my second child. My mother was on her way to see me when I heard of the accident and when she arrived at our house I told her what had happened and she went straight back calling in at Dalton Lane where her brother Harry told her that dad was alright.

 I had to stay in Doncaster because I had a doctors appointment and made my way back to Rotherham later in the afternoon. My parents rented a house after their marriage at on 50 Cambridge Street Clifton Rotherham , later buying it.

My brother Jack Winter  known as 'Jackie' worked as a miner from about Aug 1959, I cannot remember for how many years, but he later left and went to work in the steel works for a couple of years then back into the mines, I think it was Maltby but I am not certain, He was made redundant when the mine closed

You have George Brazier on your web side, he is my step grandfather (Jack Winter snr's step father) He died in 1957 at the age of 61 I do not how just many years he worked in the pit. He joined the Civil Defence, A.R.P. on 21 Sept 1941 Reg No KHAL/131/1
His brother’s William (Billy) Brazier  born 1883 and died 194? In 1901 he was a pony driver in the coal mines not sure which mine. He lived at 15 Arbitration Street, Doncaster.
Robert Henry Brazier born 1861 died Jan 1945 He was a coal miner in 1901 and lived at 28 Chemist Lane, Rotherham. Robert’s son Frank Brazier was also a miner and he was killed in a mine accident in 1942. He also joined the Civil Defence 14 Apr 1941 Reg No. KHAY/104/1
George’s brother John James Brazier born 1874 died 29 Apr 1905 when he was killed in a coal mine accident at Silverwood
Sydney Richard Brazier George’s nephew born 1901 also worked at Silverwood Colliery. He also joined the Civil Defence in 1941.

I am not sure whether his father, Richard Edward Brazier worked in the mines, but seeing that all his brothers did it is possible he did.
With both sides of my family all working at Silverwood I cannot tell you just how many years it adds up to, but it is a lot.

© Janet Kato janetwkato@bigpond.com 2008

Braziers recorded at Silverwood:

 John Henry Brazier age 27 of 29 Flanderwell Ave Bramley signed on as a Stoneworker March1922 previously worked on Surface
George Brazier age 37 of 57 Selbourne St signed on as a Collier July 1924 had worked at Silverwood previously
George Brazier age 33 of 57 Selbourne St signed on as a Collier February 1923 previously worked at Monmouth
Laurence Brazier age 29 of  84 Greasbro St signed on as a Stoneworker March 1923 previously worked at Maltby Main
S R Brazier age18 of 57 Selbourne St signed on as a Driver February 1920 Had worked at Silverwood previously
S. Brazier age 23 of 87 Selbourne St signed on as a Collier December 1924 previously worked at Dinnington

Braziers on 1901 census

George  Brazier 14 Rotherham Yorks Rotherham West Riding Of Yorkshire Errand Boy
John H Brazier 6 Yks Dalton Rotherham York Juvenile
Wilby Brazier 2 Yks Dalton Rotherham York Juvenile
William Brazier 17 Rotherham Yorks Rotherham West Riding Of Yorkshire Pony Driver
John J Brazier 27 Yorks Rotherham Rotherham Yorkshire Coal Miner Hewer
William Brazier 17 Rotherham Yorks Rotherham West Riding Of Yorkshire Pony Driver

Formatting and additional research John Doxey

Many thanks Janet for sharing your family history here.

John