1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Facts, Stories and Features

PETER O'BRIEN

Mining Electrician, Local Council Member

Peter attended St. Gerard's School in Thrybergh and was amongst the first pupils there. Upon leaving School he gained employment at Silverwood.

One of the first Miners he met underground was my Father Ike Doxey and in recent years Peter remarked.  "The first day I started work at Silverwood your father was working on the coal face and from that day on we were the best of pals"

Becoming an electrician at the mine Peter worked there for the rest of his working life. He  was to become actively involved in many aspects of the local community. Becoming a member of St. Gerard's School Board he also became somewhat of an historian regarding the School.

As a member of Thrybergh Parish Council he was also a member of the Yorks & Humberside sports council when the Sports Centre was opened at Thrybergh and was a guest at the opening. He was later the secretary of the ward 9 Labour Party
During the Second World War as a pilot of a Lancaster Bomber he was part of an infamous air raid over Hamburg such was the accuracy of the bombing  a fire-storm was initiated resulting in the deaths of 100 000 people. Which sadly was not the initial intent of the raid.

In the 1970's Peter was given a flight over Thrybergh by his son in law, and not wishing to miss the opportunity he took some splendid photographs of Thrybergh during the flight.

Peters family were very well known in the area as the O'Brien brothers, they had a family business part of which was delivering and selling coal.

Jon Rosling writes:

With regards to the O’Brien’s – the Peter O’Brien you spoke to is a different O’Brien family who also live in Thrybergh. I actually knew Peter quite well a few years ago. He was the secretary of the ward 9 Labour Party and when he stood down I took over from him for a year. I don’t know if he’s still alive but I do remember him as being a really lovely bloke. He had some amazing stories to tell of his time in the second world war. He once over-awed me with the tale of a bombing raid he flew on (he was a Lancaster pilot if I’m not mistaken) over Hamburg – the infamous raid that started a fire-storm that killed 100, 000 people.

John Doxey