Minnie Pit Commemorative Service

Commemorative Service 'Thank You'

A big 'Thank You' to everyone who came to the Commemorative Service held at the Church on Sunday 14th January 2024. A special thanks to the pupils and teacher who came from Sir Thomas Boughey Academy to share in the service.

Pupils take part in the service

The pupils set the scene for the service, which was conducted by our minister the Rev. Joy Ventom, telling what sort of day it was in the winter of 1918 with snow on the ground and the miners looking forward to a football match that same Saturday afternoon when all their lives were changed for ever. Pupils shared in readings from 'Voices from the Past' which was a drama written for the church by Mrs. Christine Lamb and performed at the Centennial weekend of the disaster in January 2018. The pupils read extracts from conversations that Christine had when researching material for the book that she wrote about the disaster. We heard the voices of Mrs. Ethel Green, Lily Steele and Mrs. Beckett describing their memories of what happened to them and their families.

Act of Remembrance

In the service every miner and the rescuer who died in the 1918 disaster were remembered by name and also the nine miners who died in the Minnie Pit Disaster of 1915 – the 'Forgotten Miners' were remembered by name. Lights were lit for every miner and the rescuer for both disasters.

Photographs

Our photos show the pupils from Sir Thomas Boughey Academy with the Church Senior Steward and also the lights in memory of the miners.