TEN men and boys who perished in a ‘forgotten’ mining disaster are to be remembered with a special memorial stone.

The disaster happened at Norcroft - between Cawthorne and Silkstone - on Wednesday, May 23 in 1821.

Eleven men and boys were ascending a mine shaft when the chain hauling them up snapped as they neared the surface and they plunged almost 180ft to the bottom. Only one man survived. Six of the victims, including five children, were buried in unmarked graves in Cawthorne churchyard and a group of mining enthusiasts are now planning to raise funds for a memorial in the churchyard for those who died.

The three men who lost their lives were John Handforth, 45, Richard Watson, 47, and Thomas Townend, who was 23.

The children who perished included three brothers - Charles, 16, Robert, 12, and Benjamin Eyre, ten, all of Tivy Dale.

Thomas Blackburn, 16, John Townend, 13, Charles Forden and John Hinchliffe, both eight, also perished in the accident.

The only survivor was Thomas Fox who suffered two broken arms, a broken thigh and was laid up in bed for 12 months.

A group of people interested in local and mining history has been researching the background to what they call the ‘forgotten pit disaster’ and want to make sure ten men and boys will be forever remembered with the memorial stone.

Ex-miner and local social historian Steve Wyatt ploughed through reams of archive material, including the Barnsley Chronicle archives, to discover more information about the disaster, its exact location, those who perished and their families.

He will be presenting his findings at a special talk being held on March 16 in Cawthorne to raise money towards buying the stone.

David Hinchliffe, who used to head up the National Mining Museum in Wakefield, became interested in the accident after discovering he is related to one of the victims.

He told the Chronicle: “My particular connection is that John Hinchliffe was my great-great-grandparents’ eldest child. My great-grandfather was born at Norcroft in 1828 and both my great-great-great grandparents died there.”

David, who lives near Holmfirth, said the memorial will be a special stone with the names of all the victims on and is expected to cost in the region of £1,500.

He said: “With the bicentenary of the disaster coming up in 2021 we wanted to be able to have a memorial before then. We’re hoping people come to the talk on March 16 and that will go some way to raising some of the money.”

The talk is at Cawthorne Village Hall and starts at 7pm with speakers - including Steve Wyatt - talking about the disaster and its likely location. The entry fee will go towards the cost of the memorial.