The Pretoria Pit Disaster

How My Research Began

"Life comes to the miners out of their deaths, and death our of their lives" Mary Harris Jones (BrainyQuote)

My involvement with this particular event evolved from research I carried out into several past and more recent disasters and the government response to these as a legal project. Living within the area covered by the Wigan Coalfield, I was fortunate to have the benefit of many former miners and colliery managers who provided me with valuable information. In particular, I spoke at length to a former electrician who actually worked at the Pretoria Pit until its closure in 1934.

Whilst there are numerous books, articles and press reports covering this subject, “Bleak Christmas” provides an alternative approach to the topic. Having literally 'Ploughed Through' the entire Inquest and Home Office Reports of the disaster, this encouraged me to produce “Bleak Christmas” in a format which whilst accurately reflecting the findings in these two substantial reports, it is also presented in a format that captures the event in a sequential manner. The reader is taken on a journey through the the various stages of the event to capture the enormity of the disaster. The work culminates with an overview of the devastating social and economic input the disaster had the the local communities involved.

My overall aim in this work has been to provide readers with a readable yet balanced appraisal of the disaster, with sufficient evidence for them to arrive at their own conclusions regarding the disaster. My work does not diminish or undermine the views held by residents of the communities involved, who have to live with the memory of this devastating tragedy.