British Empire Medal amongst honours awarded to heroic miner for actions in harrowing 1956 accident at Walsall Wood Colliery

Sale date Monday 16th March

BRAVERY awards presented to a miner for his role in the rescue operation following a pit accident at Walsall Wood Colliery are going to auction in Lichfield.

They include the British Empire Medal named to William Henry Joiner, an acting overman at the Cannock Chase mine, for his actions after a major roof fall at the pit on October 9, 1956, which killed four of his colleagues.

Mr Joiner’s BEM is accompanied by a National Coal Board Certificate of Bravery and the accompanying hallmarked silver tankard by Walker & Hall, Sheffield, inscribed: “Presented by the National Coal Board to Mr WH Joiner for bravery in the pit Walsall Wood Colliery 9th October 1956.”

The archive, which came to light following a house clearance, goes under the hammer in Richard Winterton Auctioneers' Antiques & Home Sale on Monday, March 16.

Established in the late 19th century as one of the deepest mines in the West Midlands, Walsall Wood Colliery remained in operation until closing on October 30, 1964.

The harrowing accident in October 1956 saw the roof collapse over a roadway in the workings, killing four men outright and imprisoning a fifth under the stones inside a small cavity.

The accident was of such significance it was mentioned in the House of Commons and features in the Hansard report of October 29, 1956.

Minister of Fuel and Power David Renton – later Lord Renton – is recorded as telling Parliament: “On October 9 last there was a large fall of roof at a road junction in mechanised Bord and Pillar workings of this colliery, as a result of which five men were buried of whom, I regret to say, four lost their lives.

“Another man had a leg fractured when a further fall occurred during attempts to recover the bodies.

“The causes of the fall are being investigated by Her Majesty’s Inspectors.”

Mr Joiner, of New Street in Shelfield, Walsall, was one of three pitmen whose honours were announced in the February 12 third supplement for The London Gazette of February 8, 1957.

The piece reads: “A fall of roof occurred at the Walsall Wood Colliery, at a point where two roads in a seam cross at right angles.

“Four men were killed outright and a fifth was imprisoned under the stones and inside a cavity about 3ft square and 2ft 6ins high.

“Mr Schofield [colliery manager George Albert Schofield, who was granted the MBE for his actions] immediately went to the scene of the accident and Mr Joiner who had been in another part of the underground workings, joined him.

“They found that the three approaches to the fall each about 12ft wide and 4ft high, were completely blocked by fallen atone and they decided to go over the top to inspect the fourth side, which was in a fast end, a cul-de-sac.

“They were able to move enough stones to allow Schofield to squeeze through into a space about 12ft square and 6ft high above the fallen stone.

“He sent Joiner for props to support the roof and disregarding the possibility of further falls, started to make a way into the fast end. He was by this time able to talk to the man trapped under the fall.

“About ten minutes later Joiner got to the top of the fall and set props to the roof and sides. He noticed that a triangular stone, 8ft wide, 12ft long and 2½ft high was gradually lowering and, in an attempt to prevent it falling, he built a pack under it with the stones that Schofield was removing to make a hole into the fast end.

“At about this time, Bywater [overman George Bywater, also awarded the BEM] arrived. He took charge in the approach road to the fall.

“Schofield and Joiner located the imprisoned man, made a passage towards him through the stones and eventually were able to release him.”

Guided £200 to £300, the archive features in Richard Winterton Auctioneers' Antiques & Home Sale on Monday, March 16, starting at 9am.

The catalogue goes live online a week before the sale date via www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auctions/auction-calendar.

View in person at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, between 10am and 4pm on Friday, March 13.

For more information, to arrange a free valuation of all types of collectables and antiques or to enquire about a home visit for large collections or house clearances, email office@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.