Subjoined is a full list of the victims of the terrible and never-to-be-forgotten calimity which occured at West Stanley Colliery early in the year 1909 - to be precise, on the 16th of February, a date which will hold, always, a dismal place in the annals of the district.
The toll of human life taken by the destructive agency in the pit on that fateful afternoon of February was one of the largest recorded, namely, 168 men and boys, the proportion of the latter being unusually heavy - a circumstance which was afterwards the subject of great lament on the part of public speakers.
The number of persons in the mine when "she" fired was over 200, something like 30 being rescued in the early hours of Wednesday, the 17th of February, and subsequently.
The terrible occurance cast a great loom not only over the West Stanley district, but over the entire County, and the feeling of sorrow and sympathy, indeed, extended to all parts of the country, as was shown when a public fund was opened for the relief of the distressed families, subscriptions pouring in from all over the kingdom.
The scenes which occured on the occasion of the funerals of 131 of the victims on the Sunday following the explosion were of such character as will never be erased from the minds of those who witnessed them.
It was calculated that no less than 150,000 people were present in Stanley that day; and despite the solemnity of the proceedings there was much turmoil and confusion in the town.
Later there came the formal enquiry into the cause of the explosion, which, however, remains a mystery to this day, despite all the care that was taken to sift all available facts and information.
The ownership of the colliery being given up by Messrs. Burns, the pit was taken over by the South Derwent Company, owner of West Shield Row Colliery and another at Annfield Plain.