Wheel of Time by Val Scully (Stargate Pit Disaster Commemoration)
Schedule
Tue May 19 2026 at 06:30 pm to 08:30 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Stargate Hall | Rowlands Gill, EN
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Prior to the 200th Anniversary Service at Holy Cross Church a talk by local historian Val Scully will take place. This will be a people’s history of the local area including Path Head, Stella, Blaydon Burn and Summerhill.The Stargate Pit disaster was a mining explosion that occurred on May 30, 1826, at the Towneley Main Colliery, also known as the Stargate Pit. A firedamp (methane) and coal dust explosion in the early hours of the morning killed 38 people—20 men and 18 boys.
The victims of the disaster were largely forgotten for many years, with most buried in unmarked graves. In recent decades, local heritage groups have spearheaded efforts to properly memorialise them:
- Holy Cross Church : A memorial stone was placed in the grounds of Holy Cross Church in Ryton in 1993, but it did not list the names of the victims.
- Replica pit tub : In 2018, a new memorial—a replica colliery tub—was unveiled near the site of the former pit. This memorial includes the names of all the men and boys who died, ensuring they would not be forgotten.
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Where is it happening?
Stargate Hall, Rowlands Gill, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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