A lad whose great-great grandfather died in a horrific mining accident a century ago went back to his roots at the cemetery's open day.
William Fletcher, nine, of Cliff Road, Brampton, was taken to the gravestone of his descendant John Fletcher during a tour by the Friends of Wombwell Cemetery at the group's ten-year anniversary open day last week.
John, who lived at 49 George Street, Wombwell, was killed on December 3, 1901, at Cortonwood Colliery aged 48 when a shaft collapsed. His son, Samuel, was only two weeks old at the time.
Although there is no mention made of how John died on his headstone and William had never visited it before, he had been told about John by his grandma. He said he really enjoyed visited his ancestor's final resting place and his guided tour of the cemetery, adding it was ‘like going to a museum’.
Great aunt Mary Taylor, who is a Friends' member, said John's tragic death was just one of many largely forgotten in the modern day.
She said: "Records show that from September 9, 1901 to March 26, 1902 alone there were 18 men killed in mining accidents across South Yorkshire. We all know about the big disasters but there are so many small ones where only one or two men were killed."
