75 years ago today
29 May 1951 – England star takes his place amongst the
crowds outside Easington Colliery as they wait news of an underground explosion
75 years ago today a top flight footballer who went on to
represent England and win the FA Cup was amongst those who rushed to the gates
of Easington Colliery in the wake of the disaster that was to take the lives of
83 miners.
As a result of being a Bevin Boy (*) during WWII, Tommy
Garrett would have known personally some of those killed.
Tommy, born in South Shields in February 1926, had recently
suffered the disappointment of losing at Wembley in the FA Cup Final to
Newcastle United, for whom Jackie Milburn scored both goals in a 2-0 success. Left
full-back Tommy had earlier lost in the 1948 FA Cup Final when Manchester
United beat Blackpool 4-2.
Tommy had joined the Seasiders after playing for Horden
Colliery Welfare during WWII when he worked as a Bevin Boy at Easington
Colliery. As the youngest of seven sons from amongst 12 children he had briefly
joined his father Joseph Frederick Garrett there. According to his youngest sister,
Barbara Harle, “Tommy hated it” and whereas their dad worked all his life down
the mines the youngster, whose older brothers were miners for most of their
lives, soon moved when the war ended to play football full time.
He was though back home in Easington Colliery on the fateful
day of 29 May 1951 when an explosion ripped through the mine, killing 81 miners
and, later, two rescuers who risked all to try and save those trapped
underground. Amongst the dead were Joseph Charlton, aged 42, and Robert Noble,
aged 45, relatives of the author of this piece.
“Tommy went down to join the crowds outside the pit. People
were desperate for news of their relatives. It was a horrible time,” explains
Barbara who was working at the Co-op.
“People were coming in to buy black for funerals. It was
horrible. Every day it would be said ‘there’s another one gone’ when their
bodies were found and they’d be funerals non-stop. One day I just broke down
and cried. “
One of her friends was initially rescued. “Matthew Williams
was the only one to be brought out alive but his injuries were so severe that
he died.” Barbara attended his funeral and was heartbroken. Williams was just
18.
The bodies of many of those who were killed were badly
disfigured. Wilf Charlton, who worked in the pit baths and was charged with
cleaning down the dead bodies before their funerals, later told his grandson,
Mark Metcalf, that it was “almost impossible to recognise persons who I knew.”
Later on, 83 trees were planted close to the Welfare Ground
to remember all those who lost their lives.
Tommy was to go on to great glory. He scored a vital goal
for Blackpool when they beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the 4th round
of the FA Cup in 1953 and was later part of the Blackpool side that beat Bolton
Wanderers 4-3 at Wembley in ‘the Matthews Final’ at the end of the season. Barbara
attended the final. “At 3-1 down we thought Blackpool had lost. But they didn’t
give up.”
Mortensen, another
South Shields native like herself, scored three yet was overshadowed by
Matthews, who was adored by the nation.
Tommy Garrett had made his England debut in a 2-1 victory
against Scotland in April 1952 before a 134,000 crowd at Hampden Park. He later
represented his country in May 1952 in a 1-1 draw in Florence and in a 4-1 win
in Cardiff in October 1953.
After leaving Blackpool he played for Millwall.
After moving with his wife to Australia, the player died in
2006 suffering, like many older players, from dementia. Back home, 20 years on
then would it not be good if he was to be honoured by a plaque at the Welfare
Ground in Easington Colliery?
For more on the disaster go to:- Durham Mining Museum https://w.dmm.org.uk/reports/8646-05.htm
·
A Bevin Boy was a young man conscripted to work
in coal mines during WWII.
Mark Metcalf
Football historian & Sunderland fan
https://markwrite.co.uk/football/
07392 852561
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