| Individual Details | Individual Details | |||
 |
 |
|||
Matthew Purvis
| Age: | 43 |
| Died: | 6th May 1949 |
| Accident: | 6th May 1949 |
| Year Born: | abt. 1906 |
| Colliery: | Thornley |
| Company: | National Coal Board |
| Occupation: | |
| Notes: | drowned, address: Second Street, Wheatley Hill |
| Buried: | Wheatley Hill Cemetery |
| Category: |
 |
 |
| Description | |
|
|
Durham Colliery Flooding
Three Feared Drowned
Seaham Harbour, May 6
Three men are feared to have been drowned by an inrush of water in the Hutton seam of Thornley Colliery, County Durham, this afternoon. About 40 men were at work at the time and all were got out safely except four men who were trapped by the water.
One of these, Robert Holder, of School Square, Thornley, was got out alive. The body of another, Walter Rudkin (34), of Eighth Street, Wheatley Hill, was recovered, but at a late hour the other two had not been found. They were Matthew Purvis (43), of Second Street, Wheatley Hill, and William Kelly (37), of Wheatley Terrace, Wheatley Hill.
As soon as the accident became known colliery rescue brigades from Houghton-le-Spring, Crook, and Newcastle were summoned and descended the mine.
A statement issued by Mr. James Nimmo, deputy production director, northern division, N.C.B., says that an inrush of water occurred in a narrow heading near the old Cassop Vale shaft. This heading must have holed into old workings. No indication can be given of how long it will be before work can be resumed at the colliery.
Source: The Times, May 7th, 1949
Mine Flood Victims Found
Seaham Harbour, May 8
The body of William Kelly, aged 37, of Wheatley Terrace, Wheatley Hill, was recovered today. This is the second victim to be found of Friday's accident when three men were trapped by an inrush of water. The body of the third man, Matthew Purvis, aged 43, of Second Street, Wheatley Hill, was recovered to-night.
Source: The Times, May 9th, 1949
|
|
| Tombstone | |
|
|
Wheatley Hill — Cemetery
Location: OS Map 93, Grid Ref NZ377387
|
This is a low resolution image for web display, if you would like to have a higher resolution image, then please
us quoting reference T-01543-01-0002 and we will make the image available on a temporary page for you to access.
|
| Names on this tombstone | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Died | Age | Born |
| Matthew PURVIS | 6th May 1949 | 43 | 1906 |
|
|
| Related Articles | |
|
|
| Pub. Date | Article (Newspaper) |
|---|---|
| 07 May 1949 | Durham Colliery Flooding, Three Feared Drowned (The Times) |
| 09 May 1949 | Mine Flood Victims Found (The Times) |
| 06 Jan 1950 | Award of British Empire Medal (Civil Division) (London Gazette) |
|
|
| Sources | |
|
|
- Church/Cemetery photograph (T-01519-01-0002) © Kev Duncan
- Headstone(s) in Wheatley Hill Cemetery
- Tombstone photograph (T-01543-01-0002) © Kev Duncan
|
|
| Researchers | |
|
|
| Researcher | Date | Interest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Donnelly | 05 Jun 2009 |
Mathew Purvis was my Great Grandfather the photo that you have seems to be the only photo of him in the family and I would like to have 1 for my Granfather Joseph Purvis who is his eldest son many thanks |
|
| audrey robinson ( purvis ) | 04 Dec 2010 |
he was my grand father i remember the photo my dad had one of him - |
|
| Matthew purvis | 21 Jun 2015 |
he was my grandfather Would like to hear from my dad's family in the co Durham area |
|
| Matthew purvis | 23 Aug 2022 |
Matthew purvis was my grandfather and my dad was Matthew purvis would two find some of my dads family |
|
If you are researching Matthew Purvis (e.g. for family tree purposes) and you would like to hear from others with the same interest then please complete the details in the following form. We will show the information you provide on this page so that you can be contacted.
Return
Return to Top
Contains public sector information licensed under the 
