b. 11/11/1880 Tupton, Derbyshire. d. 1st Q 1962 Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
DATE OF EM ACTION: 22/09/1920 Holmewood Colliery, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
Samuel was the second eldest of five children of Joseph and Harriet Peters (nee Hayes). At the time of his birth, his parents were living with his mother’s parents due to financial difficulties. Samuel became a coal hewer from a young age to support his family. On 11th February 1902 he married Annie Broomhall Fletcher and they had two daughters, Clara and Harriet. In the early years of his marriage, he was working in Yorkshire, but soon returned to his native Derbyshire. He settled in Chesterfield following gaining employment at Holmewood Colliery, where he would be awarded the Edward Medal in 1920. Little else is known about his later life, prior to his death in the first quarter of 1962, aged 81.
EM CITATION:
On September 22nd, 1920, a heavy fall of’ earth occurred in a seam of the Holmewood Col-liery, near Chesterfield, imprisoning two men who were working in the seam. It was ascertained that the men were uninjured, but, as it was obvious that the work of reaching them would occupy some days the first necessity was to supply them with food. Peters, the under-manager, with great ingenuity, passed food through a cycle tyre enclosed in iron piping. Further falls occurred during the forty-eight hours following the original fall, but it then became possible to pass some timber through, although gas appeared in the cavity and began to give trouble. A small hole was made through to the imprisoned men, and they were eventually freed after being four days in the seam. Peters, West, Harrison and Calladine all distinguished themselves greatly in the work of rescue, and were engaged for practically the whole time in a dangerous position at the face of the fall. They were exposed to the risk of injury from falling stones and displayed a dogged courage and endurance.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.