b. 1832 Manchester, Lancashire. d. 1898 Salford, Manchester.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 18/06/1885 Trencherbone Mine, Clifton Hall Colliery, Manchester.
John Crook AM
Little is known about John Crook other than he was the son of John and Mary Crook from Manchester. He was baptised on 2nd June 1832 in Wincle, near Chester. John was the third of their eight children and the family moved to Salford. From a young age, John worked down the mines, spending all of his working life at Clifton Hall Colliery. In 1869 he married Harriet Heyes in Wigan, Lancashire, and they would have at least four children.
The Clifton Hall colliery disaster occurred on June 18, 1885, when an explosion killed 178 men and boys in the Trencherbone Mine, near Clifton, Manchester. The explosion was caused by the ignition of methane gas by a naked miner’s candle, which ignited both the gas and coal dust, leading to a massive blast that was felt on the surface. The disaster led to significant changes in mine safety, including the exclusive use of safety lamps. His son, James, would sadly die six days after the disaster at Clifton Hall Colliery from his injuries, and his father would receive the Albert Medal for Life Saving on Land.
His medal was later donated by a family member, Thelma Willoughby to the Lancashire Coal Mining Museum in Salford in the 1980s. It sadly was never displayed. The medal was subsequently stolen from the museum and reported to have been sold illegally, and is now of unknown whereabouts.
AM CITATION:
THE Queen has been graciously pleased to confer ” The Albert Medal ” on the following persons, for conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of the explosion at the Clifton Hall Colliery in June last: — “The Albert Medal of the First Class.” Thomas Worrall, Underlooker. John Crook, Manager, Agecroft Colliery. ” The Albert Medal of the Second Class” Charles Parkinson, Fireman. George Higson, Fireman. Aaron Manley, Pit Carpenter. George Hindley, Blacksmith.
BURIAL LOCATION: ST AUGUSTINE’S CHURCHYARD, PENDLEBURY, GREATER MANCHESTER.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: STOLEN – UNKNOWN.
Acknowledgement:
Aden Green – Image of John Crook AM.
