Parkin Jeffcock
Encyclopedia
Parkin Jeffcock was a mining engineer who died trying to effect the rescue of miners during the Oaks mining disaster which eventually took over 350 lives.
, West Riding of Yorkshire
, now a part of Sheffield
on the 27 October 1829, the son of John Jeffcock and his wife Catherine (née Parkin). He had first intended to go to Oxford university and then join the church, but in 1850, after some training at the College of Civil Engineers, Putney
, he was articled to George Hunter, a colliery viewer and engineer of Durham
. He made rapid progress in his profession, and in 1857 he became a partner of J.T. Woodhouse, a mining engineer and agent based in Derby
. He moved in 1860 to Duffield, a town just north of Derby.
In 1861, his bravery was noted when he attempted to rescue the men and boys trapped in a coal-pit at Clay Cross
during an inundation. In 1863, and again in 1864, he examined and reported on the Moselle coalfield, near Saarbriick. He wrote and delivered a paper on the local minefields to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in Birmingham
. He became a keen member of his local church starting a horticultural society and becoming a church warden.
On 12 December 1866, while at his house at Duffield, he learned that the Oaks Pit, near Barnsley
, was on fire. Together with three others, including Mr Smith, an engineer and Mr D.Stewart, the steward of the colliery, he descended to make a complete exploration of the mine. They were one of the last parties to enter the mine; previous volunteers had been lost or had abandoned their rescue attempts. One of the party returned to the surface to send down volunteers, but Jeffcock remained below directing the attempted rescue.
Before further help could arrive on the morning of the 13th, a second explosion killed Jeffcock and all but one of the 30 volunteers. The sole survivor was rescued on 14 December 1866 by Thomas William Embleton and John Edward Mannatt. In all 361 people were lost in the incident, including the 29 rescuers. The mine was sealed, and Jeffcock's body was not recovered until 5 October 1867, when it was buried in Ecclesfield churchyard.
, was completed in 1872, and there is a sizeable (c. 4.5 m) memorial on the Doncaster Road in Barnsley, built in 1913, that commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of Jeffcock and the other rescuers.
Biography
Parkin was born at Cowley Manor in EcclesfieldEcclesfield
Ecclesfield is a suburb and civil parish in the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, about north of Sheffield City Centre. At the 2001 census the civil parish— which also includes the Sheffield suburbs of Chapeltown, Grenoside, High Green, and formerly Thorpe Hesley —had a population...
, West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, now a part of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
on the 27 October 1829, the son of John Jeffcock and his wife Catherine (née Parkin). He had first intended to go to Oxford university and then join the church, but in 1850, after some training at the College of Civil Engineers, Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, he was articled to George Hunter, a colliery viewer and engineer of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. He made rapid progress in his profession, and in 1857 he became a partner of J.T. Woodhouse, a mining engineer and agent based in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. He moved in 1860 to Duffield, a town just north of Derby.
In 1861, his bravery was noted when he attempted to rescue the men and boys trapped in a coal-pit at Clay Cross
Clay Cross
Clay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
during an inundation. In 1863, and again in 1864, he examined and reported on the Moselle coalfield, near Saarbriick. He wrote and delivered a paper on the local minefields to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. He became a keen member of his local church starting a horticultural society and becoming a church warden.
On 12 December 1866, while at his house at Duffield, he learned that the Oaks Pit, near Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, was on fire. Together with three others, including Mr Smith, an engineer and Mr D.Stewart, the steward of the colliery, he descended to make a complete exploration of the mine. They were one of the last parties to enter the mine; previous volunteers had been lost or had abandoned their rescue attempts. One of the party returned to the surface to send down volunteers, but Jeffcock remained below directing the attempted rescue.
Legacy
St. Saviour's church, built as a memorial of Jeffcock at Mortomley, near SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, was completed in 1872, and there is a sizeable (c. 4.5 m) memorial on the Doncaster Road in Barnsley, built in 1913, that commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of Jeffcock and the other rescuers.
Publications
"On the coal and iron mining of South Yorkshire,", presented to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He noted that the mines employed large steam driven fans that have worked successfully for many years.Further reading
- Parkin Jeffcock, Civil and Mining Engineer By John Thomas Jeffcock (his brother), pub 1867, Bemrose and Lothian