MEMORIAL glasses produced in the wake of the North East’s worst pit disaster are being replicated to mark the 150th anniversary of the tragedy.
On January 16, 1862, 204 men and boys lost their lives at Hartley Colliery in Northumberland when the cast iron beam of the site’s pumping engine snapped in half and blocked the single pit shaft.
The disaster forced a change in the law and compelled mine owners to provide at least two means to exit a pit.
Memorial glasses were produced in the North East to mark disasters and were often sold, with the money being donated to bereaved families.
To commemorate the Hartley anniversary, the local community association has been planning projects and activities.
One involves the National Glass Centre (NGC) at Sunderland creating a memorial glass, commissioned by New Hartley Community Association and Blyth Valley Arts & Leisure.
One of the original glass memorials is on show in the NGC’s permanent exhibition space, The Sunderland Room, and is being replicated by glassmakers Christine Keers and Kathryn Wightman.
They are creating 100 glass memorial replicas in time for the commemorative concert on January 14, followed by a special service on January 15.
The glasses will be sold and all proceeds will go towards the upkeep of Hartley Pit Disaster Memorial Garden in the village of New Hartley.
Chris Blade, studio manager at NGC which part of the University of Sunderland, said: “We are delighted to have been invited to produce these memorial glasses.
“Originally they would have been made locally, very possibly in Sunderland, so it is fitting that the NGC and the university representing the remaining glass production facilities in the area are producing replicas for the 150th anniversary of the disaster.
“This is a challenging project for the team who have to ensure they capture the hand-made quality of the original glasses.”
Christine has worked at NGC for five years while Kathryn joined the team recently after completing her PhD in glass at the university.
Helen Moore, community arts development manager at Blyth Valley Arts & Leisure, said: “New Hartley Community Association is delighted to be working with NGC on this project.
“Those who lost their lives are remembered each year, but members of the group wanted to commission something special to mark the 150th anniversary.
“The creation of the memorial glass is a fitting tribute because this is exactly what the community would have done to raise funds for the families at the time.”
The original Hartley Colliery Disaster Memorial Glass was featured as part of BBC Radio 4’s A History of the World in 100 Objects, a joint project with the British Museum.
