Henry Walker (mines inspector)
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Walker CBE
(17 March 1873 - 3 August 1954) was the Chief Inspector of Mines for Great Britain in the 1930s, most notable for leading the enquiry into the Gresford Colliery Disaster
of 1934. In his younger days he was a rugby player of some note playing at county level and representing the Barbarians
.
, Yorkshire in 1873 to William Walker, a mines' engineer, and his wife Margaret. The 1881 census records Walker at the age of eight now living in Guisborough
along with his parents and five siblings. He was educated at Durham School
and by 1902 he was appointed Assistant Inspector of Mines, responsible for safety in the coal mines of Great Britain. In 1910 he was promoted to Senior Inspector, before being made Divisional Inspector in 1915. In 1920 he became the Deputy Inspector of Mines and was also recognised by the Crown when he was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire
. In 1924 he replaced Sir Thomas Mottram as the Chief Inspector of Mines for Great Britain. In 1928 Walker was knighted and in 1937 he was made an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John
.
In his role as Deputy and Chief Mines Inspector, Walker was involved in the inquiries of some of the worst mining disasters of the period, these included the Medomsley cage fall in 1923, the Glamorgan Colliery explosion in Llwynypia
in 1932 and the 1934 Gresford disaster
in Wrexham. Walker is particularly remembered for the controversial outcome of his 1937 inquiry into the Gresford disaster, which saw 266 men killed in an underground explosion. Although Walker was critical of the mine owners to the state of part of the mines in his report debated in the House of Commons, he failed to find fault in the area where the explosion happened. In his inquiry he found the mine's management only guilty of inadequate record keeping. Walker was succeeded in his role as Government's Chief Inspector of Mines in 1938 by Frederick Horton Wynne. Following his retirement he was appointed as a chairman on a government committee to look at the problem of the suppression of dust in mines.
. He first played as a schoolboy for Durham School, and continued to represent the school as an Old Dunelmians. He played amateur rugby for Yorkshire County (1900–1901) and Durham (1903–1908). In the 1897-98 season he accepted an invitation to join British touring team, Barbarian F.C.
in Surrey aged 81.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(17 March 1873 - 3 August 1954) was the Chief Inspector of Mines for Great Britain in the 1930s, most notable for leading the enquiry into the Gresford Colliery Disaster
Gresford Disaster
The Gresford Disaster was one of Britain's worst coal mining disasters and mining accidents. It occurred on September 22, 1934 at Gresford Colliery near Wrexham, in north-east Wales, when 266 men died. Only eleven bodies were ever recovered from the mine....
of 1934. In his younger days he was a rugby player of some note playing at county level and representing the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
.
Personal history
Walker was born in Saltburn-by-the-SeaSaltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea is a seaside resort in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The town is around east of Middlesbrough, and had a population of 5,912 at the 2001 Census.-Old Saltburn:...
, Yorkshire in 1873 to William Walker, a mines' engineer, and his wife Margaret. The 1881 census records Walker at the age of eight now living in Guisborough
Guisborough
Guisborough is a market town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England....
along with his parents and five siblings. He was educated at Durham School
Durham School
Durham School, headmaster Martin George , is an independent British day and boarding school for boys and girls in Durham....
and by 1902 he was appointed Assistant Inspector of Mines, responsible for safety in the coal mines of Great Britain. In 1910 he was promoted to Senior Inspector, before being made Divisional Inspector in 1915. In 1920 he became the Deputy Inspector of Mines and was also recognised by the Crown when he was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. In 1924 he replaced Sir Thomas Mottram as the Chief Inspector of Mines for Great Britain. In 1928 Walker was knighted and in 1937 he was made an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
.
In his role as Deputy and Chief Mines Inspector, Walker was involved in the inquiries of some of the worst mining disasters of the period, these included the Medomsley cage fall in 1923, the Glamorgan Colliery explosion in Llwynypia
Llwynypia
Llwynypia , is a village in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. Before 1850 a lightly populated rural farming area, Llwynypia experienced a population boom between 1860 and 1920 with the sinking of several coal mines after the discovery of large coal deposits...
in 1932 and the 1934 Gresford disaster
Gresford Disaster
The Gresford Disaster was one of Britain's worst coal mining disasters and mining accidents. It occurred on September 22, 1934 at Gresford Colliery near Wrexham, in north-east Wales, when 266 men died. Only eleven bodies were ever recovered from the mine....
in Wrexham. Walker is particularly remembered for the controversial outcome of his 1937 inquiry into the Gresford disaster, which saw 266 men killed in an underground explosion. Although Walker was critical of the mine owners to the state of part of the mines in his report debated in the House of Commons, he failed to find fault in the area where the explosion happened. In his inquiry he found the mine's management only guilty of inadequate record keeping. Walker was succeeded in his role as Government's Chief Inspector of Mines in 1938 by Frederick Horton Wynne. Following his retirement he was appointed as a chairman on a government committee to look at the problem of the suppression of dust in mines.
Rugby career
Although never representing his country, Walker played at all national levels of rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. He first played as a schoolboy for Durham School, and continued to represent the school as an Old Dunelmians. He played amateur rugby for Yorkshire County (1900–1901) and Durham (1903–1908). In the 1897-98 season he accepted an invitation to join British touring team, Barbarian F.C.
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
Family life
Walker married Susan Carson in 1909 and they had two sons, she died in 1953. Walker died 3 August 1954 at his home at WorplesdonWorplesdon
Worplesdon is a village in Surrey, England, located three miles north of Guildford. Worplesdon is also the name of the parish that also includes the settlements of Fairlands, Jacobs Well, Perry Hill, and Wood Street Village. Nearby villages include Pirbright and Deepcut, with significant military...
in Surrey aged 81.