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Jack Robinson (1907-) - Deputy, Bellbird Colliery. Part 1/2.

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Summary238A Jack Robinson
Recorded 13 July 1983
Part 1 of 2

Jack Robinson was a deputy at Bellbird Colliery. During his time as deputy he was responsible for discovering the remains of a miner once thought missing in the Bellbird explosion of 1923.

0:16

Had been a deputy at Bellbird colliery and was the man who found the missing miner from the 1923 Bellbird disaster. Born in England. Came to Cessnock in 1926 when he was 19 years old. Started working at Bellbird in 1927 as a "tipper". It took time to find work as times were getting tough coming up to the lock out time. He came to Cessnock with his mother and three brothers and stayed at his uncle's (George Brunskill) residence in Weston. Beris Brunskill is his cousin. His mother is a Brunskill, Grandfather emigrated earlier. Geordie Brunskill, Bill Brunskill and Todd Brunskill came out in 1914. Their mother (Jack's Grandmother) came out with them but died on the boat. Father killed in WWI in 1917.

3:18

Another sister whose name was Hatsfield lost her husband in WWI, she was another Brunskill. Billy Clogg married a Brunskill. When Jack was at Bellbird he was 20 years old and Matherson was the manager and the undermanager was George Noble. Sam Richards was the secretary. Jack was in the No. 2 Pit when he started, and worked there until the lockout. Percy Leonard was a footballer, when he went road laying Jack took his place. Worked with Joe Dodds. Played English concertina in concert band. Gordon Bambach's mother ran the shows, she organised them.

6:10

Recalls band trip to South Coast, went to Wollongong twice, trying to raise money, about twenty or thirty acts in the group and they travelled by an old bus that kept breaking down, thinks it was a Forbes Bus. Dave Jefferies was a good singer, all the Jefferies were good singers. Talk of the early concert venues, and the people who were involved in the various shows.

9:40

Became deputy at Bellbird in 1947 just after the War. Roy Vernon was a clipper in the early days, then left and got a garage then back to Bellbird. Both Roy and "Tiger" Lightfoot were natural miners, Aub Vernon was a great timber men, and was a deputy, and helped Jack get his job as Deputy. Aub was one of the first men who went down into the pit during the disaster. Adam Ferguson had been there at the disaster.

13:36

Bailey was a man they never found. Talking of Bellbird disaster and the theories of what happened to cause the disaster. Talk of "missing" miner. Later when Jack was working they were searching the mine for the missing man. Talk of finding remains of miner. Jim Richardson and Cyril Dunne were on the cart, filling it with coal, and then Jack went in and found the missing miner's bones. Found him during the sixties. Athol Lightfoot was the manager at the time. Miner identified through his watch.

22:20

Location of where the miner worked and how far he made it before the explosion. Speculation as to what caused the explosion. "Sugar" Dunne worked with the lost miner. Jack worked in coal mines in England. Height of Bellbird No.2 seam. Talk of longwall mining, describing it. Talk of the work Jack did in England.

32:07

They used to fire their own shots at Bellbird. Talk of the coal at Bellbird, the coal left in the pit. Talk of the Extended Pit with the flooding. The issues that have happened with the mines and the running of them.

37:11

End (Tape 238/Side A) part 1 of 2.
Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

SubjectCoal mines and mining -- New South Wales Cessnock (N.S.W.) Bellbird Colliery (N.S.W.)Coal mine accidents -- New South Wales -- BellbirdBellbird Colliery Disaster, Bellbird, N.S.W., 1923Robinson, John, 1907- Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToRoy Vernon Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Athol Lightfoot - Youngest manager at Richmond Main Colliery, by Barry Howard Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorRobinson, John, 1907-Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PlaceCessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created13th July 1983Location^[1]Bellbird Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier238A Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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