We have been researching my husbands family for some time now and one of his branches hails from Little Deans, Forest of Dean.
On receiving the death certificate for James Meredith (GGGGrandfather), who died in 1840, we discovered that he died in a mine accident in Bilson Colliery.
I have searched around different sites and can find no accident or disaster that occured in this pit in that year.
We would be most appreciative if anyone could help us in this matter.
Best regards
Wee Ann

Hi Wee Ann, cannot help you directly but following link seems promising http://79.170.40.163/forestofdeanhistory.org.uk/LHScdrollofhonour.htm

It's all about Mining & Quarry Fatalities in the Forest of Dean & it's on CD, only trouble is it costs £19.99 (ouch!) Click on 'Click here to buy a copy of the CD..........' at bottom of page.

There's no guarantee that Bilson Colliery will be on there, so why not contact them & ask if it is on the CD before thinking of buying. Good luck & let us know what happens. Regards, TonyR.

Hi again, just found this info about CD on another page;

"For those without computers we also intend to produce four leather bound volumes containing the same information, which will be housed in the local libraries".

Presumably local libraries to the Forest of Dean. So if you don't live too far away, it may be worth the trip to a library instead of buying CD. Regards, TonyR.

from "Roll of Honour" CD

Meredith
James
date 06/04/1819
age 11
mine Bilson

Killed with three others by the breaking of a chain lowering them down the shaft, they were precipitated to the bottom.

the others killed with him were:-

Tingle
Robert age 16
Tingle
William age 19

year confirmed by -

Year: 1819
Month: Apr
Day: 9
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: James
Residence: Hundred of St Briavels
Age_at_death: 12
Officiating_Minister: Rev[eran]d J Turner Curate
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death: [not sta
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P 110 IN 1/11
Page_No: 17
Parish_Chapel: Littledean

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Year: 1840
Month: Sep
Day: 8
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: James
Residence: Hundred of St Briavels
Age_at_death: 59
Officiating_Minister: J. Parsons Curate
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death: [not sta
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P 110 IN 1/11
Page_No: 83
Parish_Chapel: Littledean

possible baptism

Year: 1784
Month: Sep
Day: 5
Parents_Surname: MEREDITH
Child_Forenames: James
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: [not stated]
Occupation: [not stated]
Officiating_Minister: [not stated]
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes: day very feint
Register_Reference: P110 IN 1/4
Page_Number: 1
Parish_Chapel: Littledean

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Hi Slowhands,
Thank you so much for your swift reply to my query. However I am a bit confused!
Although it is obvious that we have James Meredith - right parents, right date of birth, right date of death, but the report of the mine accident appears to be 1819.(?)
Or am I misreading something?
Puzzled
Wee Ann

no more puzzled than me !

There is a mine accident transcribed as 1819, there is a burial in 1819 - so they seem to be the same person

There is a burial in 1840 again of a (different) James M.

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Hi Slowhands,

It's me again! Sorry to be such a pain! I have in front of me the D.C in question.
James Meredith Male 58 yrs Occupation - Collier
When & where died 30th Aug 1840 Bilson Pit - Forest of Dean
Cause of death - Killed in a Coal Pit
The signatures are of the Coroner at Gloucester and the Registrar.

I don't know where the 1819 date came from. I do have another James Meredith who was born in 1819, but that is a whole different story isn't it?

Going to bed now - Still Puzzled

Wee Ann

Hi TonyR,
Thank you for your reply. I must admit, I answered Slowhands reply first, as that seemed like the more likely one, but we seem to be in a cleft stck on that one now.
The James Meredith referred to seems to have died at a very young age, in 1819. He might very well be a relation, but not the one we are looking for at the moment, and he certainly wasn't anyone's GGGGrandfather.
Unfortunately, Australia is a bit far away to visit the local libraries in the area to view the C.D., even though it sounds really interesting.
How much did they say they wanted for it?
Best regards
Wee Ann

Hi

I have three james Meredith in my family tree could they be what you are after

thanks

Julie

Hi Julie,
Nice to hear from you!
I have several James Merediths, including the one who died in 1840. Until we got his D.C. we didn't know we had one who died in a mining accident, though there must have been many of them.
The one in question was born in 1784 to Thomas Meredith & Ann (M.S.Brayne/Brain), he was married to Matilda Meredith and they had a son James born in 1819 who then married Sarah Lewis from Mitcheldean. James and Sarah went on to have nine children.
They all lived in Little Deans until the youngest, Alfred moved to Yorkshire, where he married Emma Butterworth in 1886.
I realise this is a bit long winded, but I just wanted to give you some information to work on to find out if you are my husband's cousin.
Looking forward to hearing from you again.
Best regards
Wee Ann