DONCASTER MANSION HOUSE BENTLEY DISASTER FUND

<p>Earlier records relating to the fund can be found amongst the archives of the Town Clerk's department of Doncaster County Borough [Doncaster Archives reference AB/CLERK/14/1-8. There are also records amongst the archives of Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council [Doncaster Archives reference UD/BEN/2/2-3 and 3/39-46 and amongst the archives of HM Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries [Doncaster Archives reference MQ/12/1-29].</p>

• <corpname>Bentley-with-Arksey Urban District Council</corpname>
• <corpname>Doncaster Borough Council</corpname>

As the result of an explosion at the coal face at Bentley colliery on 20 November 1931, forty-five mine workers were killed. The incident left 37 widows, 78 children aged 16 or under and two expectant mothers. An appeal was launched after a meeting convened by Bentley with Arksey Urban District Council and Doncaster Borough Council. The appeal fund finally reached £38,245. By 1980, five surviving widows and one worker injured in the rescue operations were receiving payments from the fund. The fund was closed on 27 August 1986.