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Kate Humble moved by family history mining tragedy

Jul 12 2009 by Nigel Green, Sunday Sun

BBC wildlife presenter Kate Humble

TELEVISION star Kate Humble has told how she was reduced to tears after discovering a tragic secret in her family history.

The BBC’s wildlife presenter was shocked when she discovered her ancestor was caught up in a mining disaster that claimed the lives of 204 men and boys.

Kate’s great, great, great grandfather Joseph Humble was a manager at the New Hartley Colliery, in Northumberland, when disaster struck in 1862.

At the time, it was Britain’s worst-ever mining accident, leaving more than 400 widows and orphans.

It was caused by a huge iron beam snapping and plunging down the shaft, causing the walls to collapse and leaving the miners trapped 600ft below.

Rescuers took more than a week to reach the victims, who had slowly suffocated to death.

Joseph was on the surface at the time and worked night and day to try to save his colleagues. Newspaper reports described him as a hero.

But he was so devastated by the disaster, which claimed the life of his 27-year-old nephew, also called Joseph Humble, that he moved to Durham to start a new life as a grocer.

Kate, 40, had no idea of her family’s history until it was revealed by researchers working on the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are ?

As well as newspaper reports, Kate was also shown pictures, including one of her ancestor with the rescuers.

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