Actor Stephen Graham unveiled the new Whitwick Colliery Disaster Memorial today (Sunday) as those who lost their lives in the tragedy 124 years ago were remembered.

An emotional ceremony took place at the site where the wheel has been installed - above where Leicestershire's worst mining disaster took place and some of the victims remain entombed.

A large crowd attended the ceremony, many of which were descendants of families connected to the incident, which happened on April 19, 1898, when 35 miners at Whitwick Colliery were killed due to an underground fire.

The memorial is located at David Wilson Homes' Grange View development off Grange Road in Hugglescote.

It has been constructed by David Wilson Homes and features a headstock pulley wheel from Whitwick Colliery, donated to the project by Leicestershire County Council Museums Service.

Stephen Graham cuts the ribbon at the new Memorial in Hugglescote. All photos: Coalville Nub News

Speakers at the ceremony included Stuart Warburton, of the Whitwick Colliery Disaster Memorial Project; Russell Johnson, of Hugglescote & Donington Le Heath Parish Council; Peter Smith, of Leicestershire Coal Industry Welfare Trust Fund; and Susan Colledge, who read the Eulogy, as well as music from the Desford Colliery Band.

You can see a video of the ceremony, and Stephen Graham speaking to the crowd, in the panel above.

Mr Warburton told Coalville Nub News that an appeal made in February for descendants of those involved in the disaster had been successful and resulted in a large turnout.

He said: "We had 67 descendant families contact us - but when you add up the families and guests of those people, we had around 230 people here.

"They wanted to dedicate this memorial to their ancestors.

"It was a very emotional ceremony, because of Susan Colledge's eulogy and the Desford Colliery Band who played 'Gresford' which is related to a disaster in the North East in the 1930s.

"I always anticipated that this would be a moment of closure for the families, especially for those who have relatives who are still underground.

"it was 124 years ago, but that's one of the reasons why we did this with David Wilson Homes.

The wheel takes pride of place on the David Wilson estate

"There hasn't been a memorial in the district which is dedicated to those 35 men.

"There are memorials within the mining industry dedicated to all those who've lost their lives.

"And we know that any loss of life is a disaster.

"But this is the first memorial to name all 35 men - and also it becomes, in a strange sort of way, a grave marker for those who are still underground.

"And thanks to Stephen Graham for coming to the unveiling.

"He lives locally and contributes to the community.

The names of the men who died that day

"He's also very proud of the local community, so he was an obvious choice to ask as an outsider to come and officiate in the dedication."

Cllr Colledge, of Whitwick Parish Council, told those gathered at the Memorial some of the details of the disaster as it was recorded at the time.

She said it happened in happened in No5 Pit at Whitwick Colliery.

The fire occurred in the upper main seam which was eight feet in diameter, and 249 yards deep.

A wreath was laid on behalf of the descendants of those afftected by the disaster

It was a dry, dusty pit which had been worked for 60 years. The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion in the waste coal.

That night, 42 men were underground, including a boy of 13.

At about 2.30am, smoke passed along the intake and the men were told to make their way out.

The smoke became much worse and there was a fire which would have to be extinguished before anyone could reach the workmen.

The fire could not be put out, the timbers have way and soon there was a heavy roof fall which blocked the roadway.

At 3.15pm, men were desperately trying to put the fire out and, by 6.15, a double-handed pump and hose was being used.

But the heat and steam was causing further roof falls.

The men worked for 18 hours and gained four feet.

It was concluded that any further attempts to push further would be futile due to the levels of carbon monoxide.

The ceremony was told 'the men were caught in a death trap'.

An emotional eulogy was read at the ceremony in which details of the disaster were told

The next morning, it was decided that any further action would be a danger to rescuers.

On the Friday, nine bodies were brought back to the surface, 24 had not been recovered.

In all, 35 men and boys were lost, many were related to each other, or close neighbours.

There were only seven survivors, but 12 remained underground. Left behind were 27 widows and 84 children under the age of 14.

One hundred and fifty medals were struck to honour those who risked their lives to try and save the men.

They were limited to those who were there on the Friday, but over 1,000 people were involved in the rescue and the village could not afford any more medals.

The youngest to die in the disaster was John Albert Gee, who was only 13 and his body was recovered months later,

He was employed as a driver of pit ponies.

The pit owners paid out just £35 between all the families.

They were told it should be £900 but the owners said they would declare bankruptcy and close the pit.