Item restored on BBC The Repair Shop donated to Beamish

The delicate serviette, made out of crepe paper, was made to commemorate the West Stanley Pit Disaster that took the lives of 168 men and boys in two explosions at the Burns Pit on February 16, 1909.

The serviette was then tucked away in a book until its discovery in the summer of 2023.

Friends John Greaves, 71, originally of Seaham, and his late friend John Beard, made the discovery and took it onto BBC show The Repair Shop hosted by furniture restorer and presenter Jay Blades where it has been lovingly brought back to life.

Friends Marie Beard & John Greaves with the pit disaster commemoration serviette they owned which was restored on TV show The Repair Shop and will now stay at Beamish Museum (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) The episode aired in October 2024 - and now just four months later it has been kindly donated to Beamish Museum and will be on display inside the Colliery Lamp Room. 

Presenting the framed serviette today (February 12) were John and his late friend's widow Marie Beard, 57, who both made a long journey from South Yorkshire for the occasion.

Marie told The Northern Echo: "When they found it, obviously they realised it was quite delicate and old, it had quite a bit of damage around the edges. It was quite faded."

The 1909 serviette, which has been restored. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) John added: "Going onto The Repair Shop was a really pleasant experience. When we got it back, it far outstretched my expectations. It looks amazing.

"When we got it back, I started to do a bit of research. Myself and John had talked about it before and wanted it to come back to the North East but didn't know where. 

"It was always the dream, always the vision to have it up here. The thought of it being back here was right.

"13 months after we filmed the show, Alex from Stanley Town Council was in touch and said they wanted it - it all progressed from there. We had a meeting in Northallerton before Christmas."

Members of Stanley Town Council and staff from Beamish with Friends Marie Beard & John Greaves with the pit disaster commemoration serviette they owned which was restored on TV show The Repair Shop and will now stay at Beamish Museum (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Marie said: "It is lovely to have it here at Beamish - my late husband, John, always wanted it to come back to the region."

Jonathan Kindleysides, Head of Industry at Beamish, spoke proudly of the donation which is even more poignant to him due to a family connection; his great-grandfather survived the disaster but lost two sons and a nephew.

He told The Northern Echo: "It is all the more poignant to me due to the family link - I can see their names on there. But even without the family link, it is a beautiful thing. It looks as good as the day it was bought.

Archive photo of the West Stanley Colliery disaster. (Image: BEAMISH MUSEUM)

"People would have bought these to commemorate their family, but the money raised would have gone to orphans and widows.

"It wouldn't necessarily have belonged to a grieving family member, many people would have bought it for a few pence as a charity donation.

"Cards, serviettes, and disaster glass would be made to commemorate disasters and events like this to memorialise those involved."

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Jonathan added: "It is increasingly rare to see something like this - we do have some in the collection but not in this condition.

"These serviettes were made in large numbers but of course, they are so fragile that we haven't had a donation of this kind in about 25 to 30 years."

Anyone who wishes to see the serviette can find it displayed in the Lamp Cabin in the 1900s pit village.