Colliery colliery cultrigg colliery greenrigg colliery colliery coal pit coal pit crofthead iron mine no 1 coal pit benhar colliery pits nos 6 and 14 fauldhouse colliery pit no 9 eastfield engine ironstone pit eastfield iron mine no 4 crofthead iron mine no 7 touristother polkemmet house. Sep 30, 2007 polkemmet is one of scotlands oldest civilian bands, dating to the 1920s. This employed an average of some 1,500 men, rising to nearly 2,000 in its peak year of 1960. Wardley colliery pictures brought to you by the felling heritage group john hodgsons poetry john hodgson biography chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter chapter 14 william hall, mayor ravensworth now gateshead streets 1846. Greenrigg and polkemmet collieries railway william dixon ltd photographer. Polkemmet was flooded because the director of the national coal board would not permit middle management to go in and do the job that was being done in every other coalfield. Among the pits to be unceremoniously shut was polkemmet colliery, one of central scotlands most successful mines which reportedly produced 4,000 tonnes a day in the 1950s. Miners face stark choice as debts threaten cooperative. Apr 18, 2015 20th anniversary scottish parliament escort to the crown scots guards, royal mile 2019 4kuhd duration. Prototype inspiration kirkmellington a journey into em. Polkemmet colliery, oblique aerial view, taken from the ene, showing the area of the coal mine running up the centre of the. If you have any queries or wish to make an appointment, please contact us. Polkemmet colliery parish of whitburn, linlithgowshire.
Polkemmet colliery oral answers to questions energy in the house of commons at 12. Polkemmet colliery, oblique aerial view, taken from the e, showing the area of the coal mine across the photograph. Buy scotlands last days of colliery steam by heavyside, tom isbn. The shafts were then used for pumping purposes and man riding. Tom brown was born in whitburn, west lothian, scotland in 1940. News uk miners face stark choice as debts threaten co operative. Information, history photographs current and archive and documents for polkemmet coal mine. Polkemmet colliery in west lanark with their vintage andrew barclay 060st no. Whitburn originally whiteburn is a small town in west lothian, scotland, halfway between scotlandss two largest cities, about 23 miles 37 km east of glasgow and 22 miles 35 km west of edinburgh. He was given his first pair of drum sticks and introduced to the art of drumming at the age of nine by an uncle who was already drumming with a local pipe band. The last coal mine in west lothian was polkemmet colliery at whitburn which closed at the time of the miners strike in 198485 and never reopened. The area around harthill was rich in covenanting history and is home to the peden stone.
But by far the most significant pit in the area was polkemmet colliery, sunk on land to. The ninemonth project at polkemmet colliery is part of the biggest colliery regeneration scheme in the uk. Morgans object of the week as this year marks the 30 th anniversary of the miners strike, i have chosen a strikerelated item as my object of the week. Whitburn originally whiteburn is a small town in west lothian, scotland, halfway between. A brickworks using shale from the colliery was built in 1879. The independence of monktonhall colliery near edinburgh, where pitmen invested pounds 10,000 each, is at risk. He was given his first pair of drum sticks and introduced to the art of drumming at the age of nine by an uncle, a drummer with a local pipe band. Thomas bishop, mining overseer and manager of sir william baillies mines at polkemmet.
The band was sponsored by the local colliery for almost 70 years. John ive just been on one of the expert websites as you call them they are all arguing as to which was the deepest coal mine in britain there have been upto a dozen nominations i have my own views but you lot worked the pits in this country so i would like you to tell me your ideas. Polkemmet closes the gates for the final time and the old colliery buildings are soon demolished. The polkemmet colliery was nationalised in 1948, and polkemmet house was leased to the trefoil trust and later to the scottish national police college. Mar 10, 2006 the ninemonth project at polkemmet colliery is part of the biggest colliery regeneration scheme in the uk. The colliery the lady victoria colliery, home of the national mining museum scotland, was opened in 1895 as scotlands first superpit.
Still, whats a place in the history books between friends. Polkemmet colliery, closed in 1986, its legacy was a toxic bing that smelled of farts and rotten eggs. But by far the most significant pit in the area was polkemmet colliery, sunk on land to the south west of whitburn during world war i, with production beginning in 1921. Published in association with the scottish mining museum, mining the lothians features many photographs from the museums extensive collection. Colliery spoil heaps are left behind littering the landscape for years to come. Its most successful period was during the 1980s and 90s when it rose to be a consistent grade 1 prizewinner in major championships under pipemajor robert mathieson and leadingdrummer jim kilpatrick. As this year marks the 30 th anniversary of the miners strike, i have chosen a strikerelated item as my object of the week the 198485 miners strike was one of the most significant and divisive events in recent british history. Likened to a lunar landscape, it was easy to see why as far as the eye could see the land looked lifeless. The working pit woodhorn colliery was the third pit sunk by the ashington coal company. Information, photographs and plans for polkemmet coal mine on the mine exploration web site uk. Work on the first shaft began on 16th may 1894 and production started in february 1898. Thunderstruck for percussion ensemble alumnado percufest 2014 dirigido por rafa navarro duration.
He devoured books whether on marxist theory, literature, history and. Dm tom brown tom was born in whitburn, west lothian in 1940. There is also a disused steam locomotive from polkemmet colliery on display. Given the poor state of the track at that time im surprised the driver didnt get seasick. Polkemmet restarts after oneyear shutdown pipesdrums. Bbc glasgow and west scotland in pictures the miners. Sadly such things were all gone by the time i was out and about spotting so its only history books, photos and videos i have for inspiration but it is a great period in industrial uk terms. New houses, whitehaven an letter dictated by mrs meehan in 1992 about living in the new houses at whitehaven which were demolished in the 1940s i was born in a house in the middle row of these houses 79 years ago, so i hope you will excuse me if the punctuation and spelling are a.
All the images below are links to anthracite related videos on you tube. Mar 05, 2009 polkemmet colliery, west lothian, 1984. The photographs of loganlea colliery were among many taken by william aitchison, formerly of addiewell. Elizabeth burke hatfield find a grave memorial family history book, us. Samuel t stewart has written several books on local social and industrial history, listed on this web page, which mainly focus on coleorton. The nearest major towns are bathgate, 4 miles 6 km and livingston, 6 miles 9. In april 1985 the national coal board announced its intention to close the colliery, and by 1986 polkemmet colliery doors were closed and the derelict old colliery buildings were demolished. The bands first practice will be held on september th in east whitburn. National justice for mineworkers colliery closures. It ceased production in 1981 and now serves as an example of one of the best preserved victorian collieries in europe. After deciding to disband in november 2006, the polkemmet pipe band of whitburn, scotland, has reformed, with derek marr as pipemajor, stuart smith pipesergeant, and colin mckenzie leadingdrummer. Polkemmet colliery also known as the dardanelles location.
Buy point of ayr colliery by mostyn history preservation society isbn. Polkemmet deep mine coal pit closed around the time of the last miners. The 198485 miners strike was one of the most significant and divisive events in recent british history. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Polkemmet colliery you may copy, display, store and make derivative works for personal use or use solely within an educational institution by staff and students, under these conditions. In 1963 ncb coal products opened a pilot plant south of the colliery for the production of homefire briquettes. Mar 17, 2018 the polkemmet colliery was nationalised in 1948, and polkemmet house was leased to the trefoil trust and later to the scottish national police college. History of scottish mining and mining areas of scotland including housing, health, mining. Proprietor, sir william baillie, of polkemmet, bart. Polkemmet colliery you may copy, display, store and make derivative works for personal use or use solely within an educational institution by staff and students. Polkemmet colliery whitburn, west lothian, scotland. Polkemmet colliery was an opencast coal mine to the west of whitburn, west lothian. It lists some national grid references and some mines discovered after 1993.
Beoch colliery, ayrshire coal mining, scottish heritage, west lothian. Residents in whitburn have been complaining for years about the pollution caused by the burning bing. Oral answers to questions energy in the house of commons at 12. Warsop vale local history society, 1 leeming close, market warsop, mansfield, notts. Joe, like his father, worked in the polkemmet colliery in west lothian. History the family of baillie purchased the polkemmet estate in 1620, and built a country house here. He got his first pipe band drumming lessons from jack macleish of the whitrigg colliery pipe band. Polkemmet coal mine information and photos aditnow. Heres one i cannot get my head around, system blair multi rope winder with balance wheel on top of the skip. Photograph of polkemmet colliery, underground view the jewel seam cable belt scanned copy of original image held in scottish mining museum ngsmm. Beoch colliery, ayrshire coal miners, working people, vintage pictures, britain.
The reason why smaller ropes and safety factors are allowed is because two ropes are used, and its proven that if one rope fails, the other can take the load. Dec 16, 2014 pm robert mathieson dm jim kilpatrick. Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. The pit head baths at polkemmet were not simply functional. The rose heyworth colliery was sunk in 1874 under the directorship of mr lawrence heyworth managing director of the south wales colliery company. On december 20th 1985 the rose heyworth colliery was sadly closed and was officially woundup on the 1st january 1986. Class 47 on the up line passing lofthouse colliery, now the site of outwood station, the train is 10. All books purchased which need to be posted will be subject to an additional charge for post and packaging at cost. Rose heyworth colliery a history 1874 to 1986 out of. Plans to transform the area include 2,000 new homes, two golf courses and a business park at the former coal site. Historic images of the collieries of the somerset coalfield, showing the surface workings, colliery buildings, engines houses and head frames, loading screens and banks, drifts, levels, shafts, railway connections, sidings and colliery owned wagons, underground scenes and groups of. In 1823, william baillie was created a baronet, and extended the house. A pair of class 20s approaching polkemmet colliery off the moor on 26 may 1982.
Its closure came following the previous yearlong miners strike over pit closures and defeat of the national union of mineworkers by margaret thatchers conservative administration. Some of the notable trees have information signs indicating the variety and history of the genus. It was developed on the estate of polkemmet house, a country house which was demolished in the 1960s. Bbc news uk scotland pits burning bing to be removed. To come back to the colliery page after viewing a video, click on the x in the lower right side of the video screen. Crushed between a railway wagon and the wall of a hopper. When former polkemmet pipemajor davy barnes departed to take. I keep the armadale inn adjoining the colliery, both of which i rent from mr. It was led by the national union of mineworkers num who sought to protect jobs and livelihoods from pit closures proposed by margaret thatchers. Tell us what it was like, and your memories of working there. During the 1950s, the polkemmet estate was sold to the national coal board, and after the police college gave up its lease on the house in 1960, the coal board pulled down the mansion.
The company already owned cwmtillery colliery the south wales colliery and the first coal raised at rose heyworth colliery was in 187677, though may well have been later as it is not. Subcategories this category has only the following subcategory. Photo courtesy of the scottish mining museum trust. Newly painted ncb locomotive dardanelles used in polkemmet colliery. Left behind however, were the many colliery spoil heaps which littered the barren landscape. However, some include a significant amount of historical information about the neighbouring villages of griffydam, peggs green and swannington.
The park is also locally famous for the polkemmet horn which can be seen from the m8 motorway which runs to the north of the country park. Rose heyworth colliery a history 1874 to 1986 out of the. Gradually pits closed as they were worked out and in 1988 the declining mining industry ceased in harthill when the last deep pit of polkemmet colliery, closed. Historic images of the collieries of the somerset coalfield, showing the surface workings, colliery buildings, engines houses and head frames, loading screens and banks, drifts, levels, shafts, railway connections, sidings and colliery owned wagons, underground scenes and groups of miners. Its closure came in 1986 following the ukwide miners strike of 19845.
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