Figure 1: Pleasley Colliery, NCB North Derbyshire Area, in the 1970’s. Photo Credit – Coal Authority
Pleasley Colliery: A Mine-craft the Prequel project case study
Pleasley Colliery, north Derbyshire, had two significant anniversaries in 2023 and therefore was chosen as one of the case studies for the 2023-24 Nottingham Trent University project, ‘Mine-craft the Prequel: The Photographic Story of East Midlands Coal’. It was the 150th anniversary of the start of the sinking of the shafts by the Stanton Ironworks Company and 40 years since the NCB North Derbyshire closed the colliery in December 1983, technically, it merged with nearby Shirebrook Colliery.
Figure 2: The trio of Stanton Ironworks Co. collieries sunk to the north and north-west of Sutton-in-Ashfield between 1868 and 1875. Source: 1952 Guide to the Coalfields
Figure 3: Pleasley miners celebrate coal production for the financial year 1981-82. Photo Credit – Chad newspaper
Following closure, the shafts remained open for ventilation purposes for Shirebrook Colliery, the north downcast shaft (nearest the Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre) was filled during February 1985 and the south side upcast shaft remained in use until December 1992.
Figure 4: Volunteers re-roofing the winding engine house at Pleasley Colliery in the late 1990’s. Photo Credit – Pleasley Pit archive
The Friends of Pleasley Colliery were formed at a meeting in January 1996 with the aim to restore the colliery as a coalmining heritage site, the show- piece being the two colliery winding engines. Restoration of the winding engine house commenced in 1997, the first job for the volunteers was to re-roof it, the two winding engines being open to the elements and the effects of pigeons!
Figure 5: Volunteers working on the restoration of the north Lillishall colliery winding engine at Pleasley Colliery in the late 1990’s. Photo Credit –Chad newspaper
The1904 Lilleshall winding engine (Fig 5) was the first to be restored to running order, followed by the south side 1923 Markham winding engine. Both winding engines now operate by electric whereas previously they were steam powered. Pleasley Pit is now designated a scheduled monument with over 150 years of history. A new Pleasley Pit Visitor’s Centre opened in February 2020 just prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
Figure 6: Mine-craft the Prequel project photo workshop at Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre on 10th March 2024.
Mine-craft meta-data and memories: Pleasley Colliery
A Mine-craft the Prequel project photo workshop was held at Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre on 10th March 2024 (Fig 6) for the purpose of getting some additional information (meta-data) and stories from the colliery.
Figure 7: Pit Head Baths under construction – March 1961 Photo Credit: Coal Authority
Existing information for Fig 7 from the Coal Authority database:
Location: Pleasley Colliery
Ref: PRO_COAL80_781_8115686_081TIF
Date: 1961
Description: Pit Head Baths under construction, March 1961.
Figure 8: Surface construction work at Pleasley Colliery in March 1961.
Information supplied to Mine-craft project (Fig 8).
Location: Pleasley Colliery
Description: New link between pit head baths, medical centre and pay office (on the left) and the colliery canteen (on the right).
Figure 9: Colliery winding engine and engine house. Photo Credit: Coal Authority
Existing information for Fig. 9 from the Coal Authority database
Location: Pleasley Colliery
Ref: PRO_COAL80_780_515610_005TIF
Date: None
Description: Colliery surface and system for transport of coal on surface.
Figure 10: A colliery winding engine but not Pleasley! Photo Credit – Coal Authority.
Information supplied to Mine-craft project (Fig. 10)
Location: Not Pleasley Colliery
Description: The winding engine is a Fraser and Chalmers one, plus the windows in the winding engine house do not conform to those at Pleasley Colliery.
Figure 11: Pleasley Prize Band at the colliery in the early 1980’s. Photo Credit – Chad newspaper
The strong cultural connection between the coalmining industry and brass bands came to nationwide prominence with the 1996 film ‘Brassed Off’. Several colliery brass bands remain in the East Midlands in the post-coal era, including the Pleasley Colliery Prize Brass Band. Eric Hill, Shift Charge Engineer (Mechanical) at Pleasley Colliery, recalled a tragic story involving a member of the Pleasley Colliery Brass Band.
A Pleasley Prize Band tragedy
Figure 12: Derbyshire Miners Holiday Home, Near Skegness, Lincolnshire. Photo Credit – unknown
The Pleasley Pit Week Holiday
The pit fortnight summer holiday saw many Derbyshire miners and their families descend on the Lincolnshire coast around Skegness in their thousands. Many stayed at the Derbyshire Miners Holiday Home which was also the location of the Derbyshire Miners Convalescent Home.
Figure 13: The Pleasley Pit Week Holiday by Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson. Source: Pleasley Pit archive
Figure 14: School visit at Pleasley Pit Mining Museum in 2017. Photo Credit – David Amos
Pleasley Pit Mining Museum and Visitors Centre
The Pleasley Pit Mining Museum is open on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s (10am-1pm) and on Sunday’s from 10am to 1.30pm, throughout the year.
Figure 15: A Pleasley Pit winding engines open day. Photo Credit – David Amos
The preserved colliery winding engines are run at special events monthly, usually on the second Sunday of the month between April and October.
Figure 16: Pleasley Pit mining museum digital tour.
Pleasley Pit coalmining heritage digital trail
As part of the 2023-24 Nottingham Trent University ‘Mine-craft the Prequel’ coalmining heritage project, a Pleasley Pit Mining Museum digital tour was publically launched at the Pleasley Pit Heritage Open Day on 8th September 2024. More details on the My Trail website at https://mytrail.co.uk/pleasley/
Figure 17: The preserved headstocks and Winding Engine house at Pleasley Colliery in 2016. Photo by David Amos.
Figure 18: Meeting of the East Midlands Coalmining Heritage Forum at Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre in October 2022. Photo Credit – David Amos
Figure 19: Café at Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre in June 2024. Photo Credit – David Amos
Pleasley Pit Visitors Centre and Café is open daily (except Tuesdays) from 9.30am to 2pm.
Pleasley Pit
Pit Lane
Pleasley
Mansfield
NG19 7PH
Tel: (01623) 818928 for Visitors Centre enquiries
E-mail: pleasleypitvisitorscentre@gmail.com
Website: https://www.pleasleypittrust.org.uk/home
Blog by David Amos
Posted by Mining Heritage Admin – 27th September 2024