Miners - 1950's - Anderson, Brown

[caption id="attachment_4892" align="alignnone" width="595"] Miners - 1950's - Anderson, Brown[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Many people may have seen this photograph in a certain publication, this is an original image, I can put names to three of the miners. Third from the left my uncle Oliver Anderson next to him his brother Fred Anderson, sixth miner is my dad Alan Brown, not sure who the others are (possibly 1950's)

 

Brandon Colliery Station - 10 May 1965

Brandon Colliery Station (remains).10 May 1965
View NE, towards Durham; ex-NER Bishop Auckland - Durham line. The station looks rather decrepit in 1965; it was closed to passengers on 4/5/64, to goods on 10/8/64; the line closed finally on 5/8/68.

Not quite Deerness Valley but interesting none the less.

 

Disused Stations: Bearpark Station (formerly Aldin Grange)

Date opened: 1.6.1883

Location: On the north side of Auton Style

Company on opening: North Eastern Railway

Date closed to passengers: 1.5.1939

Date closed completely: 1.5.1939

Company on closing: British Railways (North Eastern Region)

Present state: Demolished - no trace of the station remains

County: Durham

OS Grid Ref: NZ245432

Notes: Ironworks were established at Consett in 1841 but in the 1860s Consett needed better access to the iron town of Middlesbrough and the neighbouring Ironstone of the Cleveland Hills. There were some circuitous rail links between the two towns but a direct route was required. The Browney valley provided the ideal setting for such a line.

In February 1861 construction of the North Eastern Railway's Lanchester Branch commenced and it officially opened the following year. It was initially a single-track line with stations at Consett, Knitsley, Lanchester and Witton Gilbert.

The Lanchester Branch opened up mining possibilities along the Browney Valley. In 1870, Lord Lambton who owned land in the valley accepted an application to search for coal and the following year coal was found. The NER doubled its track in anticipation of colliery demand and collieries soon opened along the line at Bearpark, Malton, Lanchester and Langley Park. An additional station was added at Aldin Grange in 1883 and renamed Bearpark on 1.5.1927.

via Disused Stations: Bearpark Station.

Unusual VASE - Florentine Crested China - Ushaw Moor Colliery ?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Florentine Crested China VASE[/caption]

Got this lttle Gem off ebay, not sure what the significance of the Ushaw Moor crest is, maybe something to do with the Ushaw Moor Colliery.

"THIS IS  A PRETTY CRESTED CHINA VASE WITH 4 HOLES WITH CREST OF USHAW MOOR AND MADE BY FLOERNTINE CHINA"

Anyone any ideas ?

Mining Memories - By Roy Lambeth

I got to know Stephen Dent when I moved from my Primary School to Whinney Hill Secondary Modern School in Durham in September 1959.

During our trainspotting adventures, we regularly saw the Brandon Pit House Colliery steam loco pushing empty wagons up to the colliery.  One day at Easter 1960 we decided we would go to Pit House and ask if we could photograph the engine.

We caught the bus that came down Whitehouse Lane going to New Brancepeth.  The big destination ‘via’ screen on the bus had us confused as it went to places we had never heard of (and which we could not find on the map).  These were Aldin Grange, Auton Stile & Alum Waters.

We caught the bus up to New Brancepeth and walked up to Brandon Pit House Colliery.  When we got there we found that the steam engine had been replaced by a big ugly diesel (see my (PHOTO) on the Ushaw Moor Gallery Site).  The safety Office decided that we should be given a conducted tour of the site.  This to our amazement (I was just 11 years old), included an underground visit!  Seeing what the miners had to do put me off mining as an occupation.

At the end of the visit, Stephen walked home to Ushaw Moor, but I was offered a ride on the diesel down to Brandon, where I could catch a bus to Durham.

A few days later we went to Ushaw Moor Colliery and asked to look round.  This was freely given and we had another underground tour.  Ushaw Moor Colliery was much older than Brandon Pit House, and going down the shaft we could see all the brickwork.  They lowered us slowly so that our guide could explain what everything was for.  It was then that they told us Ushaw Moor Colliery was due to close in August 1960.

On the day of the 1960 Durham Miners Gala, I caught an early bus out to Ushaw Moor, photographed the Ushaw Moor Banner being paraded down to the railway Station for the last time and traveled in to the Durham Miners Gala on the special train from Ushaw Moor Station (SEE PHOTO).

Happy Days

Posted on Behalf of Roy Lambeth

Ushaw Moor Aged Miners Cup - League Champions 1921-1922

[caption id="attachment_2568" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Aged Miners Cup 1921 -1922"][/caption]

My uncle Buller Graham 2nd from right in middle row.  They won the Ushaw Moor Aged Miners Cup in 19212-22.

His son is John Graham who has wrote articles on the Ushaw Moor site.

Posted on Behalf of Alf Rothwell

Where Is It ? - Ushaw Moor Colliery Banner

[caption id="attachment_2223" align="alignleft" width="212" caption="Ushaw Moor Colliery Banner"][/caption]

Had some requests about the Ushaw Moor Coliery Banner.

Wondered if anyone knew of it's location ?

Is there any plans of trying to restore it ?

Wonder what sort of state it's in.

Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Jack Joyce

Probably the most outstanding person working at Ushaw moor colliery was Jack Joyce. He was born at Spennymoor in 1892 and began work at the age of 13 in 1905 spending his whole working life at the same mine. In 1946 he was elected financial secretary of the Durham Miners Association. Being a forceful union official he represented the miners as checkweighman and compensation secretary.

From 1924 until 1945 he was a member of Lanchester and Durham Rural District Councils. Before his death in 1967 he had the pleasure of seeing his portrait painted on the last Ushaw Moor colliery banner in honour of his work for the Ushaw Moor community.

via Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Jack Joyce.

John Sutch Of New Brancepeth

For those interested in coal mining heritage please consider using the Durham  Mining  Museum facility. I know that some of you are already aware that the museum is on the internet and have found it interesting.  Below is an example of local interest. Very sad and very tragic. Sutch, John, 07 May 1931, aged 48, Stoneman. Having walked from his home at New Brancepeth to Brandon Pit House Colliery he found that the mine was idle. He had just begun the return journey accompanied by his son-in-law and a workmate when he was overtaken by a locomotive on the colliery railway, run over, and killed. The other two men had jumped to safety, but Sutch had failed to hear the locomotive approaching. It had been the custom for some time for all the men living at New Brancepeth to use the line as a short cut, Buried: Ushaw Moor Cemetary. WB

Pit Ponies

Many young people have no concept of what a pit pony was or how it lived &  worked.  Pitponyman has uploaded a few video shorts onto YouTube of 1990's Pit Ponies in Wales.  Search you tube for pitponyman videos and enjoy.

 

Posted on behalf of Roy @

http://www.pitponies.co.uk

Harwood photos of Ushaw Moor Colliery

[gallery columns="4"]

In 1935 the Harwood family (Matt, Gladys & their son Bill) toured England. These are scans of negatives taken on that trip.

Show some photos of Ushaw Moor Colliery and surrounding area.

Thanks to Ken Harwood for allowing me to add these photos.

Check out his PHOTOS on his site on PICASA HERE

These PHOTOS are also found on the main Historical Site HERE

Documentary - Life in Coal Mining Towns

Dear all,

My name is Andy Mark Simpson, I'm a film Director from Ashington in Northumberland, and I'm looking to make a short documentary about life in coal-mining towns. I've worked hard to find email addresses because I am looking to make contact with people who have worked or lived around the coalmines or who are interested in coal-mining history and to listen to your thoughts.

I have made one film already which is a fictional film set during the 1974 miners strike ('Young Hearts Run Free' out in cinemas in the Spring) and I am now interested in making a documentary with a view to perhaps putting it on dvd.

I'm looking for opinions on what to shape the documentary around. I'd like people to come forward with memories and stories. I'm interested in the life around the villages and exactly what it meant when the mines closed. Is there a future for the coal industry in Britain? Will clean coal technologies be brought in? Can there be a coal-mining workforce?

I'm also interested in the socialist politics and in the strikes, especially the differences between the 1984 strike and those in the 1970s which are less well documented. What do you think were the rights and wrongs of the strikes?

If you're interested in my previous film 'Young Hearts Run Free' which is set in a mining village in 1974 there is a trailer at www.bedefilms.co.uk and you can leave contact details to demonstrate support for it's release around the country in April.

It's a subject I'm very interested in and I'm eager to learn more. I would be grateful if you could share your experiences and memories to help me shape a documentary. If you have friends and others who have worked in the mines or are interested in mining history then please feel free to circulate this email. I'm keen on discussing it with as many people as possible.

Thank you,

Andy Mark Simpson
Bede Films
info@bedefilms.co.uk
www.bedefilms.co.uk

Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Commandments

Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Commandments.

During the Ryhope strike of 1932 feelings of animosity of the men towards the 'masters' was expressed in this composition:

The Coal Owner's Ten Commandments

1. Thou shall have no other Master but me.

2. Thou shall not make for thyself comforts, nor the likeness of anything to thine own interest, neither on the earth above or the mine beneath. Thou shall bow down to me and worship me, for I am thy Master, and a jealous Master, and I will show you no mercy but endeavour to make you keep my commandments..

3. Thou shall not take the name of thy Master in vain, lest I sack thee at a minute's notice.

4. Remember that thou work six days with all thy might, with all thy strength, and do all I want of thee, but the seventh day thou shalt stop at home and do no manner of work, but shall do all thou canst to recruit thine exhausted strength for my service on Monday morning.

5. Honour thy Master, his steward, and his deputies, that thy days may be long in the mine down which you work.

6. Thou shall have no unions.

7. Thou shall always speak well of me, though I oppose thee. Thou shall be content if I sometimes find thee work, and pay thee what I think.

8. Thou shalt starve thyself and thy children if it is to my interest.

9. Thou shall have no meetings to consider thy own interests, as I want to keep thee ignorant, and in poverty all the days of thy life.

10. Thou shall not covet thy Master's money, nor his comforts, nor his luxuries, nor anything that is his.

Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Aged Miners Homes

Once the miner had become old and unable to work at the pit, he was forced to leave his tied cottage, and though he might receive something from the Permanent Relief, for many the workhouse was their only prospect. In 1896 one of the great philanthropic movements of this country took root, with the aim of providing a free house and coal supply to retired miners - a 'haven of rest'. The scheme was started by Joseph Hopper, aided by Henry Wallace, Canon Moore Ede (later Dean of Worcester) and John Wilson of the DMA. It brought together both colliery owners and miners to provide these things. The coal owners gave financial support, land and materials.

Sir A.F. Pease, when laying the foundation stones of eight houses at Randolph Colliery in 1924, said:

"There could be no finer work, surely, than to provide for the comfort and happiness of a aged miners who had spent nearly all of their lives in daily toil in that district, and other places."

The miners too contributed from their pay towards the aged miners' homes.

READ MORE

via Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Aged Miners Homes.

At Least Ushaw Moor Is Built Upon Sweat And Good Character

More or less from the second half of the 19th century, until 1960, Ushaw Moor's economy relied almost entirely on King Coal, the muscle and brawn of its miners, and its  women. The men worked hard in conditions of great danger and dirt whilst the women looked after the children, the cleaning and  the cooking etc. There was a lot of etc. because although a woman's tasks were many she had little in the way of modern conveniences [until the 50s] to ease her day.

During the 50s and 60s mining suffered from competition from oil, as well as the threat from natural gas and nuclear power, and consequently there were many mine closures .Some villages were devastated while others, including Ushaw Moor, turned out rather better despite pit closure. 

For many  generations the people of this unpretentious village have done their best - but when you look further a field there is a darkside; the reputation of many of those representing us in Parliament is in virtual tatters; the Catholic Church's authority is in tatters, and the politics of food labelling look unsavoury. Much worse than all of that is the opposition to climate change science; the great denial by some that might mean the premature end for our great [?]  grandchildren.

 Looking to the USA for inspiritation can disappoint. A potentially great president is being harried by  Republican opposition that sometimes has the appearance of insanity, when at its worst, and an opposition that lacks vision at its best. Please do not mention hockey sticks and lipstick in my earshot.  

As individuals I suppose  all we can do is to continue to live our lives with integrity, love our family, respect our neighbours, sharpen our minds to injustice, use our democratic muscle, however flabby, and try and ensure that our children reach their educational potential - in the hope that the good that is in the world wins out against the darkside.

WB

Taking things for granted.

When you are young you take things for granted and you think things will never change. The Deerness Valley is still the same shape, the same length and the same height as when I was a lad but the pits, the pit heaps, and the colliery villages have almost disappeared and nature, with mans assistance, has moved back into the valley.

Seen on a clear sunny day from the crossroads above Whitehouse Court the valley is very beautiful. It is a far cry from the valley that was when I was conscripted into the Army in March 1960. The mineral railway line still ran up the valley to Waterhouses Colliery. The collieries in the Valley at that time were Ushaw Moor, Esh Winning, Waterhouses, and on the rim of the valley was Pit House Colliery and the West Brandon drift. New Brancepth Colliery had closed in the early 1950s, and East Hedley Hope Closed sometime in the 50s also. On top of these collieries were a number of open cast coal sites. The valley was really given over to the production of coal. It was said that more coal was produced in the bar at Ushaw Moor Big Club on a Sunday dinner time than was ever produced at the Colliery.

The work of a miner was hard, dirty and unrelenting. When I left school I wanted to go down the pit but my mother said "NO" and that was that. Whilst in the Army in Kenya in 1961 I read in the Durhan County Advertiser of the death of a boyhood friend who was killed at Pithouse Coliiery and I realised then why my mother was against me going down the pit.

Back to the Deerness Valley.; Collieries were dirty, ugly blots on the landscape, with steam, smoke and dust flying about. Couple this with a plant producing coke as at New Brancepeth Colliery and the pollution was very high. You took these collieries for granted and as a child or young man I never saw them as ugly. There were just part of the landscape and part of your life. I thought that when the pits closed and families were moving to Yorkshire and the Midlands for work in the pits down there that the Valley would stagnate.

The opposite has been proved with villages expanding with modern housing, schools and amenities and the scenery today is beautiful. I find it so but I think most people who live in the valley take the beauty for granted. After living on Tyneside since 1965 I still miss the closesness of a village like Ushaw Moor.

Brian Mc

The miners' Unions of Northumberland and Durham

Meantime in the last week of December a strike began which was to ensure a sufficiency of incident for the next two years. Westoe, the lodge secretary of Ushaw Moor, was dismissed from the colliery for persistent absence, and for filling dirt among his coal 2 . The dismissal was but the outward sign of a wide- spread dissatisfaction. The owners said that the men had deliberately increased their lost time, at the moment some 23 per cent., as part of a general policy of restriction of output, and that the pit had come entirely under the control of the local union officials, who were men unfit for their responsible positions. The men complained of the general attitude of the manager: he was discourteous, overbearing, violent both in speech and action. In the hearing of Crawford he called the men "a set of lazy b s" 3 . It was an indiscretion he was not allowed to forget.

Ushaw Moor was a colliery with an unusually high proportion of Irish Catholic pitmen, and race and religion soon added their prejudice to what became almost at once an unnecessarily bitter struggle. If the actions of the manager shewed that he lacked

READ MORE

via Full text of "The miners' Unions of Northumberland and Durham".

Facebook | Ushaw Moor Memories

Does anyone have any photos or info about the explosion down the pit as my Great Grandad William Timmons died in that. There was a massive funeral and photos but the photos we had as a family were given to the newspaper and they lost them.

Posted on behalf of Gillian Vargas

via Facebook | Ushaw Moor Memories.

Ushaw Moor Kitchen

Ushaw Moor Kitchen

Originally uploaded by Ushaw Dude

Photo of typical kitchen in Ushaw Moor Colliery House 1938.

Anyone got any memories of this photo, does anyone know where it was taken ? Who is the lady in the picture ?

Hope this photo brings back some memories for some of you.

Paul

Ushaw Moor Colliery

Ushaw Colliery

Originally uploaded by Ushaw Dude

Early photo of Ushaw Moor Colliery, does this bring back any memories ?

Paul