Coalmining Heritage East Midlands

Pleasley Pit Heritage Open Days, Sat 12th & Sun 13th Sept 2026 (10am-4pm). The site's digital coalmining heritage trail can be accessed at mytrail.co.uk/location-pleas…

Already missing the football after the World Cup final yesterday? A reminder of a local talent: William, aka Willie, Foulke began his football career at Blackwell Miners' Welfare Football Club before moving to Sheffield United. See our blog post: recordoffice.wordpress.com/2021/02/09/wil…

Nottinghamshire Miners Unions Centenary (1881-1981) memorabilia. Demonstration/Gala programme & centenary commemorative plate. #miningheritage

'Ode to Bentinck Pit', BBC Sounds @ bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0… Written by Bentinck coal miner, Arthur Ludlam, it featured in BBC Radio 4's series, 'Tongue & Talk: The Dialect Poets' in 2018 & in 'Coal in the Blood: An East Midlands Coal Mining Anthology' (2021). #miningheritage

Contrasting fortunes for the local coal industry in 1968. Notts Free Press (left to right c/w): NCB ad Feb 1968, Kirkby (Summit) Colliery closure announced April 1968 & Kirkby NUM branch coffin protest June 1968. The closure of the planned 'Super Pit' had lasting consequences.

Whitwick Colliery closed 40 years ago in July 1986 after 162 years. In its latter years it was merged with South Leicester & Snibston collieries which also closed. It was part of the planned rundown of the NW Leicestershire coalfield around Coalville from the early 1980s.

Annesley Colliery, July 1986, following an underground visit on a Sunday morning. 40 years ago, time flies! #miningheritage

Norman Siddall was Colliery Manager at Bestwood from 1947 to 1950. Martin Adeney suggested his place in history is the man who might have staved off the 1984-85 miners strike if his health had permitted. His retirement in 1983 paved the way for Ian McGregor as NCB Chairman.

'A Brief History of Bestwood Colliery, Nottinghamshire 1872-1967'. The unique preserved vertical winding engine / Gothic engine house is open on Saturday's from 10am to 12 noon, with the nearby Dynamo House serving light refreshments. Blog @ miningheritage.co.uk/a-brief-histor…

'The 1926 General Strike in Nottingham', a talk by Roger Tanner, at Nottingham Central Library, Sat 11th July 2026 (10.30am-12Noon) & latest occasional pamphlet No.9 on the subject by the Notts & Derbys Labour History Society.

Copies of the 7 inch vinyl record, 'Do it the Safety Way', at Kirkby-in-Ashfield Heritage Centre. It was a 1976 safety initiative by the National Coal Board (NCB), often heard blasting out over the tannoy system in the Pit Head Baths at collieries. #miningheritage

Pottering in #Donisthorpe Woodland Park in North West #Leicestershire created from the site of capped colliery lagoons planted with 74K trees in 1996 following the closure of the pit in 1990 after 133 years of operation #MiningLandscapes #MiningHeritage

@coal_legacies @S_D_M_P_G @ConkersCentre Locally Dowty was known as 'Don't Over Work This Year'! 😂😂😂

Dowty pit props part of the permanent mining display on loan from @S_D_M_P_G @ConkersCentre heart of the National Forest, Ashby Leicestershire for #AllMetalMonday #MiningHeritage

Bob Bradley, retired Senior Mining Surveyor, still working on coal mining plans at the preserved Pleasley Pit, Derbyshire,the age of 90!

Lamp collectors meeting at the preserved Pleasley Pit, Derbyshire, Saturday, 6th June 2026.

Statues of Harold Larwood, Bill Voce & Don Bradman outside Kirkby-in-Ashfield library @NottsLibraries

Annesley Colliery signing on book (New Hucknall Colliery Co.), entries for 1925 including members of the Larwood family who lived at 17 Chapel Street, Nuncargate. Harold's occupation, aged 20, is Banksman (Shaft pit top area).

Harold Larwood was one of four England internationals who worked at Annesley Colliery. He appears in a 1920's colliery signing on book, interestingly on the colliery surface. The other 3 internationals were Joe Hardstaff Snr, Fred Barrett & Joe Hardstaff Jnr (Young Joe).

It's #LocalHistoryMonth so if you're interested in finding out about your local history check out our research guides. Our latest is on the Miners Strike of 1984-5: recordoffice.wordpress.com/2026/05/12/a-r…

Mororgreen mining heritage celebrated at Colliers Wood trib.al/QhXqoM1