Just found your site and wanted to tell you how interesting it is, I can see me spending a lot of time browsing on here.

I worked at Bevercotes from leaving school in '66 and left the industry in '84 although you never really leave do you? I went on to teach mining electrical at North Nott's College until the industry declined and it could no longer support the Department,

During my time at Bevercotes I joined the Colliery Rescue Team and trained at Mansfield on Aerolox and Proto IV and I can say browsing your site brought both memories of a proud industry and a lump in my throat.

I remember the training galleries under the Station and the practices we carried out in the smoke filled tunnels. The highlight probably was the annual competitions at Area HQ Edwinstowe where we always did fairly well although the prizes of towels and clocks lacked imagination. I still have my colliery checks somewhere and use the numbers for the lottery, never won anything yet mind.

Anyway rambling on so will leave it there but a great site.

Regards
Allan Bell

Just found your terrific site. I was looking for alternative fuels for my Davey Safety Lamp. It’s a Patterson Lamp from Gateshead with the number 88 stamped on it. I have tried Meths which does light but as soon as I put the gauze cover on, the flame dies.

It's nice to read about some of your subscribers. I worked at the Brookhouse Mine, Beighton. The Orgreave Colliery and the Treeton Colliery is where I first did my training. I now live in Tasmania.

I know I am late with an answer re : over head buckets. I lived in Beighton from 1945 until 1966 and never once did I see evidence of over head buckets. In fact as I recall the Beighton Pit was used only for men going in and out of the mine. All the coal was lifted to the surface via the Brookhouse winder.

After the mine disaster in the 1950's when the cage in the Brookehouse shaft plummeted to the bottom of the shaft with 48 men on board they had to be carried on stretchers up a very steep and dusty incline to reach the Beighton pit shaft. This was a trek of about a mile. I know what it was like to walk that drift since I did it quite often when I was working there in the 1960's and I hated every step.

The coke ovens were on the right hand side of the road as you went up the hill towards Swallownest.
My brother painted a terrific painting of the Brookhouse and coke ovens with the smoke and fumes spewing forth.

Thanks
Vic Arthur

Brookhouse Colliery - 1958 'Overwind' incident.

Miner John Briggs

The accident at Brookhouse Colliery in Beighton in 1958 became known as the 'Overwind' incident. It happened when a new electrical winding system on the miners' shaft cage broke, causing it to fall. Miner William Wild said at the time: "It was sheer hell down there. The cage was a mass of bodies thrown against each other and the pit bottom was full of moans and groans."

There were no fatalities but miners involved said it would have been much worse had it not been for their colleagues, who carried the injured a mile to safety.

Lorraine Henery, daughter of miner Arthur Davison, said: "My father was in the cage when it crashed to the ground.

"He suffered leg injuries and had to have his leg amputated. I'm one of 11 children, so as you can imagine, the accident had a lifetime of consequences for my family."

Marilyn Stojak, daughter of miner Arnold Clarke, said: "My father ended up with a crushed pelvis and no hip joint on one side.

"He couldn't go back down the pit as he couldn't bend, so worked as a gateman for the National Coal Board for the rest of his life.

Hi Fionn
I am presently tracing my family history, I am emailing for myself but also for another Calladine who is also tracing their line of the family.

I have to say you website is excellent and something to be proud of. From my earliest ggggg greatgrand father the male members have all been miners at sometime in and around Heanor and Nottingham. I was thrilled to see the Les Calladine diaries, however I have no idea if he is connected in anyway.

My other Calladine historian informed me that he believed one of his relatives was the Calladine who, whilst mining, created a small hole with his pick in a Nottinghamshire mine, and found out that the River Trent lay behind it causing a small leak. This was sealed with concrete and was known as Calladines Hole. He mentions a cartoon in the 1970's, during the miners strike, of this ugly flat concrete wall, with an inscription written by a finger saying "Calladine's hole lies behind this plug"

It would be fantastic if we could trace this myth and give it some substance, and wondered during your research if you had come across such a story.

I will check out the other websites you have given, many thanks for the information you have written.

Best regards
Garry Calladine.

From: David Walters

Just a short note to Gary Calladine - That an Albert Calladine was killed in the Bentley [ Doncaster] Explosion of firedamp caused by gobfire or safety lamp. 45 were killed. He was one of the last to die - my maternal Grandmother was Ethel Calladine - therefore Albert was my great uncle. The name seems to centre around Ilkeston area so I assume they moved from there to Doncaster.

Regards and Best Wishes

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