Hi there,

I am hoping you can help me, I am writing from Lion Television and I am looking for families to take part in a programme (explanation below). I am particularly interested in the miners holiday centres and wondered if any of the old ones are still holiday camps today. I was hoping you might be able to put something on your website for a little while incase anyone is interested or if you have an email distribution list, it would be great if you would be able to send it round for me. I have attached information in a poster form and also put a longer explanation below. If you can help it would be much appreciated – all my contact details are at the footer of the email.

Lion Television is currently making a programme – a ‘feel good’ nostalgic travel and family show.

We would like to speak to families who have repeatedly visited a specific UK holiday destination together - where family members all have strong personal memories of the holiday. We are looking for families, whose members have since all grown up and moved on.

We will take a family back to their nostalgic UK family holiday destination of the past and re-live it. The holiday destination will be seen through the eyes of the family - a chance to do what we all like to do - “do you remember when…! ” - a chance to see how the destination has changed, and a chance to re-live experiences of the past with the eyes of the present.

If you and your family would like to know more, you can get in touch on 0208 846 2129 – or email us stories about past holidays and what you are all up to now on holidays@liontv.co.uk – let us know if you have any photos or film of previous holidays.

Lion Television is a successful production company with international offices, it is responsible for a stream of successful documentary and factual entertainment programmes from Days that Shook the World to Homes Under the Hammer.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Sam

26 Paddenswick Road , London, W2 0UB

Hi
Having recently walked around Brierley Forest park (once Sutton Colliery) I was reminded that its nickname was “The bread and herring.” (My Dad worked there for many years so I had heard the phrase before) There is an enigmatic engraving in the park about “getting the tail and not the head” and I have found out that a “bread and herring pit” was one with poor working conditions but can’t find out the origin of the phrase. I wondered if you knew anything about this?

Thank you
Elaine Horton

Hi there, my name is Lorraine and I am writing a book.

I wondered if you could help me, first let me explain I am gifted, not mad or making it up, I really do have a gift.

Recently I went into the Brickmakers Arm public house on the Brownhills Rd, Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands. I was with a friend who I also gifted. The last few times we have been in there has been a feeling of devastation. He now tells me that this was where the families had waited to see if there loved one's survived a pit accident. I have search everywhere and all I can find is this,

BROWNHILLS. Brownhills, Staffordshire. 9th. January, 1861.

I am getting a little frustrated and wish all sites were as good as yours. Can you point me in the right direction please. Anything at all that can tell me just the least little bit about this accident.

I wish to go and talk to the landlady also but I can not do this until I have some written proof for her.

Yours hopefully,
Lorraine Ash

Extract from Talke Explosion 1866

 

During all this time the scene at the pit bank was the most harrowing description. Around the head of the shaft stood a dense crowd of colliers and others looking sadly and silently on the terrible revelations of the catastrophe.  At the edge of the bank were men and women anxiously inquiring for sons, brothers or husbands, whose corpses would presently pass them on the way to the Inn. And in here a still more heart-rending tragedy was being enacted.  Their friends and relatives in their grief were identifying dead bodies.  All through the dull afternoon, the dark evening, the cold and bitter night, these things were going on, and when the next morning

arrived 58 bodies were decently laid out at the Inn, ready to be placed in their coffins.

 

John Lumsdon

---

Wed 15/11/2006

Hi Fionn,
I have looked around and can't find any explosion at Brownhills Jan 9th 1860.
I have attached a copy from the Brownhills history web site of one on 1st Oct 1930. Maybe this could be of some help, she may be able to look up some local newspapers.

John.

 

Hi
I don’t know if you or your associates have any information, but here goes!!

I have recently moved into a house called Prospect House at Denby. It has probably been named this recently, but I think it is in the boundaries of the old Denby/Kilburn collieries. I would really like to find any information about the past of this house. I have been told that it was the managers/owners house but I don’t know if that is correct.

Please contact me with any information.

Thanks.
T Jones

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