My name is Gordon Fairlie and I am the son of the late Wally Fairlie as he was known around the Ilkeston Mines Rescue Station.

I have just been looking through the web site and reading comments from people I remember and know well.

My dad passed away when I was only 16 years old, but my mother still lived in the family home in Manners Road which was originally a coal board house just up from the station.

My mother Margaret sadly passed away in May 2016 but the family home still goes on as my wife carol and myself have now brought the house.

Back in the family home is brill, just wish the station was still up and running as I remember growing up around the park with all the station members and their families, we had some good times.

After looking through the photos on your site I noticed the Scammel which I remember well has myself in the photo with Noel Webster and Tom Carson.

Good to see the good old days.

Kind regards

22 Sep 2016

Hi Fionn

Just been having a look into back ground information from years ago with regards to my late mum and dad’s house on Manners Road, once belonging to the mines rescue.

People told me there was a room under the house so I had to see for myself.

I remember an old gallery from the old volley ball courts, so I had a dig around to find a concrete structure and brick work, with this I set about it with a hammer, to my surprise I have found a huge room, the old training shelter underground, built of great structure.

Would you have any information regarding this?

Also I have found the hose box from the original 1926 /1940's fire engine, the red box pictured on the one on your site.

Any information you may have I would be very grateful.

Charles Snarski knows I have found it, but he hasn’t seen it yet 

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

My late husband George Elkin served at Chesterfield and Ilkeston Rescue stations in the 70s and 80s.

I have some happy memories of family life on the Rescue Station. During the summer we had sports day on the tennis courts followed by a dance in the evening, and the Coal Board used to supply a bus for us to take the children on daytrips. One of these, that I can remember in particular, was a visit to West Midlands Safari Park.

Pete Searson was one of the 3rd officers and we met Pete and his wife Dorothy firstly at Chesterfield then at Ilkeston. Another, Wally Fairlie, the assistant superintendent, a wonderful man who sadly died about 1984.

Rescue men on the Ilkeston Station I can remember were Dougie Widdowson, Cliff and Paul Bullivant, Charles Snarski, Ken Musgrove, Frank Morley, Ian Grady, Peter Fowkes, Dave Foreman, Mick Donnelly, and many other.

I do have some photographs and I will sort them out and maybe you could use them on your excellent site,

Regards Chris Elkin

Hi,

I stumbled across your website when looking for something else.

I used to be a friend of Peter Healey, who lived in the end house at Rescue Station. We met at Chaucer School, but lost touch when we went to different secondary schools, I went to Grammar, and I think Pete went to Bennerley.

I remember the concrete tunnels at the back of the station, used for training, and a great playground.

Last time I visited the Rescue Station, it had become a nursing home and my aunt was there. Sad to see the Miners Welfare had also been demolished. I used to go to St Johns Ambulance Cadets there.

What happened to Pete?

Kind regards

Phil Baker
Brisbane, Australia

Dear Sir

I would be very interested to find out more about the station as my dad was Ken Musgrove. I have very fond memories of the station as we lived on Drummond Road in Ilkeston.

Unfortunately I do not have too many pictures of my late farther during these times, or during his mining career.

I would be more than happy to help in anyway with other pictures and information, I look forward to your reply.

With Kind regards

Damon Musgrove
Service Manager
Refugee Services and International Tracing and Messaging

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Hello, my name was Valerie Duffield, Joe Duffields daughter. I have been going through all this history of Mines Rescue tears streaming down my face, what a wonderful legacy you have my dad would have been so proud to have seen all this.

I was born at 13, Manners Ave, on June 23rd 1942 so all my life I was brought up with Les Havill, Mr.Sheffield, Mr. Callidine I took my mam and dad to see Edna and Les Havill a couple of times at Calverton cause of all it was, all reminisce and very interesting. My husband Brian would sit for hours listening to my dads tales of the Mines Rescue.

I can't thank you enough this has given me so much pleasure.

Valerie Smedley (nee Duffield)