1979 - Page 3

Bestwood Park

Unfortunately the Bestwood Park surrounding the old Bestwood Colliery (South Nottinghamshire) was becoming a “tipping ground”, as fly tipping was becoming a menace and spoiling the environment. The old engine house and headstock was preserved as a Grade II listed building as it had an unusual vertical piston winding engine.

Bilsthorpe Winder

At Bilsthorpe (North Nottinghamshire), to minimise the closure of the shaft whilst changing over from steam to electric winding at No1 shaft, a 300 tonnes capacity ‘Ringer’ crane was hired. Normally the drums are broken down into smaller pieces for withdrawal and installation. The old drum weighed 90 tonnes and the new drum 131 tonnes. Markhams of Chesterfield were the contractors and they removed the engine house roof in order to carry out the job, which was completed in 6 days. The pit was closed for a fortnight in order to re-install everything.

Australian Coal

Ray Chadburn President of Nottinghamshire Miners’ NUM described British Steel Corporation’s plans to import Australian coal for coking as deplorable when they insisted that it was far superior to British coal.

Compensation Payments

Current compensation payments for accidents at 1979: Paraplegia £30,000

• loss of an eye £6,000
• leg amputation above the knee £16,000
• leg amputation below the knee £10,000
• loss of an arm £12,000
• loss of a hand £9,000
• loss of a thumb £2,500
• loss of index finger £2,000
• loss of little finger £1,000.

Langwith Shaft Water

A camera was lowered down Langwith shaft (North Derbyshire) and showed that water was issuing from the High Hazles inset. The film was shown at a meeting for Surveyors, so that we could appreciate water problems.

Restored Tips Handed Back To Farmers

Several pits were restoring the tip waste areas and returning it to farmland use. At Sherwood 11.5 acres was returned to Richard Parmentor who had given up land for tipping. At Silverhill 20 acres was returned to (Dicky) Richard Chambers for agricultural use by December. Top soiling and seeding of tips was being carried out at Bevercotes, Creswell, Harworth and Sutton collieries (North Nottinghamshire) in readiness for handing back to the farmer.

Appointment

Len Harris (7388) was appointed Deputy Director (Mining) South Midlands, previously Director of Production and Productivity, succeeding I Wilson, who retired Dec 1978.

Church Gresley Closed

Collieries closed in 1979: Church Gresley (South Derbyshire, South Midlands Area). The pit was sunk by Moira Colliery Co (Lord Donington) to the south east of Church Gresley village to the Little coal seam at 210 yards (192m).
Seams worked:

• Little
• Stockings
• Eureka
• Stanhope
• Main
• Woodfield
• Upper Kilburn seam -1979
• Block -1979.

Manpower NCB 1947, 840 u/g, 339 s/f.

Manpower: 1894: 240 Little and Main, 70 s/f

• 1900: No1: 214 Little and Main, No2: 486 Eureka and Stockings, 168 s/f
• 1905: 694 Little and Eureka, 183 s/f
• 1911: 789 L, E and Stanhope, 214 s/f
• 1915: 825 L, E and S 220 s/f
• 1920: 1,012 E, S, Main and Woodfield, 272 s/f
• 1925: 853 E, M and S , 240 s/f
• 1930: 753 E, M, W and Little Stockings, 213 s/f
• 1935: 572 E, M and W, 199 s/f
• 1940: 692 S, E, M, W and Kilburn, 261 s/f
• 1945: 854 Stockings and Woodfield, 320 s/f
• 1950: 749 S and W, 304 s/f
• 1955: 748 S and W, 226 s/f
• 1960: 699 Stockings, Woodfield, Main and Kilburn, 192 s/f
• 1965: 357 K and S, 110 s/f
• 1967: 398 K and S, 96 s/f.

Merged with Cadley Hill 1967/68-1969, then Church Gresley lost its identity, being part of Cadley Hill.
Agents:

• Reuben Smallman pre 1888-1893
• John Turner 1893-
• G Turner pre 1909-1912
• Philip Beaumont (838) 1912-1940
• John B Drinnan (2017) 1941-1945, (later Area General Manager South Derbyshire Area)
• William Unsworth (2391) 1945-46.

Sub-Area Managers / Group Managers / Production Managers:

• William Unsworth 1947-1952
• Jack EM Chapman (1734) West Sub-Area Manager) 1953-1958
• Jack Godley (4130) Group Manager 1958-1963
• Arthur Summers (4896) 1964-1966

Managers Church Gresley:

• Thomas Bourne (1875) pre 1888-1897
• Philip Beaumont (838) 1897-1914
• John Foster (3265) 1914-1915
• AE Bramley (3933) 1915-1928
• S Rogers (761) 1928-1935
• H Gregson (2091) 1935-1941
• EE Cleaver (3032) 1941
• Tom Wright (3048) 1941-1944 (transferred to Rawdon, later Woodside No1,2,3)
• H Bailey (331) 1944-1945
• Ernie W Bosworth (4012) 1945-1967 (promoted from Netherseal)
• Lionel Lees (7262) 1967 (transferred to South Leicester)
• J Chris Boyle (5733) for combine 1967-

Deputy Managers:

• Lol Collier (7222) 1967
• Peter Moulton (6364) 1967-1969.

Undermanagers Church Gresley:

• J Kirk (service cert 268) -1894
• Henry Brooks (service cert 971) 1894-
• No1 John Kirk Senior (702 / 2) -16
• No2 John Kirk Junior (2861 / 2) -1914
• Jas Hodgkins (2nd) No1 1916-1930
• George Cooper (2nd) No2 1916-1932
• F Nicholls (1929) No1 1930-1936
• E Tatton (2nd) 1936-38
• William C Statham (3468 / 2) 1938-1941
• Tom Wright (3048) –1941 (promoted to Manager)
• J Brown (3205) 1941-1942 (promoted to Manager Rawdon)
• EW Bosworth (5015 / 2) 1942-1943 (transferred to Netherseal)
• J Griffiths (5037 / 2) 1943-1944
• None in post
• HJ Betteridge (3162 / 2) 1947-1962: Sheratt G Joyce (4827) 1956-1958
• J Chris Boyle (5733) 1958-1965 (promoted to Agent Manager Cadley Hill)
• Peter Moulton (6364) 1966-1967 (promoted to Deputy Manager)
• Barry A Finch (8614) 1967
• TP Booth 1967-1968.

Surveyors:

• R Derek Taylor (3305) (from Merrylees).

Fatal Accidents Church Gresley:

• Charles Bloor (c30) struck a glancing blow to the head by a piece of falling coal at the face in 1920. He left a widow and 5 children
• to continue when information is found...

Mossbrook Abandoned

Mossbrook near Eckington, (North Derbyshire) Parkgate seam coal 2’ 2” (0.66m), dirt 9½” (0.24m), coal 1’ 8½” (0.52m), 2 adits, abandoned 26th Nov 1979, Manager: J Law, Surveyor: Alan Green (1127).