As a young man in my teens I was looking for a job and my cousin worked at Babbington Pit.  He told me they were taking people on to train up as there was a shortage of miners.

From memory that would have been in 1959 when I was 16 years of age. Do you have any information about the training classes they did at Hucknall?

After being trained in a class room at Hucknall I was teamed up with a Babbington / Cinderhill collier from Kimberley.  He kept an eye on me so I could get used to what it was like to work underground.

What we did was check the water lines and get me used to mining conditions.  I witnessed colliers riding the belts (And rode them myself) getting on the belt to get to the pit bottom when the shift had finished. This action was not encouraged and you could get into trouble, riding with the coal, also there was a training gallery at Gedling.  It was only a small roadway behind a door (Not Underground).  To the rear of this imitation gallery was another short roadway.  During a class room training session at Hucknall they asked for two strong volunteers to help make a movie.  Me and another went (Never Volunteer lol ) we were not part of the filming we were the two that dragged the coal off the belt that had dropped into a large wooden box. What they wanted us to do was drag the box, with the coal, in round the back of the gallery and put it back on the belt so the folk making the film could show coal coming off the end of belt, after a prop had been set.

We never did make it onto the Big Screen lol

My Northumberland father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather were Miners in and around the Blyth area of Northumberland. 

My brother Sam worked at Clifton Pit and I worked at Babbington in Nottingham.

Thank you for your anticipated understanding and help with regard to the "Training Classes"

Regards

Grenville Green

I now live in Nuthall straight across the road from where the Babbington pit was.  No sign of it at all now.

I've been a member of The Pye Hill male voice choir, since the early 70's. Many of the choristers were miners, working at the many collieries in the district (sadly all but gone). At that time, l work at the Hucknall Colliery, after finishing my basic training at Moorgreen ('under the eye' of the overman, Jack Street).

I completed my CPS face training at Hucknall Colliery, on the K11's district; working with the 'Rippers' on the MG. l remember all their faces and the comrade' that existed between us all. Astonishingly, in all the ten years working there, before the pit was closed, l never did know their real names. We all had 'nick names'. The rippers leading hand, l only knew as "Rock On" because of his handsome resemblance to 'Elvis'. His mate, we called 'Plug' because of his habit of 'chewing baca' (as a smoker, habit l never took too, although l did like the odd pinch of snuff, especially the white sort...."puff snuff' as it was known, because of its scented aroma).

Anyway, the point of this email is, as a chorister, l made up songs of the Rippers on K11's MG. and have been able to record them onto a CD. If any of them are still 'out there' and would like a copy, l would be pleased to send them a copy. All they need to do is send me their email address. and have a chat too, if they wish. It would be great to know what they're 'doing these days'. Anyone else out there, who's interested, can email me, Click the email image or type it into your email client.

Yours, Colin Dutton (K11's singing ripper)

Sent from my iPad

Hi Fionn,

I grew up on Shortwood Avenue very near to Hucknalls No1 colliery and as a child I played on the field near to the pit.

During the school holidays I can remember the mines rescue teams coming and bringing the large emergency winder from out of its garage just outside the pit yard.

My father was the last president of the NACOD's union at Hucknalls No2 pit and trained at No1. I am trying to put together some pictures for him and wondered if you had any of the old winder in and around its garage at No1 pit.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Wayne Clifton

Sent from Samsung Mobile

--< See Email Also In Winder And Vehicle Section >--

Hello there Fionn

My name is Barrie Lewis I am an ex miner of Linby Colliery, may I first congratulate you on your website. I am currently involved in trying to raise funds for a mining memorial in honour of, not just my own father, but countless others who died in our local pits.  My father, Lawrence Lewis, is the last one listed in Hucknall  No1s list so well put together by Alan Beale  your website will prove invaluable to us and my efforts to obtain names has been a monumental task and the information collected by Alan is immense and just about the best that there is.

Well done to all involved

 Kind Regards Barrie Lewis