The Friends had a busy few weeks in March 2026, both on and off site. Looking forwards and also looking back – 100 years ago in March.

On 10th March, FoHC volunteers visited the Sheffield School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, to see how the RIBA part I students were progressing on their project work involving group and individual design work about future development and design needs at Hemingfield.

The students’ tutors introduced their work and guided the volunteers around the studio session on the top floors of the Arts Tower.

Using digital design and modelling tools, 3D printing as well as sketching and model making skills the talented group of students had already completed a scale model of the winding engine house, providing a sectional view of its construction and considering the materials and construction of the heritage building.

They had also undertaken landscape assessment as part of understanding the site and its wider context, in order to inform the development options in their brief.

The Friends were surprised and delighted by the attention to detail and skilled modelling as well as design flair from the students as they continue to work on their individual design work. They were also truly impressed with the care and thought that the whole group had put into a textile banner celebrating the heritage of the site and the wider local area of Elsecar and Wentworth.

On the air

On 12th March, the Friends were pleased to join our friends at Elsecar Heritage Centre to participate in the live radio broadcast of BBC Radio Sheffield who were spending the day at Elsecar and broadcasting on the work of Barnsley Museums, volunteers, and local people.

Friends of Hemingfield Colliery volunteer Chris represented the group in a short segment talking to BBC Radio Sheffield’s Paulette Edwards about the fabulous heritage all around Elsecar, and the work of the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery.

Remembering James Penty

March 2026 marks 100 years since the death of James Penty (1885-1926) at Hemingfield. James’s father John Penty (1845-1928), and his uncle James (1841-1907) both worked at Hemingfield when it ran as a colliery. Read more about the Penty family here.

James, from Tingle Bridge, had worked at the pit as a boy, and transferred to work for the the South Yorkshire Pumping Association after 1920 when it became an electrified pumping station.

On 10th March 1926, just after 5 a.m. when the old timber headgear and winding engine were still in use, James, then aged 40, went to do his usual early morning check on the electric pumping equipment. Stepping into the cage to descend the shaft, he waited for the engineman Samuel Hunter to lower him down. After dropping 35 yards from the surface, the engine suddenly stopped; the winding rope had snapped.

The cage with James in it dropped down the remaining 120 yards of the shaft, to his tragic death. An inquest was held to investigate the causes and the state of the wire winding rope was questioned. Indeed on 23rd March 1926, the sad event came up in a debate in the House of Commons as George Hirst, the local MP for  the Wentworth constituency, raised a question with the Minister responsible for for mines:

Mr. G. HIRST asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has read the report of the inquest on the body of a workman named James Penty, who lost his life on 10th March owing to the breaking of a winding-rope at the Old Hemingfield Colliery, Elsecar; whether he has noticed that one of the witnesses refused to state how long the rope had been in use; whether the Coal Mines Act of 1911, Section 40 (5) and Section 66 (a), have been carried out; whether he will institute an inquiry into the cause of the breakage of the rope; and, in the event of the provisions of the Act not being complied with, does he intend to prosecute those responsible?

Colonel LANE FOX: This accident occurred at a pumping shaft belonging to the South Yorkshire Pumping Association. It has been fully investigated, and, according to my information, the winding rope which broke had been in use for more than three and a half years and had not been recapped within the six months previous to the accident. It is said to have been examined daily, but the result of the examination was not, always recorded. The coroner directed the jury that the Coal Mines Act does not apply to this pumping station, and I am considering what action I can take.

Mr. HIRST: Is the Right Hon. Gentleman aware that the winding rope in this colliery was put in eight years ago; that it has never been changed since; that one man or more men go down that pit every day; that there was a new rope brought in two years ago: that the men have invariably asked for the new rope to be put on, but the manager has told them that the other rope was good enough; and is he also aware that the feeling among the men in this district is that this man’s life has been absolutely thrown away by bad management?

Colonel LANE FOX: The Hon. Gentleman will see that there is a question of doubt as to whether this comes under the Coal Mines Act, and what our powers are in the matter, but I am looking into it.

Hansard, HC Deb 23 March 1926 vol.193 cc1019-20

From further correspondence between the chairman of the South Yorkshire Pumping Association, Arthur T. Thomson and Consulting mining engineer Harry Rhodes, we learn a little more about the aftermath.

Rhodes had corresponded with the Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines, Frederick Horton Wynne, who informed Rhodes that the Mines Department had no intention of instituting proceedings, but then Rhodes gave context to the future of the pumping station manager, Mr Asher Hollings who had previously been the colliery manager under Earl Fitzwilliam.

“The manager therefore at most was only guilty of an error of judgement – he thought the ropes were good enough or he would have changed them before but delayed doing so in the interests of economy.

This is however by the way and following our telephonic conversation I accordingly saw Mr. Hollings yesterday. I told him that the management committee would apart entirely from the recent accident, decide to dispose with his services on economic grounds and that under the circumstances I thought it only fair to give him an opportunity of handing in his resignation.

Harry Rhodes letter to Arthur T. Thomson, 11th April 1926 (Rhodes copy letterbook, pp.441-442, courtesy Private Collection)

The pumping stations were more closely monitored after 1926.

Remembrance

The Friends commemorated this sad accident in March, gathering at the main winding shaft, now with the 1939 concrete headgear, in a moment of reflection and remembrance of James. We also visited Hemingfield and Jump Cemetery to pay our respects to James at his graveside.