Great News!
The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery (FOHC) are delighted to announce that we have received commitments of the funds needed to reconstruct the roof of the historically important 1846 Vertical Winding Engine House.
Events
Work day at Barnsley Main and new Friends group
Great to see volunteers getting stuck in at the Barnsley Main Colliery site in the Dearne Valley Park at Barnsley on Friday 5th August. Some familiar scenes to the Friends of Hemingfield colliery as the group got to grips with clearing back the old car park to the pit.
Fantastic teamwork from the Barnsley Central Area Team, Twiggs, Barnsley Parks Services, Barnsley Tesco Extra and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
http://discoverdearne.org.uk/barnsley-main-work-day/
Making new Friends
Also, it’s great to see that the DVLP and local partners the Barnsley Central Area Team are proposing to help establish a new Friends Group to protect and maintain the Barnsley Main site.
An inaugural meeting supported by the DVLP and the Barnsley Central Area Team will take place on Tuesday 9th August 2016 at Hoyle Mill Inn, from 6-8pm.
The outline aims of the meeting include:
- Formation of part of the Friends of Barnsley Main committee
- Organising events
- Litter picking
- Raising awareness
- Encouraging regular use of the site for walks with family and friends
For more details and information, see:
Milton Gala, Hoyland, Sunday 31st July 2016
The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery joined in the fun at the forge playing fields as the Mates of Milton hosted a wonderful afternoon of stalls, activities and attractions at the 6th annual Hoyland Milton Gala.
2nd Anniversary Open Day and celebration
Happy Birthday to us!
Saturday 25th June marked the 2nd Birthday of the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery – that is two full, colourful, fun, eventful and challenging years since the Friends first took over the pit, and started the long and steady process of salvaging, clearing, conserving and researching the history of Hemingfield Colliery, from its earliest days in the 1840s, through the end of coal winding in May 1920, and into its life as a pumping station. Surviving Nationalisation in 1947 and Privatisation in 1994, its two shafts, winding engine house and Cornish engine house overlooking a purpose-built canal basin are a unique survival. And in celebrating all that’s been achieved so far, the Friends, volunteers and supporters are looking forward to the year ahead to make further progress and continue the mission of saving the site, and sharing its stories with the local community.
Happy Anniversary! (& many more happy returns)
Open Day and Working Party, Saturday 23rd January 2016
THE FIRST WORKING PARTY OF THE NEW YEAR!
A grey, but mild, Saturday morning saw Friends Chair Steve catch the attention of an inquisitive, passing dog walker, as he opened up the heavy steel gates to the Hemingfield Colliery site in readiness for another productive working day. Steve duly treated the gentleman and his four-legged friend to an impromptu tour of the site and an explanation of the archaeological and reclamation work underway.
The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery warmly welcome visitors and are always happy to showcase and explain their work to interested guests and to share their exciting plans and aspirations for the future of the site.
Elsecar by the Sea 2015
This weekend the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery were delighted to attend this year’s Elsecar by the Sea activities – a weekend to celebrate all things Elsecar.
Elsecar by the Sea – join us for a weekend packed full of activities
150th Anniversary of the Oaks Colliery Disaster
Oaks Colliery Disaster 1866-2016
Thanks go to the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership the following logo is available to users free for non-commercial use in materials relating to the disaster.
December 2016 will mark 150 years since the Oaks Disaster in which over 360 miners died.
Open Day – Our 1st Anniversary!
A Summer Celebration
On a gloriously sunny day, the Friends arrived on site early, eager to set-up and get ready for the first anniversary open day event – a chance for the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery to celebrate one year of progress since taking possession of the site on 27th June 2014. What a year it has been!
Friends of Hemingfield Colliery 