Grey cloud and autumn mist lingered over the Knoll Beck in the valley to Elsecar as the Friends and volunteers arrived at Hemingfield Colliery for another open day.
Preparation was the name of the game this weekend for the last working party before the Friends hand their 1846 winding engine house over to the care of building contractors who will be re-roofing the whole building, ensuring it will be protected well into the twenty-first century.
Late September Sunset at Hemingfield (Photo credit: Glen Sheppard)
October is here already, believe it or not. Summer nostalgia lingered on, a little, as the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery returned to the site, hoping to crack on with one more working party weekend before the impending gloom of autumn and creeping frosty airs of winter. In the event, the sun shone down on the pit, birdsong filled the air and the conversation flowed, as the Friends and regular volunteers arrived ready for another busy day.
There was excitement in the air, alongside the welcome warmth of the September sunshine, as the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery and their regular volunteers gathered on site to kick start another busy day’s work and open the gates to visitors.
Friends Chair Steve, and Directors Glen, Ian, and Christine were all on site during the day to share the latest news on developments on site and some exciting plans for the coming year.
Earlier in the week the Friends were able to announce the fantastic news that thanks to the tremendous support of the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership, The Association for Industrial Archaeology, and Subterranea Britannica, the group had been able to secure funds to completely reconstruct the roof of the 1846 winding engine house.
View of the 1846 winding engine house
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.
Elsecar Reservoir needed topping up for its big weekend, it seemed. As Elsecar geared up for a memorable couple of days celebrating Elsecar by the Sea, so the Rain Gods deemed it expedient to bestow their bounteous blessings upon the village. It was a wet one!
Elsecar by the Sea was a fun name for the daytripping delights of the park and its reservoir which had originally been built to supply the Dearne and Dove Canal. Around 1910, the Sheffield Independent and other newspapers ran several stories referring to the wonders of Elsecar Park, with its ‘beach’ and the fun and frolics of the free bathing opportunities close at hand, just a short journey by rail from the busy smoky city. Forget Blackpool, stick to Barnsley borough and enjoy Elsecar.
Some young holidaymakers at Elsecar by the Sea in this turn of the twentieth century postcard (Private collection)
We’re all looking forward to a fun weekend with an Open Day and Working Party on Saturday at Hemingfield, and a great array of events and activities going on around Elsecar for #Elsecarbythesea
All around Hemingfield, 1911
Saturday was another wet one; a disappointing summer’s day at Hemingfield, and unfortunately the working party and open day were called off. The Friends and volunteers staying indoors to return again on a drier day.
Undeterred, everyone turns their time to good account: the Directors continue their planning work to ensure the future of the site. Meanwhile our active volunteers dive back into their own pursuits inspired by the site. Whether it be investigating the social and economic history; modelling the geological context of Hemingfield; studying the wildlife on site, or seeking inspiration from the variety of flora and fauna to create new artwork, providing new perspectives on the colliery.
In future posts we will start to share the fruits of all of this time and effort. For now, this post will bring together a few odds and ends from some recent delvings into the past, some mining miscellanea.
Unaccustomed as we are to sunshine and summer days, the Friends and volunteers were delighted to renew acquaintances and bask in the glory of another beautiful day down at Hemingfield.
Friends Director and Site Manager Glen was on site early, joined by regular volunteers Chris, John, and Keith who rolled out the barrows and rubbed on the sun lotion for a hot day’s work at Hemingfield, continuing to remove the overburden and demolition debris of the old boundary wall, as well as revealing the odd find here and there.
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:
For more details and information, see:
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.
Friends of Hemingfield Colliery 