It’s always a pleasure to return to local history, and we are particularly blessed in this area in the realm of toponymy, or placenames; see the villages of Elsecar, Hemingfield, and the inimitable Jump.
Continue readingJump
Leaping to Jump’s defence
–Are you going to Jump?
Jump, near Barnsley, in South Yorkshire is certainly an eye-catching name on a sign, and somewhat arresting when said out loud.
But locals have heard it all before…
“…you have a slight touch of onomaphobia as regards the name of our village. The name, tout court, certainly does impinge rather directly on the attention, showing that it has the “punch” or “pep” so beloved of our transatlantic cousins. By the way, the name of Jump would make the fortune of a striving burgh out West.”
Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, 4th April 1925, p.4
Wild West or not, in times gone by it has often been the subject of comment and even scandal:
“Jump was noted as the sport of the Press, and any sensational story was tacked onto it. Society at large thought of it with derision, and speculators gave it a wide berth.”
Barnsley Chronicle, 2nd March 1901, p.7
But where does the name come from?
Continue readingAutumn falls; rising hope
On Saturday 17th October 2020, The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery squeezed another socially-distanced and Covid-safe session for a small number of volunteers. Working outdoors in the fresh air it was a busy day, even if it might have been the last in 2020.
Continue readingOn this day, 22nd December 1852
1852 – Disaster strikes at Low Elsecar Colliery
At 1.30 pm on 22nd December 1852 an explosion underground at Hemingfield Colliery (also known as Low Elsecar Colliery) claimed 10 lives and injured a further 12 miners.
Elsecar by the Sea – join us for a weekend packed full of activities
Many Happy Returns! – Come and join us on our first birthday on Saturday 27th June
The sun always shines in Hemingfield
Saturday 27th June 2015 is a very special date – the first birthday of the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery.
To mark the day we will be opening the site as a Open Day, enabling visitors to learn more about our work and future plans for the site. The site will be open from 10am until 5pm, so come and see us at any time during the day.
- Visit the pit yard, with its two shafts down to the Barnsley seam, and see the 1840s winding engine house.
- Meet the Friends who helped to save the site and are working hard to secure its future.
- Join our current volunteers and supporters in celebrating what we have learned so far, and reflecting on what the future has to hold.
Please share your memories, photographs and any questions with us.
On the day you’ll find a diverse range of experienced specialists and people passionate about the site, its history, machinery, working life and its people.
[Live Project] Day 32, Illuminating the headgear!
Yesterday evening was certainly a bit different!
A large part of this project has been about increasing the awareness of this site within the local community, encouraging people to engage in the rich history as well as future potential of this site.
Last night we took a step in that direction by illuminating the iconic headgear on the site, tying in with Halloween events going on up and down the valley.
We hope you got a chance to see this spectacle in person, but if not then these photos certainly do it justice.
View of the headgear from on site.
View of the headgear from Wath Road/B6097
View of the headgear from the Trans Pennine Trail, it really stood out on the hillside!
We hope that this will not be a one off event, and would love for this to become a usual sight against the nights sky over Hemingfield. This will only be possible with the sustainable redevelopment of this site…
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Friends of Hemingfield Colliery 