South Yorkshire
Working Party Weekend, 8th-9th August 2015
Summertime in South Yorkshire
Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day in Hemingfield, and the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery were delighted to welcome a group of extra volunteers on site to get stuck in to tidying things up, but also continuing the gentle archaeology of the site – peeling back the top layer of soil and roots to reveal some of the former colliery’s features beneath.
Working Party Weekend 25th-26th July
Digging deeper
The Friends assembled for another working party weekend, bringing tools, talent and talk of recent research, together with a hint of excitement at the prospect of uncovering more features of the industrial archaeology of the site. Site Manager Glen, and Chair of the Friends Steve opened the gates to welcome volunteers Alan, John, Keith and Phil to the pit for what would be a fascinating day.
Working Party Weekend – 11th-12th July 2015
Summertime had certainly arrived in Hemingfield, with the village Gala taking place at the Ellis Church of England Primary School, over the canal, across the valley from the colliery at the top of Tingle Bridge Lane. Friends Director and Site Manager Glen opened the pit gates and put out the signing-in sheets ready for what would be a bright and busy, somewhat muggy, but memorable day.
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!
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.
Working Party Weekend – 14th June 2015
The start of Summer can only mean one thing – torrential downpours. Perhaps predictably Saturday was something of a washout. On Sunday, however, the Friends and Volunteers gathered early once more. Site manager Glen welcomed John, Nigel and Amanda, and Chris. Phil and Frank joined the troops later during the day.
Preserving the past, securing the future – thanks to the NMRS
At the beginning of January 2015, The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery were delighted to be joined on site by contractors who completed the installation of 4 roller shutters and a security door.
Over the course of two days, the site’s historic buildings had their security enhanced with metal security shutters and doors. These installations were made possible through the generous support of the Northern Mine Research Society (NMRS), via their Project Grants scheme.
The Friends of Hemingfield Colliery offer their sincere thanks and gratitude to NMRS for this assistance which marks a great start to the new year for Hemingfield.
NMRS is dedicated to the preservation and recording of mining history. Through its Project Grants scheme the society seeks to advance the education of the public in, and encourage the study of, all historical and technical aspects of mining and associated subjects.
Securing the standing structures and controlling access to the site is crucial to ensuring the long-term preservation of the buildings. By helping to safeguard the unique features of this rare survival, NMRS are directly supporting the Friends of Hemingfield Colliery build a firm future for the whole site and the stories it holds.
Read all about it! Share our history and keep up-to-date with our newsletter
Things have been very busy since taking possession of the colliery site. The Friends have been delighted by the response from visitors, volunteers, partners, and the wider community. We’ve also heard from a range of people near and far interested in our work and discoveries so far.
Hemingfield Colliery winding pit headgear
In order to document our progress, share the history of the site, and keep everyone up-to-date with the latest developments, we are aiming to create a regular newsletter to be circulated electronically.
So, now we need your help! We are looking for any interesting stories or photographs of Hemingfield Colliery and its surroundings to be included in the newsletter. We welcome any stories or memories for consideration. The aims are to spread the word about the range of our activities, learn more about the past of the site, and keep everyone posted about the programme of events and future opportunities to get involved.
To contribute to this new newsletter, or simply register your interest in receiving the updates, please contact us using the form below, or directly by email to hemingfield.colliery@gmail.com
Friends of Hemingfield Colliery 