Wigan Album

I think that Joe Bolton worked in that loader cabin.

Hi Ged, I can't say i remember Joe Bolton.Did you work at Golborne?

Chris, I worked with Roy Evans for a while pipe fitting then was asked to work in Planned Maintenance Office, then in the Managers office When Bill Taylor was the Manager & Cliff Daniels Deputy Manager, That was from 1960 to 66,

Chris, I worked there from 1960 to66, spent a few months pipe fitting, then was asked to run the Planned Maintenance Office, then worked in the Managers Office when Bill Taylor was the manager & Cliff Daniels was deputy, Was Roy your dad?

Ha ha ha.Bentlegs on the message board asked me about Roy.We aren't related but I used to call him Uncle Roy for a laugh.Good fella Roy, I always got on well with him.I only started at Golborne as an apprentice surveyor in 1972 and was there till 1986.I knew both those managers though as they became higher management later on.These photos were all taken about 69/70 just before I started.They were taken by the Coal Board photographer and our boss in the surveyors at the time, Bill Magrath,kept a set in the office.When the office closed in !986 and moved to Bickershaw I took them home,as they would only have ended up on the tip.

If you have anymore photo's upload them them as these type of photos are the history of coal mining through out the coal fields not just Golborne, that can never be taken again

Chris, i knew Bil Mcgrath very well, There was a fitter GerrySouthworth , any relation?.

Chris, Was Ethel on the switchboard when you were there, she could cuss as good as any man,i remember Harold Edwards used to get her going for a laugh.

Hi Ged,Gerry Southworth was my uncle.He went to Sutton Manor.He died a good few years ago.I remember Ethel,she used to dress like a man.We had our suspicions!She usedto be a pit brow lass along with Gertie Garnett.She was the manager's office cleaner and married to Austin Garnett, who was Fire Officer at Golborne.I remember Harold Edwards too.

This photo is the central loading point. Joe Bolton may have worked this loader on night shift but Joe Rogers worked it on noon shift he also worked the Florida Loading Point Ive put a few thousand empties behind this loader in my time

I remember Ethal, les hart,Chris Robinson, Mr. Brown, under manager, Mr. Onions, deputy manager, and Indian trainee Malcom Bassan.

It’s great reading through all the mining posts on Wigan world to do with Golborne Colliery and Sutton Manor Colliery as I worked at them both. I started as an apprentice fitter at Old Boston and was assigned to Golborne Colliery in 1974. I started with Russ Noonan and Ste Hurst. I used to work as an apprentice with the older fitters such as John Dardiss, Colin Bibby, I remember Keith Palfrey (deputy mech eng) I remember we used to pick Brian Rawthsthorn up on the coach in a morning. I left Golborne Colliery just before the explosion and transferred to Sutton Manor, since I lived in Orrell, I was mid point to both Collieries so the travel was no different. I left Sutton Manor just as the pit closure was announced and went to work in the Area of Machinery Condition Monitoring for a group of ex Mining Mechanical and Electrical Engineers who set up a CM company called Monition who were based in Bolsover nr Chesterfield, and where did I end up? doing CM at Parsonage and Bickershaw collieries. I am still involved in CM, some 25 years later and will never forget my days in the mining industry, nor will I ever forget the people who made it such a great experience, do I ever regret working in the Mining Industry? Not one little bit... Keep up the chats people... I love reminiscing about those difficult but memorable days.

I remember walking past there regularly to inspect the conveyor, a Sutcliffe drive if my memory is correct. It ran almost all the time I was there with no problems. After they drove the tunnel for the bunker it all got complicated. I worked in the new working until the explosion, luckily I did not work that weekend. It was shocking finding the devastation to the who system of tunnels, If I had not seen it I don't think I'd believe that some had survived maybe not for long, a terrible day. I had a accident shortly afterwards and left that December, however I have some good memories of those days.