Golborne colliery

Can anyone tell me how it got Kidglove as a name please?

Because it was in Kidglove Road.

I think Kidglove Road got it's name from the pit.When I worked there I asked the same question, I was told that a glove was found when they started sinking the shafts. Somebody must have a better answer.

Hi again Tuddy,
Golborne got the nickname "Kidglove Colliery" because of the excellent quality of the coal it produced at one time.It was said you could handle it with soft skin gloves on.

Thanks Chris, I thought that glove in the shaft story sounded a bit ify.

Very interesting, chris. I had wondered if it was so-called because conditions were perhaps not as harsh as in nearby pits, and it was felt that the miners in that particular pit had life a bit "cushy", but I was only guessing at that.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Chris can you tell me what seams were mined there by any chance? Was it linked to Bickershaw underground or Parsonage?

Irene can you tell me about the collapsed shaft at Viadocks Ince. I believe you are an authority on the tragedy having made a great study of the site.

Only that there's someone I would willingly shove down the hole if it were still there, after I was abandoned whilst the "gentleman" dashed off to look at more interesting things than me, eg old capped-off pit-shafts, old railway lines etc!

Golborne collery got it's name through the dignatary who was officially opening the mine,he dropped his glove down the shaft,it then got it's nick name as kid glove pit.

that sounds plausible Bry. Thanks

Flaggy delf the coal seams that where worked Plodder,Florida,Crombrouke,Ince 6ft,earlier Trenchabone.Golborne joined to Bickershaw underground

Thanks to you all for all your help

is this the viaduct story you want Flaggy ?

viaduct

Dodger,can't seem to get the link to work. The story dates back to about 1880 I think when an arch built over an old shaft in Viaduct Row Ince collapsed and a chap in one of the houses built on the arch fell down the shaft

The link is not working now, but this has been discussed on here before.
man down hole

ppnw,you missed out a few seams.Here's the full list of seams worked at Golborne,starting at the deepest.
Arley,Plodder,Trencherbone,Wigan 4ft,Wigan 5ft,Lower Pigeon House,Lower Florida,Higher Florida,Ince 6ft and Crombouke.Golborne was connected to Bickershaw which in turn was connected to Parsonage and you could go down the pit in Golborne town centre and come up almost in Leigh town centre! Which I among many others, have done.

Did my coal face training at Kidglove,any one remember John Willy Fox?He was The shotfirer on the training face.

All fascinating info fellas. Thanks again

Parsonage, Bickershaw and Golborne where linked underground so you could (given permission) go down any and come up any

When I was at Parkside there were plans to link Golborne to Parkside,and wind Golborne's coal there.

Sorry Spud,that must have been canteen talk.No plans for that ever existed or were even considered.

It was a very long time ago Chris,it was talked about though,but that must have been as far as it got,it was at the time Wimpy were driving the tunnels,around 1961 in fact long before the 1st face opened,I should have said talked about,rather than Plan's,and I left in 1966.

Chris when did you finish? I once saw provisinial plans to link Golborne to Parkside due to faulting the tunnels driven from both collieries where only a short distance from each other but in the end the plan was abandoned.

ppnw,I was a surveyor at Golborne from 1972 till 1987 and I didn't hear of or see any schemes of that nature in those years.My boss for the first 10 years, Bill Magrath,who had been colliery surveyor of Golborne since the mid 1950's never mentioned anything.However in the early days of Parkside,they did a lot of exploration work towards the Golborne South Area, which Golborne itself was still only developing into.I do remember seeing that in a few places on the mine plans, proving headings from both pits were pretty close on plan but seperated by hundreds of feet in level.

Parkside wasn't extensively developed on the north side.

Read what I wrote again Tonker,carefully this time.I said 'exploration work'.

Yes. I've read it. Maybe they did do 'exploration work'.

But, and read what I say, carefully, and try to understand, ......... Parkside - wasn't - extensively - developed - on - the - north - side.

That's the side opposite to the south, where, in contrast to the north, extensive development did take place.

Got that?

who said Parkside was extensively developed on the North side?

Chris I worked at golborne from 1969-89.I did a short spell in the surveyors office early 70's with linesmen was shown some proposed plans for development of pit including changing over from advancing coal faces to retreating faces.Remember Bill Magrath Ian Gaskell Laurence McCrystal but am murder for remembering names but remember faces sorry I cannot place your Name but must have worked with you either in suveyors office or has a deputy

Bill was the boss,Ian the Deputy Colliery Surveyor.Early 70's,I would have been an apprentice surveyor,I qualified in 1976.Barry Shaw was the head linesman.Lawrence Mchrystal at that time,I think was with the methane borers.We went to St Helens Tech together on the OND course.He must have qualified as a mine manager but I never heard about him at a coal board pit.He was manager at the small licensed mine at Billinge,Castle Colliery.Who are you?Maybe I can remember.I had hair then,long hair!

Peter Partridge aka the duck

Aah, do you know 5 minutes after I'd sent that post I was out in the car and the penny dropped! It's in his username! How are you Peter? You surely must remember me by now? The other surveyor I used to work with mostly was Brian Livesley.Remember him? When I go to the Latics I sit with Stuart Grant,another ex Golborne surveyor and Gary Parkinson,(Carpet)

Chris, those names are a blast from the past, I remember all the Golborne surveyors and linesmen you mentioned, was'nt there also an apprentice called Joe?. I heard that Barry Shaw passed away a couple of years ago. I bumped into John Presscot a few months ago and I saw Peter Cunningham after the rugby final at wembley. I have'nt seen Carpet for about a year.

Do you remember Peter Sharp, the deputy from the Victorian era? And John Walsh, from ventilation?

tonker, I remember Sharpy well, he used to come to the pit wearing cloggs, you could hear him all over the baths with them on his feet. He always road British bikes and was disgusted with me because I had a Honda.Dose he still live in Haydock? I worked on the ventilation for a few months when John Walsh was a ventilation officer in charge of the methane drainage.

You mean, does he still live 'IN' Haydock?

No. Last I heard, he was touring Europe in a camper van. Before that, he was living in a container in Penrith, shotfiring in a quarry.
He was always a funny'un, was Pey, always saying "Jap Crap" when he saw my bikes. A good, honest lad though, none the less!

John Walsh is my mate. He's into bikes and Porsches, like myself. He had a BSA Gold Star 350 and a Hailwood Ducati, but he got shut of them when he moved house in 2001. Bad decision!

Yea, I meant in Haydock, corrected now. So it sounds like Sharpy's a hippy now, I wonder what the Europeans make of him!

Tuddy,the apprentice was Joe Dearden.After he qualified he did a couple of years at the pit then got a job at area suryeyors at Anderton House.I don't think he liked down the pit too much!I think he is still working for The Coal Authority,at Burton on Trent.Tonker,mention my name to John Walsh,he'll remember me I'm sure.I remember Pey Sharpe too,he always was a bit daft,but like you say,a good lad.Other ventilation lads were Freddie Dodd,Wally Mac,who died in the explosion,and a couple of others whose faces I can see but I can't put names to! Of the other surveyors,Brian and Bill are both dead.Ian Gaskell,who a lot of people thought "batted for the other side" and who could be very embarrassing for us who were working with him down the pit,he lives down shropshire now.Remember his 'weird' paintings,we had some on the office wall.Well,he's retired now and has a website about his painting.He didn't "bat for the other side" by the way,far from it!!! I know some tales! Remember Arthur Shawcross? What a balloon! He wrote off to the Daily Mirror after they did a story about attempts to demolish the Piggeries tenements block in Liverpool.Offered his services to blow 'em up! Many other tales!Joe Moss,Geoff Blackburn,Freddy Hock,Big Eric,Ponzer Whippet Yed,whoever he was!!!
'

I remember a lad going into Blackburn's office with a big plaster on his forehead. He told Blackburn he'd cut his head and the plaster kept falling of when he sweated and asked for a job on the surface so he could keep the wound clean. Blackburn threw a box of plasters at him and said "teck them dewn't pit wi thi". Joe moss was the overman in the Florida when I started on the haulage.Remember Wigwam yed? he had his long hair parted in the centre like the etrance to a wigwam. There was also Tennis Ball Yed, Skunk Yed, and Empty Yed.

We had a 'rubber yed' at Parkside. He's on the Parkside Photos!

I remember not long after I started at Golborne seeing this little old black faced tasmanian devil running up and down the Florida level screaming and shouting at anything and everything.That was my first sight of Joe Moss! Then there was the time Geoff Blackburn was going up on the Cromy manrider and he stopped at a junction where there was a fella sat with his back against a lagging board,lamp off,helmet off,fast asleep! Geoff got off the rider,crept up to him,shone his light in his face and tapped him on the head with his stick. "What are ya doin'?" says Geoff."Havin a minute" says the lad. "when tha comes up pit,tha con come an have a minute in my office" says Geoff.

I spoke to one of the men on that photo today Tonks!

Pray tell which was the "rubberyed"?

Art, I can't imagine you knowing either Bret or Brian, as they are both St.Helens lads, so I guess you must have spoken to Billy? Brian (in blue overalls) is 'rubberyed'!

Does anyone remember Charlie Pearce from Haydock?

Charlie Pearce moved to Ashton used to see him walking his dog,Charlie died a few years ago.Chris you did not finish the tale about the fella and Geoff.Geoff waited in the office for him and waited a long time.When he turned up geoff asked him where had he been,to which the chap replied i have been in the medical room to report i have had a black out down the pit and put you down has a witness

Once saw (deputy manager)Mr O'nions(onions to us common folk)ranting and raving at a group of hauliers at jack--bit time and nobody would take him on.He then said to these men Do you know who I am very loudly? to which one of the hauliers said by heck poor man does not know who he isMr O'nions departed very quickly and quietly

The one with the 'tache, a fireman, Bill Thorpe.
Used to work at Johnpit....Know him?

Thanks ppnw - Charlie Pearce (Chuck to this family) was my Uncle.

ppnw, remember big Tommy who worked on methane, He was asleep in return when Albert Brown (undermanager 1965)went passed with the Dialers, Albert borrowed the yellow paint from the dialers & painted Tommies boot soles, At 2-15pm when Tommywent for his tally to go up pit he was told to go to Albert Browns cabin,Albert said i am stopping thi half a shift for beeing asleep, Tommy denied it so Albert said Half a shift for having yellow paint on thi boots, he never lived it down,

Remember Jim Ogden,the deputy manager at Golborne.He was a born again Christian.His approach to man management and industrial relations didn't go down too well with men either!When a gang of men came into his office,straight from the pit,still in their black,ready for a fight about something or other,his way of dealing with them was to sit back in his chair,arms folded,and listen carefully and quietly to their ranting.A few nods of the head in all the right places and a final,"I'll see what I can do about it", was enough to send them out utterly confused,deflated and muttering to each other!

Irene you met the wrong man good luck

When I worked on the haulage for Wimpeys when they were driving the tunnels for the Florida faces it was rumoured then that Golborne would link up with Parkside.One afternoon when we had nothing to do the fire man Mclean who later got killed ask if we wanted to go with him on his rounds so we did and we went down the back roads past old workings and he said we were n ot far off Parkside.I started after the explosion on a saturday morning when a few got burned.

the day of the explosion I was working at bold the news came down to us a very sad day.

the day of the explosion I was working at bold the news came down to us a very sad day.

the day of the explosion I was working at bold the news came down to us a very sad day.

This wasnt the last one were some got killed.Not sure if the shot lighter got killed the others all got burned but survived a ball of fire came down the tunnel and they couldnot get out of the way of it luckily itwas said that it didnot reach pit bottom or it would have been a lot worse.

ashpad it wasnt a shot lighter that caused this tragedy sadly still a tragedy.

graneyjoseph, I think ashpad is talking about the first Golborne explosion which occurred in 1958. There were no fatalities in that explosion. The second explosion was on March 18th 1979 and killed ten men.

tuddy I didnt know about the first one,the one in 1979 certainly sticks in the memory .

road Yes it was the 1958 0ne in the tunnel what was later the main road in from the pit bottom to the Trencherbone.They had just broke through to the then Trencherbone main road when I started and shortly after we carried some one out on a stretcher and we had to go the back road they wouldnot let us use this road although it was easy to walk.

seasons greetings to all freinds & ex colleagues ,in partic Tuddy ,Whups ,PeterP & Joe

MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all Colin Tuddy Whups PeterP.

Cheers Colin and Joe, hope you're both having a good Christmas along with all the other ex Golborne colliery lads.

tuddy not to many turkey sandwiches enjoy.

Chris Southworth, Did anyone ever tell you about the oil dripping from the roof in the Trencherbone return, it was caught in a 45g drum, talking 1960.

I didn't hear about that specifically,but whereabouts are you talking? In what I would know as the "old" part of the pit either side of the manrider tunnel and the 1 in 3, or in the "new" part inbye of the Plodder? I would guess that any oil would probably be coming from Wigan 4ft old workings.I did hear about seepages of oil in this seam at Golborne and at other pits such as Bold and Clockface.

yes at Bold chris there was it smelt terrible must of been crude oil not sure if it was No-2 pit or in the South Dip area.

I don't know about oil, but there was plenty of water came through the roof on C9. Chris did anybody know where that was coming from?

tuddy we worked in hard conditions heat,cold and wet dusty ,good days though.

Chris If I remember when you went along the manrider tunnel there was a bend to the right. on this bend was also a L shaped section of tunnel for the old Trencherbone workings. The oil used to seep throu the roof there. Also if you ever did an inspection of the mouthings from the shafts you could walk down an incline to the main return and if you stood quietly you could hear the water running under the floor of the tunnel, Like tuddy said C9 was flooded and the water was coming from somewhere(the Myth of a Subterranean lake)

PeterP that might be the pick up point for the ferryman I am not ready yet

Aye,that's right Peter.The length of the Manriding tunnel after the bend was driven through the old T'bone and Wigan 4ft workings on the downthrow side of the "60yd fault".This used to be the boundary of the pit until the late 1950's when the "new" Loco Tunnel was driven through it as part of the pit's development into the South Area. I can't recall any stories of oil seepages where you say but they would,as I say,be coming from the Wigan 4ft which has a reputation for oil throughout Lancs and at Golborne is about 15-20 yds above the T'bone.
The incline as you call it would be the "1 in 3".This again was in the old workings of the T'bone/Wigan 4ft and served the purpose of a dual return for the pit.As with any old workings there's always water involved and what you heard would carry on running downhill into the old workings below the manrider tunnel to be pumped out at the old pump station near the bend you mention.
As for the water in C9,that would be coming from the old C7 face to the rise and making it's way there through a sandstone bed about 10yds above the Crombouke seam.
Incidentally,the "old C7 face" was just starting to be developed in 1972 when I was starting my mining career and was the first working I went to down Golborne when I went to help set out C7 Return.The 2nd place I went to was on C5 face,which was right under the East Lancs,and where the joke used to be that when it was quiet, you could hear the Scammell trucks going past.

I worked on C9 and can remember the coal face having a dip in the coal seam and many a time flooding because the pump on the coal face broke downI started of in the main rd advanced heading .They kept on saying the water would do you no harm but everybody had rashes or sores or where spitting blood up .I have seen cutter picks change colour in a matter of minutes and the fitters where for ever changing armoured hydraulic hoses because they where rotting and splitting

If you can remember Peter,there were no water problems on the faces either side of C9,because C9 was then acting as the sump for the water and was allowed to fill up.However as the faces to each side were worked we had to implement the "Precautions against Inrushes" Regulations and observe a "40 yd cautionary zone" within which we had to keep the water level in C9 below us and drill boreholes to the side and front of the advancing face.
The water was indeed very caustic,there was all sorts of stuff in it.The dip you refer to was a succession of small faults which troubled the face throughout it's life and provided a ready made route for the water from the sandstone above.I seem to remember the water was sampled by the scientific branch regularly.

I went on an inspection with owd Tommy Occleshaw down C5 & part way down you walked over an abandand Samson Longwall cutter, That would be about 1961,

bentlegs,in 1961,that would have been C5 in the "old" Crombouke,closer to pit bottom and accessed from the Crombouke tunnels which were driven from the old main tunnels at 1 in 4 to the left.If you look in the golborne colliery section in the album you'll see a picture at the top of the old crombouke manrider, among the other photos of golborne which I posted a while ago.

I once sent some timber down the panzer on C9, then I got a message on the tannoy saying that it hadn't arrived, so I made my way down the face to see what had happened to it. When I reached that dip I found all the timber floating above the panzer in about two feet of water. I remember being given some plastic bottles to fill with samples of the water so that it could be analyzed, but nobody ever told me what it contained. No wonder we all had rashes from that place.

I watched a programme on BBC1 this morning real lives reunited it featured the Lofthouse colliery disaster 1973 worth a watch,

Aye graneyjoseph,I didn't see that particular programme but I've seen a few things on Youtube about Lofthouse.During my time at St Helens and later North Staffs Poly 1972-76,doing my OND/HNC Mine Surveying,we covered the Lofthouse tragedy in a lot of detail because it was very relevant to our future job and showed what could go wrong if not enough attention was paid to the detail.

Chris, I think that programme is repeated on BBC2 at 7.50AM. on Monday 13th of January.

Thanks Ste,I'll have a look at that.

and it shows Arthur Scargill sincerely involved in the attempted rescue not a publicity exercise.

Has anybody seen the centre pages of tonight's Wigan Evening Post? There's a couple of photos of Golborne miners in the 1970s. The caption reads Parkside colliery but it's Golborne. Brian Cunningham and Nicky Murry are two faces that I recognise.

for anyone interested in the disaster walk . planned for-
sun 16th march - assemble @ 1-30 - 2-00pm at the queen anne-procession starts between 2-00 & 2-30 . after church refreshments at the catholic club near the naylors club.
come 1 come all as i,m sure our lads wont let us down.

iv,e cut out the pic from the observer & uploaded it & if accepted it will be on either album or golborne colliery in the works pics.

well done whups ,memories are not to be forgotten.

anybody out their remember Kung Foo salvaging all the power cables ,think most of them went to the channel tunnel,he offered us a job installing a hauser dinter in a pit in siberia ,he made a lot of money around that time

I remember working in the developments at Golborne with Kung Foo and his mate, a big Scotsman, can't remember his name. The last time I saw him was at Parsonage, he started his own salvage company, he had an office in Leigh,can't remember the name he called his company.

Tuddy Aspull engineering came to mind could be thinking of something else thou

Tuddy /P , it wasnt aspull engineering eric greenalgh worked as a supervisor for them ,Dave clarke also had a spell with them ,cant remember the name of Kung Foos gang,he rolled up at the pit in a ferrari at one point

colin ,kung foo what was his real name ?.

morning Joe think it was Derek Hodges ,remember Dinky working for him

morning Colin,yes I remember now Dinky was brian fishers gopher names from the past.

was it joy mining colin ? .

that dosnt ring a bell Brian seem recall it was ,,Something Salvage,,

Colin I think your right about the salvage bit not sure on full name,whups joy mining is or was a mining machinery firm I think from Ince ,they are mentioned on the album section,

I was wrong about JOY being from ince they might have had connections with Ince ,they made machines similar to doscoes ,joy continuous miner(JCMs).we had some at Bold,an American firm in origin.

joe joy became part of gullicks & was based at their ince site

Colin thats right one of my neighbours worked at gullicks,joe joy thats got a ring to it,

Joe and handsome, Don says could it be Bill Richards that you are thinking about ?

Hello Evelyn and Don good to hear from you,Bill Richards I cant remember him, when we where at Parsonage ,Aspull engineering and a firm called Blackwall mining were doing work at the pit ,a manriding conveyor near the pit bottom I seem to recall,Colin might remember we worked with the blackwall lads.

hi evelyn hope you & don are ok ,dont remember Bill Richards
joe where Blackwall mining the guys from nottingham staying at the Rockleigh in ashton

Morning Colin yes thats right ,they used to get a binbag with their dinners in them not a bad bunch of lads,that name that Evelyn mentioned cant remember that one.

I heard some sad news this week, Tannoy, one of the old characters from Golborne Colliery has passed away. His funeral is at St Stephen's church in Whelley at 1pm on Friday.

sad news indeed ste . worked with roy in the florida shunt & L3 brow.how old would he be ste.

73 Brian, not really that old.

another one of our mining community gone R.I.P.

wot happened ste , was he i,ll .

had a lot of laughs with Roy down the Florida, Rest In Peace Tannoy, a character indeed

well said Colin, memories can, t forget them

I don't know what was wrong with him Brian, I saw his daughter a few months back, she didn't say that he was ill or anything. The last time that I saw him was about a year ago,he was having a smoke outside of Wigan market hall with Jack Turner, another rum card.

yes jack,s still here after rumours were sent round of his demise . had some fun with both of em . rest in peace tannoy.

tuddy - how's things mate ????

golborne was a step up from moving from bold the people I met were top dollar.

Agreed graneyjoseph.Golborne was indeed a very friendly pit to work at. I enjoyed my 14 years there.

Hello Campfire, doing O.K. mate, nice to hear from you.

tuddy - me to !! shame we only meet up on the anniversary occasions. Look after yourself and don't let the ba****ds get you down...

That's a good bit of advice, you should get down to the Golborne ex miners meetings, It's good to see the old faces, next one's in September.

tuddy I hope handsomeminer"Colin"is reading these comments i would imagine he would like to attend as well.

Thanks tuddy - I'll keep my eyes and ears open for the date, if you find out the date let us know mate. See you soon

Ste I reember some great times in the mines bold ,golborne and the complex parsonage bickershaw ,never forget them.

Yea Joe, you had to be there to know what it was all about. I'll post the date of the next meeting when it's confirmed, It'll probably be the first Wednesday in September.

cheers tuddy.

for anyone who knows ronnie prior he,s in hospital at wigan with breathing difficulties.

I agree Joe - Don't seem to have the same crack anymore.. Look at someone funny were I work and your reported. God knows what the consequences would be if you called them some of the names I had thrown at me, especially when a fish plate shot off on a re-rip me and our Frank was on and hit the Deputy on the ankle, when he was having a sly drink of our water.

Hi Whups how olds Ronnie hpoe he gets well soon

he,s in the 70s i think colin.

cheers Brian give him my regards if you see him

good regards to him and everyone sunshine in newport hope you all have the same ,

Hi Joe how you doing I emailed stey dixon about a month ago got no reply have you heard out from him

Best wishes to Ronnie, I've not seen him for about five years but he never seemed to look any older whenever I saw him.

hi tuddy did you go to tannoys funeral

No Colin, I was at work,had time off for two funerals in the last month, so they're getting a bit fed up with me.

know the feeling were the wrong age

Colin I will e-mail Ste today and let you know if I get a reply.

Colin I e-mailed Ste no reply dont know what to do next, I know he as not been well I hope Evelyn is reading this she might know what to do.

Hi Joe and Colin,
We spoke to Ste this morning, he has had health problems but he is fine again. He said he will email you.
Take care both of you

thanks Evelyn hope you and Don are well ,we was worried about Ste we know he as not been well good to hear he is ok,Regards Joe.

irene 1958 nothing cushy at golbourne pit my dad worked there he was a grafter worked hard for what he got

alanrabster whose your dad may have worked with him

for anyone who knew & worked with ronnie prior he died on thursday.

whups sorry to hear of ronnie prior death,not sure if I would have known him still a sad loss.

most knew him joe . he,s from stubshaw , but moved to golborne several yrs ago .he did like a pint .

whups have a good weekend,the same to all on WW.

Whups sorry to hear about Ronnie RIP. We are a dying breed soon be no ex-pitmen left

Sad news again Brian. R.I.P.Ronnie.

Ste - I honestly didn't know about Ronnie..really sad loss and my condolences to his family.
Ronnie was one of a rare breed of genuinely honest men, he had his principles and stood by them regardless of any intervention and/or influence from any quarter... A sad loss.
do you know the arrangement's for his funeral?

ste, if i get to know anything i,ll post it on here.

Ste ( campfire) good to hear from you best regards.

hi Joe, hope all is well at your end???
Brian, I'm nipping in the Snooker club tomorrow, hoping to drop on Brian Cunningham. As soon as I hear anything, I'll post it here.

Ste fine have a good day pass on my regards to brian.last time I saw him was in the plodder developments Jimmy clarke was the deputy.

Whups I was in the club last night and we where talking about when you played darts and snooker for the pit teams. One of the blokes was asking how old you where now

hi peter, the pics from both pit comps are on the golborne picture blog in the work section . i,m 60 next time . who was asking ? .

Only know their 1st names John and Don

graneyjoseph - Hi Joe, I do remember Jimmy Clark, he was once married to my best mate who became my Best man at my wedding and I was he's at his wedding. Jimmy once dropped us off in Liverpool, when me and my mate were going to the I of M for a week, we were only just turn 17 and Jimmy took us into Yate's Wine Lodge for a farewell drink and introduced us to the famous Aussi white wine and needlessness to say we missed our ferry.. Not seen Jimmy since he left the pit....

Ste I saw Jimmy when we was salvaging Golborne same old Jimmy bit of a character he was living in Southport he said,one of those people that left an indelible impression on people who met him,hope he is fine.

Last time I saw Jimmy Clark he was half the man who worked at the pit. He was in Asda at Wigan riding round using a mobility scooter Crippled with bad joints in his hands and legs.

it maybe don barrow peter . he,s my age & went to the same school.

PeterP - at a guess how old would Jimmy Clark be... he looked like a fifty year old when I was 18.. and that was in 1970

Campfire I have no idea how old jimmy is now, Like every other ex-pitmen none of us are getting any youngerI was nearly 35 when I finished at Golborne in a fortnights time I am 60PS I now also live at Stubshaw like you

I wish Jimmy well he is a character the mines were full of them and we are all better for knowing them,

sorry to hear about ronnie prior ,regards jimmy clarke last saw him about 20 year ago in the Oak Tree on belle green lane ince,think he said he was living just outside southport at the time ,sad to hear hes not in the best of health he was indeed a character

I remember Jimmy came into the workshop at Golborne when we was salvaging .

gentlemen - Ronnie Prior's service is at Wigan Crematoria on Friday at 15:30 confirmed.

PeterP - give us a clue, do I know you???

been round to see dicky & passed on your message ste.

Thanks Brian, much appreciated..Is he on the mend? and will he receive visitors??

Campfire I was a Deputy at Golborne last job in charge of the FSV's better known to some has Peter Duck

hi Brian next time you see Dicky pass on my best wishes

will do col . yes he,s receiveing visitors.

The next Golborne Colliery ex miners meeting is on Wednesday 3rd of September at 7pm in Golborne Bowling Club.

tuddy pass on my regards lots of good memories of the people I met there,

Will do Joe.

thanks tuddy.

When they where filling the shafts am I right in saying they screened part of the bonk and used the dirt to fill the shafts in and sold the coal

Probably right Peter. There was a plan to screen and wash the tip while the pit was still working in the eighties.They invited contractors to come and take samples and put tenders in to work it but nothing ever came of it

for anyone who remembers jimmy a,hearn ( taffy) he passed away on saturday.

whups sad news .R.I.P taffy.

r i p taffy never new his name was jimmy a,hearn had some laughs with him top of l3 brew

do you remember him colin , walking abound with his belt slung over his shoulder coz of a "bad back".

certainley do brian ,do you remember him coming on days & having a set to with the oldish bloke who drove the haulage engine top of L3 [cant remember his name sure you will]niether of them wanted to go down brew it got quite heated with references to glass backs ect

it was ronnie prior colin.

both passed away now brian

yes they have colin. tannoy as well.

we are all getting older I left the mines 1991 aged 40 this november 63 time moves on alas.

whups---- Jimmy a'hearne died on thursday 28 august.

sad when a former miner passes,he obviously left an impression on the people who met him.Campfire your quiet where are you.?

Hi Joe
Been in Hospital I'm afraid, ticker not to good at the moment but hopefully should get on the mend.

Hello Ste,sorry to hear that hope your recovery is good,take care regards.

That's a shock Ste, I never knew that rippers had hearts!

Only joking mate, best wishes for a full recovery.

Thanks Joe & Ste, much appreciated... They wasn't very complimentary in the hospital though, apparently I'm over weight, I eat the wrong things, I drink to much and their not talking about tea...I don't do enough exercise, my mind is all messed up but because I don't smoke, I should make a full recovery. What a load of B***s

onwards and upwards Ste take it easy.

my uncle - norman frodsham who worked on the weighbridge passed away l/week . his funeral is at st wilfs ( stubshaw)on fri at 10 o,clock.

whups sorry to hear about your uncle ,I didnt know him personally but always a loss to lose someone close.

Sorry to hear that Brian.

thanx guys .did you ever go in the weighbridge ste wen you were on the lines ?.

No Brian, I didn't work on the lines long enough to get invited into the weighbridge, but I remember taking my pools coupon to someone who worked in there.

he was small ste , had a false leg which he got in an accident down the pit.

Sorry to hear about your uncle Brian ,I didnt know him never went in the weighbridge office , hope you and stey are both well

Colin welcome back to WW.

many thanks joe

Hi Brian, sincere thoughts and wishes for the loss of your Uncle.

thanx guys.

one of my old workmates is coming down to newport with his wife on Tuesday,his name Ian Aldred ,Ste might remember him not seen him since 1986.

Yes Joe, l do remember Ian, please pass on my best regards??

I will do that Ste.

Ste had 2 great days with Ian and Doreen,I passed on your regards,there was coaldust and stonedust everywhere really enjoyed it.

Nice one Joe, its always nice to meet up with old friends and have a chat... I hope there was a few tipples of the amber necter being consumed during the workers consultative meeting ?? Joe, lately its seems that I don't see, bump into or speak to a lot old comrades, is it because we are getting no younger??

Ste it might be but Ian said bold miners holds events were people can discuss or ask about what benefits or claims for mining related injuries ,Ian and Doreen his wife came down Tuesday saw them twice talked about people we knew great time,go onto facebook Doreen is on request friend theres a picture of me and Ian and comments Ian would like to talk to you ,have a good weekend,let me know how you get on .

Ste, There's a miner's strike commemoration night at The Swinley Club in Wigan on November 14th. I'm sure you'll see some old faces there if you can make it.

thats a coincidence I celebrate my 63rd birthday on that day,if you go pass on my regards.

Tuddy, will you be going on the 14th??

Yes I'll be there all being well.

Joe, I'll toast your health on the night.

tuddy have a great night I met an old workmate in newport talking memories best 2 days for a long time.

for anyone who remembers peter marrow who worked in the crumy at golborne . he died about 2 weeks ago . he was 47.

Was he from Shevington?

R.I.P.peter,yes tonker he was from shevington ,him & his dad bernard were both good crown green bowlers

R.I.P. Peter ,I knew him from parsonage great lad no age at all very sad another one of us moving upstairs.

i beleive peter played for garswood hall .

whups he was a real nice bloke ,peter is sleeping with the angels god bless.

I know it's a bad photo but I've croped it from a photo I took with Peter on, in 1984 anyone remember him like this another with his son
--

Peters Dad taken same time as the first one if anyone knows him

That's a shock Brian, what was wrong with him? Not seen him since Golborne closed, I remember his dad as well, they were both keen crown green bowlers.

dougie one of the pictures of Peter shows a bloke J,Rowson is that Jimmy from st,helens?.tuddy I last saw him at parsonage,

morning joe ,its jimmy from leigh worked at golborne ,can you not get out the habit of getting up early

I think most ex-pitmen still have the habit of waking up early I wake up about the same time has when I worked at the pit (about 5-30am)and its 25yrs since I finished at the pit

mornong Colin,PeterP,it is an habit I am quite happy getting up at that time never been one for sleeping in ,get up early go to bed 10-00ish,when I go out it is usually afternoons unless a special occasion,I grew up with a jimmy rowson from st,helens thought it was a coincidence seeing that picture ,have a good weekend .

hi ste . someone said he might have had a drink problem which contributed to his demise .

whups sad demise god forbid we go that way he was a decent bloke.

yes he was joe. and it is a sad case as he was so young.

whups my 63rd Christmas I hope for many more God willing.Merry Christmas to you and your family and every one on WW.

same to you joe . and my 60th next year.

Brian - Your 60 next year, never have guessed it... you must have been brought up as a kid in a damp house !!!!

Only joking mate...

now ste less of that .

Brian - how is Dickie Eck doing??

he,s ok by the sound of it . they are just converting his bathroom at present .

hi Brian ,glad Dickys doing ok ,by the way I thought you were 60 when you worked in L3 brew

Colin thats not very chrismassy ,how you doing.?

Good joe brian knows it's only said in jest

L3 brow could make anyone look 60 colin . but L19 top rd could make you feel 90 .especially wen the belts were stopped & you had to walk up to the florida shunt.

legend as it that Fran Cotton used to walk up all the steep tunnels as a choice to riding the conveyors.

Morning joe he had a donkey jacket with small strips is lead sowed in it to make it heavier

morning Colin.I started at old boston 1967 he was there with a lad surname Beard I think, they were student apprentices never liked mixing us .

Some more sad news I'm afraid, I got a phone call from Tommy Belshaw's son tonight, Tommy passed away on Monday. His funeral is on Christmas eve at Ince Parish Church at 10-15am.

RIP tommy

not sure if I knew him but sad loss at this time of year sad loss at any time R.I.P.

mornig Stey
was it young tommy that phoned you ,please pass on my condolances next time you speak to him

Hiya Colin, It was Gary who phoned me, I'll pass your condolences on to him.

Thanks stey

colin you are one of the best person I Met on this site proud to have met you MERRY CHRISTMAS ..the best person I worked with .

Many thanks joe I also enjoyed the pleasure of your company and a merry Xmas to you and yours

Colin and Joe, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to you both. Evelyn and Don.

Hi Evelyn Same to you ,don and the rest of your family

hi Evelyn,Don ,Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you both and your families.

merry xmas for all of those who are left & those who are not here & their families.

Good sentiment brian

brian I to second that ,its been said before best years of my life working with the best people in world,MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody.

Goodnight God bless all ex pitmen and. Everyone else regardless of colour religion political persuision

well said colin.

Oh, please!

nice manners tonker shame about everything else.

tonker must have a friend somewhere to praise his knowledge and experience in worldy ways.

colin,tuddy, dropped on an old golborner on friday . jimmy bond . do you remember him ? .

I remember Jimmy, I was talking to him in All Saints Catholic Club in Golborne after the anniversary walk last year. That was the first time that I'd seen him since the pit closed. Didn't he used to work on the door at Bluto's in Wigan?

Hi stey ,certainly do remember Jimmy ,he did work the doors but don't remember him working in wigan,,he also had a son Phil who started as an apprentice,phil had to transfer to point of air ,to finish his apprenticeship when the complex closed

phil worked at bold for a spell met up with him at coupe foundry higher walton he was working for demag the crane people

morning joe think that must have been a different Phil ,as i remember he was 1 of the last batch of apprentices they took on well after Bold had closed ,they hadnt come out their time when the complex shut

that might be right his dad was a tunneller not sure if it was british coal or tunnel contractors,Phil was still an apprentice when bold shut,

Tuddy - I remember working in a Drivage with two film stars when I first transferred to Kidglove..
Jimmy Bond - known as James Bond 007 and he mate James Dean but cant think of the third blokes name. Do you?

was jimmy dean deputy? Ste

hr was in tom & gerrys in ashton on friday.

Campfire was it not Sammy

PeterP - I dont think so, as he also had the name of a film star.. Joe, the Jimmy Dean you are refering to maybe the Deputy from Bold who still lives in Ashton, just off Wigan Road. He had a son who also worked at Bold but jacked in when it shut, I think..

Ste remember them both jimmy the deputy was a nice bloke.there was a joe bond and eric winstanley both from ashton they worked in dosco driveage j122 south.

Campfire, there was a Kenny Williams (Kenneth Williams) A.K.A Geordie. Don't know if he worked in the headings though.

There was also an electrician Kenneth Williams

Colin I will vouch for that,when I met up with a former workmate from bold he said Kenny as not been seen or heard of for years,

kenny williams wasnt a lekky lads. he was on the haulage in the crummy till he did his face training.

I brian there were to kennys the one I mentioned transferred to golborne when bold shut ,he worked with me joe graney ,alan Holden & Ian Connor on the complex installation team we were some of the first to go over shortly after they cancelled the drivage in l3 return

no colin, this 1 was from golborne & played a bit of snooker. he onced played bullrt yed in the labour club 4 a few quid. he was very young wen he started at golborne.

Yes brian I knew them both

Colin we all remember bunker mouth as well.given the choice do it all again mo question.

Their was e few noisy ones

free entertainment Colin loved them all.

whups
have you seen out of richard walker recently

handsomeminer - I seen Richard Walker just before Christmas plodding up Gerard Street, still looked as though he was deep in thought as he was miles away with that blank look...

Joe - Joe Bond passed away about 12 Months ago, went his funeral at St Thomas's in Ashton and back to Stubshaw X Labour Club for some light refreashments. It was a good job it was Saturday the day after, with the head I had. He was another cracking lad who loved to socialise.

not seen him for years colin. hi ste , i see you sussed out that clown sir bob & his sarcastic remarks on the parsonage blog . he was 1 of those who said thatcher was right to shut pits down on another blog.

Thanks campfire,whips sir Bob obviously had an issue with miners ,either a Thatcherite or jealous ( not sure what of mind)

your right colin , but he tries to bullshit us & i believe he is a thatcherite .

Can vouch for that gentlemen.. He's not on his own, theres more of them out in them there hills, as John Wayne once said. The hills being the 3 Sisters...

i know he,s not on his own ste there,s a lot on here.

Ste sad about joe bond nice decent bloke.

He was Joe...I remember backing up for him at Bold with our Frank when he was working with Eric Winstanley and (cant think of the third mans name) but I see him ofton and have a chat. Anyway, on a Monday morning whilst we were pulling the steel in, you could smell the Burtonwood bitter coming out of the heading and it was all from Joe. Sadly missed...

Ste I cant think of the third blokes name either the future of the pit was in those two tuunels onegoing south the other north,shiny face worked down there as well(derek levay).

Hi joe what was shiny,s mate called at parsonage think his first name was brian but not sure

Hi Colin,that was Brian Baxter him and shiny came to bold when agecroft shut, two decent lads.both the same age as me they started at sandhole training centre.

Hi Joe - don't recal shiny but do remember Brian Baxter, am I correct in assumimg that they all went into department / group and went around the North West, salvaging old faces and districts?

Going back to Joe Bond and Eric Winstanley, was the third man Jack Frodsham ???

Hi Ste,the salvage team was under the control of ex-bold deputy Jackie Mann(his son Sean worked at bold as well),I dont think Brian worked on the salvage team,he took redundancy when bold shut,I met up with him and shiny at parsonage they worked for ATC along with fitter Ray Sefton.your right about Jack Frodsham you did well remembering his name.shinys name was Derek Levay.

Joe - I don't recall Derek Levay but must have known him.. remember Jackie Mann and his Son Sean/Shaun !! They come from around Abram way. Sean ended up working at Hindley Prison and moved to Fazackley Prison when G2 opened the cat2 prison and the last time I seen him and had a chat, which was ages ago, he was on 2 walking sticks after having a good hiding of 2 inmates who dragged him into the cell and pasted him. To my knowledge, he's never worked since.. and they call Stubshaw as being rough !!!!

sad about shaun his dad was a good bloke the inmates no word to describe them.

Was told yesterday that John Cupitt Ex-deputy had died only saw him in Asda a couple of weeks ago. RIP John

R. I. P. John ,deputy on the Florida faces then at pit bottom ,how old was he Peter & had he been ill

Handsomeminer lead to believe he was 75. He had his right leg amputated above the knee about 3years ago but it did not stop him. Like I said I used to drop on him at Asda in Golborne and have a chatWas shocked to hear about his death

Ste shauns dad Jack died in the nineties I was told great bloke.

hi peter iam I right remembering that John used to take visitors on tours underground occasionally & always insisted they went down brew to the florida faces for a good walk round

Handsomeminer did the same myself

good man peter

he was in the nursing home near the kings arms .he was a regular on tuesday nights at the cally wen freddie cunliffe & his band were on & he used to give em a song . RIP john.

think it was john had the, pig pen ,put in at pit bottom when he was in charge their,do you remember singing ,stupid cupid, while we were penned in

Handsomeminer - I dont recall the late deputy but R.I.P but certainly remember being herded into the "Pig Pen" at the pit bottom on my first day at Golborne after transferring over from Bold. Also recall that the Deputies didnt use the pen with us commoners. I wander why??

i do indeed colin.

Being a deputy myself not going into the pig -pen was looked upon has a slight perk of the job.(like the mythical key to the exec toilet) It allowed the deputies to get into the cage 1st before the rest of the men. Once up the pit and you had cleared the lamp room the miners went for a shower and then to the canteen/home. The deputies had to make out a daily report and see the undermanager before going for a shower but most caught the same coaches as the miners so did not want to hold everyone up from getting home. More than once I let the coach go and caught a bus home before holding everyone back for me.

PeterP it happened at all the mines I worked at for the reasons you have said.

That's sad news about John, I remember him well.

this is for joe , dont be conned by that guy sir bob on the parsonage blog as he supported thatchers shut down of pits on another blog . campfire sussed him out straight away . he,s never been a "pit mon" , never wanted to be 1 & theres always a underlying skit on everthing to do with miners . BE WELL AWARE OF THIS GUY.

whups - My sentiments also.. like I said before, "there more of them up in them there hills"

whups I am lots of things but not foolish thanks for your advice,

no probs joe.spot-on ste.

Brian - I was talking to a chap last week, who works for PHS and their regional offices are on the Industrial site where Kidglove used to be...Was stunned that he wasn't aware that the was once a Colliery there and even though he drove past the stone monument every day, he hadn't a clue what it was for. I was completely gob smacked...

it dosnt surprise me ste . it really doesnt look like there has even been a pit there .

there must be some kind of concrete capping over the shafts I would think.

There is Joe - but best still theres the stone Monument, which you cant miss on entering the site..
Couldnt believe it when he said he did'nt know !!!!

Ste I have seen pictures of the monument,sad about the person not knowing golbornes history men died there and they will not be forgotten.

After spending 20yrs working underground at Golborne it is sad that some of the people who now work on the enterprise park do not know there was a colliery on that site But this could be said about other colliery sites where men have worked and died. Our memories of the pits can only fade with time, we are all a dying breed and in a while there will only be a few memorials and history books to remind people that we where the King of coal

PeterP well put and true.

I agree also PeterP...However, I was still gob smacked !! Call me old fashioned but I look up and I'm interested at the history of local industry, again some that are not as large as they were was in some cases gone all together also like the Mining Industry. What really got to me was that he only lives about 5 to 6 miles from his offices, aged around 30ish and passes the Monument daily.
He must go round in a daze !!!

It's the same everywhere lads. People who go to the "Parsonage" Retail Park shopping at Sainsbury,DW Sports, Currys etc. aint got a clue what was there before unless of course they did work there. The same at Plank Lane. If you've been past there recently you'll know what I mean. All those "nice" new houses going up on the former pit yard clustered round the former site of 5 deep mine shafts now only marked by a yellow pipe sticking out of the ground and a green fence round it. I remember a chat I had with a site manager of a job I was on a few years ago which developed into almost a full blown row. He didn't believe me when I told him that the "nice little hill" which his kids liked to play on wasn't natural, but was the landscaped and planted former pit heap for Mosley Common. What really upset him was when I tried to tell him that the nice private estate he lived on was the site of the former pit and had two 1000yd deep shafts on it somewhere. I had to take into work next day some photos and maps to convince him. After we consulted Google Earth and compared it with the maps, he found out one of the shafts was about 20 yds off his house!!! Ha ha ha.

chris , do you remember i asked you about a lad called john who went on the lines as i could,nt remember his last name . was it white ? .

John Prescott, John Sweeney?

this lad lived up rivington pike & used to come to the pit in a land rover .i know john sweeney it,s not him . did,nt he move to notts ?.

John moved to Daw Mill Colliery,in the midlands,but came back to Golborne after a year or two. whups, did the lad your thinking of end up working with big Danny?

Whups, I know who you mean now. John Massey. Aye he came from Adlington originally, had a farming background. He bought an old cottage next to the canal at Red Rock,Haigh. Did it up, a lot of the work on his own. He came as a linesman with us, the surveyors, and we were going to get him on a course to be a surveying assistant. He was a bright lad and would have done okay but he developed some sort of problem with his inner ear which stopped him going down the pit due to the air pressure changes. He went into the medical center and trained as a medic and as far as I'm aware stayed till the pit shut.

I know the lad you mean Chris, he qualified as a physiotherapist after the pit. I've bumped into him a few times, he told me a story about working in a hospital when Pey Cunningham came in for an appointment. When pey saw him he said "naw owd prater, what thy doin eer"? John answered Pey and started a conversation with him. As soon as pey left the doctor turned to John and and said "could you understand what that patient was saying"?

i think were on the right track . his hair was almost silver.

Tuddy,the John who worked with Big Danny was john jones from billinge experience working with them 2 ,they kept hanging colin farrel up on cable hooks

Colin,whups mentioned a john from golborne do you remember john sparrow from parsonage,?

no dont remember john sparrow joe what was his job

he worked in the developments ,Colin, also there was big Jimmy on the haulages and davelopments he helped us salvage cables opposite the NISBI bunker at parsonage,

jimmy catterall from hindley used to see him odd times but not seenhim for years now

Colin yes that was him the man,its funny how names come back to you,do you remember working on that big manrider at bickershaw when alan shields was in charge of the mechanical side and they threaded the rope on it and found it had a knot in it brilliant.

Alan Sheilds is still going strong working as a volunteer at Astley Green Mining Mueseum,went with the family a few years age the carrages off that bickershaw manrider ,their were some interesting comments about me wrote on the insides,had a good laugh

Joe do you remember at parsonage Eddy Mac trying to cut that rope with a blunt chisel and that big nowty fireman blowing his top with him ,happy days

Colin,Eddy Mac what a guy,so your famous in a museum well done you should of announced yourself signed autographs, good old memories,alan shield we was putting some switch gear in a substation using a turfor I pulled the rope tight tripping alan lots of nice words,

it wasnt very complimentary

i think that chris & tuddy are right . it was the ear think that twigged with me.

Colin not many people have their names in a museum ,claim to fame and I know that man.

quite right joe

Colin you and your family have a great weekend,me myself my friend I met down here in newport south wales died Monday morning ex=para SAS served in the Falklands 60yrs old died heart attack didnt get chance to say farewell,lifes a bugger,GOD BLESS GRAHAM.,I will get bladdered tonight.

That's sad joe ,RIP graham,we,ll have a drink to his memory

Colin thanks for that message.