Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 9th January, 2017)

It is right and proper that our mining past is remembered. George Davies ,Wigan Council, the friends of Mesnes Park and others involved should be congratulated for thier efforts . Many hundreds of miners from Wigan and district gave thier lives ,and countless numbers had their lives blighted by lung diseases by involvement in the mining industry; we should never forget thier sacrifice.

Very simple but it is inspirational.

Love it and what a fantastic tribute to Wigan and the people who worked in the mines one of whom was my Grandad.

Tom, Ken, Linda - I could not agree with you more. My Grandad was a miner, Aspull, Rose Hill and Great Grandads on both sides of the family.
It is very difficult to convey to young people just how far Wigan was determined by its collieries, even as far as the diet - pies, pasties etc.
The memorial is simple, yet compelling. Not just a truck, but all that went with it.

Sorry -it's a very nice arrangement - but as a tribute to the men and women in the Coal and Cotton Industry - there is something lacking.

Why do they put these twee little trucks around the place? It's a shame Wigan chose largely to ignore its mining past (compare St Helens, with two major mining sculptures) - but if it's going to put mementoes up, they should be realistic. A lovely big 30 cwt mine car would give folk a better idea of the scale of what went on under their feet until the 1980s.

Well said Tom.

Jarvo should hang his head in shame for his comments about miners on the communicate boards.

Rev., David , a group I'm a member of is at present fund raising to have a sculpture in Wigan Town Centre . WHAMM ,Wigan Heritage and Mining Monument, we are well on our way we have recivied a substantial anonymous ,and in the coming few years we will be having various events to raise funds,one will be a Brass Band Concert to be held in October. I deliberately didn't mention this in my first post as I didn't want to take anything away from the fantastic work done by the people who have worked so hard to bring this monument to fruition . We all have the same motivation to make sure that future generations are aware of the sacrifices made by the miners of our town. I have a great respect for these men , my Father and uncles were miners , my Grandfather lost a leg in a pit accident ,and received the princely sum of five shillings a week in compensation .

A nice gesture or not,just a pity they didn't respect and look after the miners when coal mines were in there day,ie when certain governments threatened to turn the militia on them.

Agree with Rev David. I'm sure nothing like this was ever seen down the pit, not even looking like this when brand new, before ever getting underground. Looks like a child's funfair ride.

that bit of track could do with abit of lifting and packing .

Whether the tub appeals or not is not the real issue. That is that hundreds of years of mining activity that shaped Wigan and District, and the efforts of all that laboured, and all too often died,is not forgotten. Please support the W.H.A.M.M appeal mentioned by Tom.

Friends of Crooke village are looking for a coal truck to put next the recently uncovered remains of the old coal tippler.

No matter what the tribute had been, somebody would have complained. You just can't win.

Why is Wigan Council so embarrassed by the town's mining past? Wigan's miners made a huge contribution to the Industrial Revolution and while a few people may think that is a bad thing I'm sure that most people would think that it is a good thing and nothing to be ashamed of.

Anne,1949 shoved plenty of these round at Mains pit looks like a 5cwt tub they were more battered than this one and hard work pushing never saw a red one there was also a taller model which held 10cwt.these were more common.

I agree with Den s, why does the Council feel embarassed by Wigans industrial past ? Most places make a big thing out of what has been.
I wont go into politics but wonder which party holds the most seats on the Council......

Terry, I'm sure it must have been quite gruelling work pushing one of those things about in rough conditions. However I feel a more authentic looking tub would have conveyed a truer picture of work underground.

About time something was put there. But why is the interpretation board that way round, I would have thought it should be seen as you enter the park. Still a good idea.

Mick try Astley Green Colliery they may have a coal tub which they don't need knocking about on their yard

With the greatest respect Helen, you appear to have been absent from Wigan for quite some time evidently.

I am so pleased that a Monument to the bravest of the brave,those pitmen of earlier times,is in the pipeline..... If anybody deserves it it is them.

As a member of the WHAMM group, we are endeavouring to raise funds for a monument, that will be a fitting tribute to the miners of Wigan. Mining iplayed such an important role in Wigan's history, it should never be forgotten. Men, women and children - whole families, worked underground. Like the soldiers who fought for this country, our brave miners should be remembered.

Ozy, I take your point. I may have been away from Wigan many years but still take great interest in a place where my family roots have been for generations.....in mining & cotton.

It doesn't really matter whether Helen has been away from Wigan for a long time or not, she is right in her observations. Other towns do seem to take pride their history instead of pretending it's a city.

A a battered steel tub would have looked far more authentic, one that conveyed a sense of hard work which was always the miners lot.
I admired the miners resolve, nothing was to much trouble when I wanted a lift putting gate end boxes in place.

Helen / Janette.
Imagine the river Douglas in high flood, a torrent flow. You have both been caught short and are now standing on a very creaky and decidedly unstable bridge called Wigan's heritage, watching this rampant flow .. Progress will kill not only Wigan' s heritage but every other northern town, Depressing but true! These are tokens only, brutal tips
for those who gave so much.

I would have to be very naive not to realise that progress never stops. You don't seem to understand what I was saying. Of course they are reminders of the extremely hard work of the past.