Coal Mining at Nostell Colliery.
|
|
Coal Mining at Nostell Colliery.
|
||
| Coal mining at Nostell Colliery dates back to the 9th century when the Hermitage of St James was established at Nostell. Initially the coal would have been cut from the hillside but as this ran out 'Bell Pits' were developed. These pits were shallow and coal would be loaded into a bucket and then winched to the surface. Once it became too dangerous to cut any more coal, the pit would be abandoned and a new pit started. After the monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII, the land at Nostell passed through several owners until the 1650s, when the estate and mines were bought by Sir Rowland Wynn. Under the ownership of the Wynn family the coal mines were developed and this attracted more miners to take up residence in Nostell. With the introduction of the West Riding and Grimsby railway line to Nostell, demand for coal from these pits increased. |
| Shafts therefore became deeper and mining more complex. As deeper coal seams were worked, water seeped in and drainage in the mine became a problem. The colliery continued to grow and in 1834 another shaft was sunk. In later years the colliery was owned by Lord St Oswald and finally in 1947 it came under the ownership of the National Coal Board. | ||
|
|
||
|
The 'Family Pit' |
||
|
Nostell colliery was referred to locally as the 'family pit'. Long before the introduction of welfare schemes the Wynn family cared for the health and wellbeing of Nostell's miners. The Wynn's were one of only two Yorkshire mine owners at this time who gave aid to the families of miners who were injured or killed in their mines. In 1880 new houses were built at New Crofton, which helped to improve living conditions for the colliery workers and their families. Generations of the same families worked at the mine until its closure in 1987. During the 1970s the workforce was made up mainly of men who lived in the village or surrounding villages. Later, as pits elsewhere began to close, mining families moved to Nostell. Some remember the Polish workers in the mines during the Second World War and the Italian workforce who came shortly after. This sense of family spirit within Crofton was later reinforced in a speech made to the House of Lords by Lord St. Oswald, whose family once owned the pit. During the 1972 miners strike he stated, “In a closely knit community such as Nostell, when one bleeds they all bleed, and I believe I bleed with them.” |
||
|
|
||
|
Crofton's Community |
||
| Many people remember the village when 'The Lump' was still standing. This was the name given to the seven streets of colliery housing which accommodated over two hundred mining families. Nicknamed 'Cribbins Lump' after its builder, it was renamed New Crofton by Lord St Oswald. These houses were built in the late 1800s and were taken over by the National Coal Board following nationalisation in 1947. In the mid 1960s the houses were modernised and had indoor bathrooms fitted. Demolished in the early 1980s, many feel that this lead to the decline in the popularity of the Nostell Miners Welfare club. As most people knew each other and worked together at the pit the community spirit was strong. Few people locked their doors on 'The Lump' and some remember playing cricket and football in the street. However, several people remember 'The Lump's' reputation and recall instances of trouble. The village developed extensively after the 1960s and a number of new housing estates were built. Crofton is a village that has its characters and quirky tales. Sanderson's farm, formally Manor Farm was the home of Titus Salt. Salt was responsible for the building of Saltaire at Bradford. The 'knocker upper' operated right up to late 1970s and was relied on by many to get them up in time for their shift. The Slipper pub used to be a fish and chip shop with an off licence around the back. An old wooden fish shop stood at Spring Hill, and close to the welfare were the allotments. Not everyone used their allotments for growing produce though; some miners kept racing pigeons there. |
|
|
||||
|
Nostell Miner's Welfare |
|
 |
||
| The close knit community at the pit spilled over into the miners' leisure time. In 1927 a miner's welfare scheme was created. £3,000 was put on one side for the project, and a clubhouse costing £800 was built. The building included reading rooms, a games room, flower gardens, playing fields and a children's play area. In 1929 an 'intoxicating liquor licence' was obtained for the club. Membership was taken straight from the miner's wage, although he was not allowed in until he was 18 years old. In 1968 a new building replaced the old one at a cost of £30,000. The Wynn family's interest in their worker's continued right through their ownership. They were often seen around the colliery and during the 1950s and 60s would call into the Nostell Miners Welfare Club. In its heyday the welfare housed a football field, a bowling green, darts, snooker and domino teams. | ||||
| After the demolition of 'The Lump' the popularity of the welfare declined, however, a steering group was formed to get all the village involved and the “Community Centre” now has many user groups and the traditional sports of football, rugby and crown green bowling continue to be popular. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights were always popular and everyone had their own seat. The weekend acts included the likes of 'The Muldoons' and the late Stan Richards (Emmerdale's Seth Armstrong) and many had to queue up to be seated. The Christmas period and particularly Boxing Day used to be very popular. The main hall was regularly used for wedding receptions, often with the majority of the village turning out. | ||||
|
|
||||
| Heritage Lottery Project | ||||
|
In 2005 Crofton Community Centre, formally known as Nostell Miners Welfare, was awarded a £48,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to establish a mining museum and help refurbish the centre. The total project cost in excess of £1.25 million, the first stage involved the refurbishment of the old “Games Room” and included new grass pitches and changing rooms. The second phase of the project included the main hall and the redesign of the entrance to accommodate information on Nostell Colliery. The display of the pit banner and her items are to remember the importance that the mining industry once had to the village. The project was initiated by the community and has allowed for the preservation and display of a piece of mining history. It is hoped that this project will continue to grow. If you have any mining stories or objects relating to your time at Nostell colliery, please inform one of the club members.
|
||||
|
Crofton
Community Centre [Reg Charity No. 523564] Design
by: R Callaghan |