Nottinghamshire mineworkers invited to exhibition at Edwinstowe Library
Former mineworkers are invited to come along and share their memories of Thoresby Colliery at a memorabilia exhibition.
The event on Saturday (November 14) will take place at Edwinstowe Library between 10am and 1pm and will feature memorabilia and a chance for mineworkers to share their memories.
Visitors are invited to write down their memories in a special book that will be produced by Mick Newton to preserve the memories of the mining community in Edwinstowe.
Mick Newton who worked at Thoresby Colliery for 15 years said: “We want to encourage as many people as possible to come along and share their experiences.”
After opening in 1925, Thoresby became one of the most profitable coal mines on the continent for many years. In 1951 it became the first nationalised mine to exceed 1,000,000 tonnes of output in one year and in 1988 it produced 2,000,000 tonnes in 43 working weeks.
When it opened, its two shafts sank to a depth of 690 metres, giving access to several of Nottinghamshire’s coal seams. These were deepened in the 1950s and following the closure of Ollerton Colliery in 1993, the renowned pit had access to even more reserves. Thoresby closed in 2015.
Mr Newton has been instrumental in the decade long campaign for mineworkers pension justice.
Mr Newton said spirits were dampened following the Budget announcement in which it was expected details of the release of the Mineworkers Pension Government Guarantee Fund, standing at £1.2 Billion would be released.
He added: “Former Mineworkers and Widows are fueled with frustration and anger that this was not announced in Budget and leads to further delays, while thousands of former Mineworkers, around 500 a month, sadly lose their lives while waiting for this historic injustice to be put right.”