Memories Of Whitwick Colliery.

Subscribe to my you tube channel for 220+ more coal mine tributes and counting., Whitwick was sunk near Long Lane, was Leicestershire’s first deep mine. The instigator was William Stenson (1771 - 1861), originally from Coleorton, who, with two partners formed Stenson and Company to develop the mine. The first coal was brought to the surface in 1828. In order to sell the coal in Leicester, an efficient method of transport was needed. George Stephenson was approached with a scheme to construct the Leicester to Swannington Railway. Stephenson invested in the railway, appointed his son Robert as chief engineer and developed Snibston Colliery. The Railway reached Long Lane in 1833. Stenson & Co advertised for miners and two more shafts were sunk.
By the 1840s, over two hundred men and boys were employed and the colliery was having a significant impact on the economic development and character of Whitwick. There were some difficult times but overall, the colliery prospered. Stenson retired in 1860; in the 1870s, Whitwick Colliery Company Ltd was created. By this time there were five pits on the site and another mining fire clay for the company’s extensive brickworks.
Mining continued in the 20th century. At Nationalisation in 1947, Whitwick Colliery had the highest productivity per man shift in the South Midlands area. Eleven hundred men were employed there. Peak production came in 1969-1970. Underground, workings were connected to Snibston in the 1960s and a merger with South Leicester Colliery occurred in 1984. The last shift to turn coal was on 3rd July 1986. Whitwick Colliery had been one of the most productive and efficient mines in the country. The Whitwick Colliery Disaster 19th April 1898
Leicestershire’s worst mining disaster occurred in No.5 pit at Whitwick Colliery. This was a dry dusty pit that had been worked for sixty years. The disaster was the result of a “gob” fire during the night shift. Forty-two men were underground, including a boy of thirteen. Many were related to each other or close neighbours. Most of the miners were trapped at workings beyond the fire. There were only seven survivors. The victims died of suffocation as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Attempts were made to recover the bodies but twelve remain underground. The tragedy left twenty-seven widows and eighty-four children under the age of thirteen.

[@andrewh5457]

Used to collect my wages from whitwick colliery when I was at coalville tech in the 70s.
Also ,I still have one of the whitwick colliery house bricks.

[@JT-dm8ss]

I work at Matsuura Matsuura Machinery which is on the site today, I have overlay plans of the site as it was and now, also tunnels. Pit head stones still visible.

[@gunterbartsch9284]

Danke geteilt.

[@jeffreyhodge5564]

Comment posted by Michael ,that was my hobby ,I would scramble away on former colliery sites and find bricks with colliery name on it ,had over 200 at one time but had to leave when I moved ,do you know what the more I look at these colliery workers and it’s almost if you could still meet them at the bus stop today ,gosh it’s just a generation gone ,so sad ,

[@jeffreyhodge5564]

These photos and news clips are so poignant,this was.a industry that disappeared in front of our eyes,yes when nothing left to mine or dangerous conditions then Unions with management generally worked together and there were good relationships between both sides ,watch Joe Gormley and Derek Ezra talking constructively ,Then 1974 plan for coal and the development of the Shelby coalfield is a classic example ,but then politicians came to power who had a planned vendetta for previous industrial disputes ,Result tonight the last coal fired power station officially closes ,Another generation will reap the rue ,when I left school at 16 in Sunderland there was a guaranteed apprenticeship at the Pit or Shipyard .cant do that ,university unheard of ,girls to get a good job at Woolies can’t even do that now ,we’ve thrown it away ,Coal ,we had a full coal fired range ,cook on it ,heat water on it ,back boiler gave you hot water ,see by eat ,relax in front of it keep warm in front of it and even get rid of your household rubbish on it ,ps try sea coal ,it was wonderful ,Thank you to our miners from generations passed,

[@jeffreyhodge5564]

Ps dry your washing in front of it!