North of England Mining Institute Programme 2013 - 2014

The Art of Mining

Not a million miles away!

Spot anyone?

Charlton Todd consults Dinnington Policeman

Prestwick chapel minute book records that .........................

In January 1910 Mr. Charlton Todd appointed as Secretary and Steward and the it was evident that there was some concern over the behaviour of the children as the minutes of the meeting include: “ Complaint having been made of the bad conduct of the young people in Prestwick in disturbing the services, it was decided that the secretary should see the Dinnington policeman and ask him to give some oversight to the chapel, particularly on Sundays”

Eight new Trustees were appointed on 17^th January 1910 following the death of a number of existing trustees including James Stobert {Miller}. None of the new Trustees resided in Prestwick  but they included farmer, Joseph Stobbs of Carr Grange, Mason and Charlton Todd a Colliery Banksman of High Luddick.

Who's responsible?

The lights stay on at Prestwick Road Ends?

The electricity supply company continue to do temporary works. I suppose that permanent works will not be carried out until the responsible body is identified. Is it the electricity company? The landowner? The mining company?

No doubt Company Directors will pocket profits and in the long run you and I will pay for the works as tax payers/council tax payer/customers.

Turner and Young colliery owners

The workforce of "Turner and Young" at Prestwick colliery circa 1900. Joshua Turner is seated second from the left in the front row with Robert Turner third from the left in the front row.
Seated first on the left is James Taylor who went on to sink two new shafts for the  Prestwick Coal Company in 1904 when Turner and Young sold their interest.

Prestwick Colliery Home Guard

Back Row: Officer from Woolsington? Gordon Taylor (aged 16) ? from Woolsington, "Buck" Graham, Tommy Strangeways, George Barras, "Reggie" Graham, Billy Weightman

Mid Row: Cyril Graham, ?, Jack Coulson, Wilson Scott, "Robbie" Graham, Jack Lynch, 

Front row: John Guy, Mick lynch, Stan Taylor, Ronnie Lynch, Tommy Winthrop, "Tucker" Robson, Stan Simpson

The opening of Dinnington Village Social Club

Stan Taylor and Tommy Nicholson worked at Prestwick Pit and the Robert Pit, Dinnington (joined as one unit called East Wallbottle colliery by the National Coal Board and its pre- nationalisation owners - the East Walbottle Coal Company) 

Beneath this green and pleasant land

For those interested in mining in the locality his book by John Graham will be a facinating read.

There was a review in the recent edition of Pont Island News published by Ponteland Local History Society:

"Son of a miner, John Graham dreamed of a life at sea.Sadly ,his fatherdied of cancer when John was 10 years old,so when he left school at 15 he had no choice but to follow his 2 brothers and go down the mine.This was summer 1953.Hestarted as a screener picking out stones from the coal trucks for £2-16s a week and by hard physical work and study worked his way up the coal face heirarchy to be a colliery overman.When he retired in 1987 miners could earn bonuses of up to £125 a week.Realising what would eventually happen to the coalmining industry,he applied for voluntary redundancy which he won after a battle.;he then bought a newsagents business and was very successful. His final verdict on life as a miner was--YES I would do it all again, NO I  would not send my sons down the mine.                       

This is the fascinating story of a coalminer who worked at Prestwick and Havannah and ended up working at the huge undersea colliery at Westoe South Shields. There is a lot of technical information,with illustrations,but it gives an excellent insight into life at the coal face.The opening up of new seams,shoring up the roofs,building the railways to transport the coal to the surface are all beautifully detailed. Soare the dangers involved including  roof falls,methane gas explosions and flooding ,often with apalling injuries.However ,this book is not just a commentary on the mining industry and its developement over the years with increased mechanisation and vastly improved safety and working conditions--it is the very human story of a man A man dedicated to his life as a miner,striving always to ensure the safety of his men,increase production and motivate them. Itis also the story of the miners themselves, theur humour,their camaraderie,their distrust of new techniques and inventions, and sometimes their "bolshiness"If you have ever wondered what life was like at the coalface ,John Graham's book provides a fascinating read.Coal mining is part of our Northeastern heritageand should not be forgotten.This book will help the reader remember."

"The Flight" crosses the A696.

                                                             

Coals from the "Robert colliery" at Dinnington arrived at the rail head at Prestwick by aerial ropeway. This picture was taken circa 1960 at the point where the ropeway crossed the Newcastle to Ponteland road. 

The photographer is standing approximatly where the wash bay is at the Airport Filling station, looking towards Newcastle . The Doubletree hotel site is on the left hand side and the street of houses, Prestwick Terrace, seen in the distance still exists.