Huncoat Colliery
 

Just wondering if there are any old coal miners on here. I worked at Huncoat Colliery from 1962 to 1968. Did a little at Hapton Valley then moved to Coventry Colliery until 1992.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

i'm sure my grandad used to work at that one, don't know what years though - Archie Mclean

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Was he a large gentleman with grey hair and glasses.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My dad worked there as an electrician Bryan Yates.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

he was slim, about 6ft, no glasses and i don't know how his hair was back then, i wasn't born

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My Gt. grandfather John Floyd came up from Cornwall when the tin mines closed and helped to sink Huncoat pit and then worked there for many years.He had a big family almost all girls but my grandfather did not follow in his footsteps and left Huncoat with my mother about 1912 to move to Accrington.It's not quite your time at the pit Mog,but still part of it's history.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

my husband david sidebottom worked at huncoat and hapton valley he left valley to go to parkside but cant remember the years he did have a spell in mansfield ,,,,,,,

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My dad thinks that my grandad (his ex father in law) used to work at a drift mine, somewhere near Rosegrove, was there one there?

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I am pretty sure Thorny Bank was a drift mine. It was just Accrington side of the Hapton Inn and not far from Rose Grove. I drove a coal tipper for a short while and loaded there a few times, A NCB man showed me the entrance to the drift once and I vowed that if I had to starve I would never venture down a coal mine. Silly me went down Hapton Valley one shut down with a mate who was an engineer. The men who work underground deserve every penny they get, and more.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

You are quite right, Thorny Bank was a drift mine. But there was also a drift into Hapton Valley mine. This was used as a conveyor system to bring coal out of the mine. I worked mainly at Huncoat and here are a few names of the young timber lads as we wetre called before we did our coal face training. Tony Boardman, Malcolm Taylor, Roy Tattersal, Alan Macnamara, Pat Varley, Dave and Mick Higgson, Brian Stevenson,
Ian (Pocket) Powers, Billy Baron. Will have think of some more.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

was at Bank Hall training pit meself, best job i ever got sacked from.:D knew most of the lads yeh mention Mog, Pat Varley was a good mate of mine, croaked a good few years back. another yeh may know who was a good mate of pats n mine was "Trev"-Brian Trevithick? your kids in that list aint he?

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My mate was Ken Lowe and he was an engineer. He later moved to Yorkshire pits and then somewhere down on the South coast.

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dont know much about pits im glad to say but about 60 yrs ago yes i can remember that far back just a trip was arranged from all saints church clayton to go down hapton valley pit i dont remember much about it but about 40 yrs ago i went down huncoat pit with a group of women from the meter testing station in clayton i do remember a bloke called brian maden & others took us down i was quite impressed at the bottom of the lift shaft quite high with strip lighting that was the best bit until we finished up in a local pub about 90 min later i couldnt believe men worked in such awful conditions they deserve every penny they earn violet

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

One side of my grandmothers family were tin miners in Cornwall before moving up here. I wonder if it was for the same reason

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Whilst digging around I found this if it's of any interest

Hapton Valley and other North East and Mid Lancashire Collieries.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Knew Brian Maden very well. He used to be on Mechanisation. Bringing the mine into the 20th century. He was also in the first aid team along with a few of us. Maybe I was there when you had your pit visit. Brian Trevithick, Yes I knew him as well. Did his family have hotel or bed and breakfast on Blackburn rd somewhere. Also yes that was our kid Brian Stevenson, He lives in Swindon. Doing ok.
Worked down the pit from 1962 until 1992. Maggie then said that she didnt want me any more, so I moved to the channel Tunnel as Technical Advisor for Eurotunnel. On the day of the opening I had to escort Maggie and Dennis into the tunnel via our train. I had to hold her hand as a support whilst she boarded the train. If my dad could have seen it he would have turned in his grave.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I'm sure there will be many who would have preffered you held her by the throat :)

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yep "Trevs" family had a B/B on blackburn rd, just past sacred heart goin church direction on opposite side, aint seen him though fer about 10 yrs he was livin oer padiham fer some strange reason.:D he used to sup wi me n Pat Varley n lads in the Black Bull.:) glad to hear yer brians ok.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My dad used to work at thorny bank on the face still got his little pit check tag with his number on it !

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Do any old Huncoat Mine coal workers or accrington residents remember a Herbert Martland married to an Edith Mary, Herbert died 1962. I am doing some family tree research and trying to fill in some blanks.

David

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Just picked this thread up. Pleased to say Brian Maden is still alive and kicking getting on abit I see him about once a month and talk about old times, there front room is full of coal by the time I leave.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My Dad (Alan Large) also worked at Thorny Bank. He was an electrician. He would occasionally go to Hapton Valley to help out.

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I operated a little tractor unit to take supplies ect to & from the face in one direction the engine was behind the driver & on the return journey the seat swivelled round and the engine was foremost I was also assisting a couple of pipe fitters regularly extending the service pipes as the face progressed, that was 1966-68 ,one of them was a young lad about 16 and he would put a line of snuff on his arm right up to his elbow 2-3 times a shift, Its such along time ago their names have left me but i can still see their faces [this was at thorny bank]

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I have been in contact recently with a long lost mate Ken Lowes who worked down Hapton Valley before moving to Kent.

He sent me the following photo taken down the Valley,
the arrow saying "ME" is Ken.

He took me down once during a shutdown and I have a great admiration for all the lads who made a living down there.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Hi there,

The attached photo is of some miners at the Huncoat pit (or maybe Scaitliff). I think it was taken when the pit closed, but not sure.
My interest in the picture is the person 3rd from the right, front row. This was Robert (Bob) Bannister, who sadly passed away in 2008 aged 83 in Morecombe.
He was the person running a gym and promoting wrestling in the Drill Hall during the sixties.
Could be that you might be on the photo also?

Sorry but I can't seem to load the picture. Will try again later.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Bobs gym was a boxing club on Argyle St, i used to go yon meself.:) He was also related to me mate,who i go up Stanley with.:)

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I think You got this all wrong my freind. Robert (Bob) Bannister. Never worked in the coal mines when I knew him. I first met Bob in 1954 as he lived close to me. I lived on Crown Street And Bob lived at the top of Ranger street, Richmond Hill street area. He,s was up until I left Accy a window cleaner as well as a Wrestling Promoter, wrestler and every thing connected to wrestling. Also I think he did get involved with boxing. When he was a wrestler, he fought under the name of Robert Retsinbban or Robert Retsinab. He did have a Gym at the Drill hall and in 1964 I was one of his seconds when the fought some bid sod called The Angel. I had to drag this big guy out of the ring when he was out cold.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Twas Robert Restinnab as i recall, which was bannister the wrong way round.;)The reason he used it, so his nephew told me.:) Seem to have a vague memory of Bob being a Window Cleaner?

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Yeh I knew him as a window cleaner

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Cheers i aint as senile as i thought.:D

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I'm Bob Bannister's nephew. I can confirm that my uncle Bob did work in the mines. He was called up as a "Bevin Boy". I'm not sure what year.

My Grandad, Dad and Uncle Bob all worked for the family business as window cleaners after the war. My dad left the business, setting up on his own. Bob and my Grandad carried on the window cleaning business until Grandads death in 1973. Bob then carried on until he retired around 1980. He then moved to Middleton, next door to Heysham, where he lived until his death in 2008.

During his wrestling career he was known as Robert Retsinab from Hungary. The reason this came about was when a promoter had forgotten his "ring name" and at the last minute turned his real name around. This stuck with him throughout his wrestling career

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Thanks very much for the info, You should be very proud of Bob and your Grandad. I dont think I remember your dad on the Windows but I am sure you were proud of him anyway, but I do remember your Grandad and Bob very well. Bob was a Bevin boy therefore he worked in the mines through the war years. I remember Your grandad always carried a small triangle shaped ladder as he did the downstairs windows but Bob carried the long extension ladder on one shoulder the bucket etc in the other hand and walked as if he was on Parade all the time. A big strong man. All us kids, Me our Brian, Malcolm Taylor, Tony Boardman all wanted to be like him when we grew up. A fine man and a gentleman. In fact he was one of my hero,s when I was a kid.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My brother-in-law Steve Clough worked Hapton Valley around about that time.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

That's a wonderful tribute Mog, I know from lots of other people that my Uncle Bob was highly respected throughout the town. Thanks.

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Mog was up last weekend, Tell him yerself next time he ventures north.:);) he popped in Railway fer n hour sat dinner.

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I worked at Huncoat Colliery from 1956 to 1964 prior to that I had been at Hoddlesden Colliery. I have a photo of me and David Sidebottom coming out of the pit about 1958.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I was clerk to Jimmy Cregg, the Hincoat undermanager ( under Mr Holroyd) 1957. I loved Jimmy and the job. I moved to Hapton Valley as clerk to manager Eric Whatmore for a year. Great time for me.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I remember david sidebottom very well you must remember the three duffy brothers. Mick, Pat and Bill. I worked up the Rise until Huncoat shut. When i was at Bank Hall we used to go to Hoddlesdon to make clay stemming for shotfireing.

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re.huncoat.colliery.i.worked.there.for.10.years.be tween1954-1964...first.of.all.as.a.timber.runner.pushing.a.b ogy.full.of.pit.propsup.a.gradient....there.were.2 .lads.to.a.bogy.we.gripped.the.rails.and.pushed.wi th.our.heads.probably.about.half.a.mile.to.the.coa l.face.we.did.3.trips.a.shift

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My Grandfather was the President of Accrington & District Miners Federation and was the first ordinary miner to sit on the National Executive of the Miners Federation. He took over as president from his father. He worked tirelessly for the miners arguing for better pay and conditions for them. He never worked at Huncoat pit although that was where he lived. He worked at Altham and got them pit head baths but because he had fought so hard for them they moved him to Scaithcliffe and he never got to use them himself. He had been to Edinburgh to the TUC Comference the week before he died. He died of a heart attack down Scaithcliffe just as he finished his shift. He was only 40yrs old. He was very well respected as the page long report of his funeral in the Observer testifies. That was in 1934. My dad always said if it was up to him they would sell coal like boiled ham at so much a quarter as it was so hard to get it.

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Incidently my father in law was the first ambulance man at Hapton Valley when they had the explosion. He went straight down the pit when he got there which I think took guts.

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I was greatly saddened by the deaths at Hapton Valley, as I had known many of the men who died. One was an Italian, Mario Lepri, who lived in Ossie. He had a great sense of humour and was famed for catching rats with his hands.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

We had a big discussion on this website on whether Bob Bannister actually worked down the mine. Thanks to his nephew “Keep the Faith” this topic has been cleared.
I would just like to add a photo of Bob (sitting down 3rd from the right).

Cheers

Philip Kenyon

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Rowlf - what was grandfather's name.? I recall my days at Hapton Valley with great affection. When I was a policeman working on the miners' strike, I got on well with the miners.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My Grandfather's name was Harry Smith. His father was Thomas Edward Smith. My Grandfather lived in Huncoat but never worked at the pit there as far as I know. He was at Altham then Scaithcliffe. He died in 1934. I got in touch with Accrington library and asked if they had any records showing minutes from the meetings of Accrington Miners Federation. They very kindly found the relevant books for me to look through. I found my Grandfathers reports from the Executive Committee. Very interesting and moving for me.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I have no idea which pit my Great Grandfather was in but I do know when he finished mining he was the landlord of the Black Bull in Huncoat.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

that is not Ken Lowes ,that is Peter Dunn

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I moved down to Kent for the channel tunnel in 92. Whereabouts in Kent does Ken live Patrick.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

ken lowes as far as I remember was a mechanic at Hapton Vallry but left in the 70's to work on fishing boats on the south coast. I believe his wife died and he came back to Accrington and restarted back at Hapton Valley. When Hapton Valley closed I believe he transferred to Lea Hall colliery in Rugeley. Incidentely I worked at hap ton Valley from 1970to its closure. i was one of the Surveyors (Dialers as we were called) I do not know where Ken is now but my reply about the photograph was to say that it did not depict Ken ,but an electrician called Peter Dunn .Incidentely the photo was was taken on either Dip 5 or Dip 3 .it was a retreat face.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Hi Mog my name Dicky ( Alan Dickinson) I worked with all the guys you mentioned see my forum. Do you remember me?

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

when did you work at Hapton Valley Bob

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I remember Steven Clough.I think he worked on the coal face.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I don't know what dates - but 1957-58. I loved it.

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Hey up Dicky, cause I remember you mate. And the rest of the Rishton and Great Harwood lads. Did you end up with your girlfriend Mow. Fred Dows daughter. You ok.

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Hi Mog what is your full name . Yes ended up with Mow we have been together 48 years , have 2 children We live in Australia . Tell me a few names you know from Huncoat
Cheers Dicky

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Some other names I remember Gilly,Molly, Gosh, Treverthick,Morris Steveson. Spud Pickup. Ian Power Is Marylyn's (Mow) cousin. Fred died when he was only 49.

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You just named me on here mate. there was only 1 other Stevenson and that was my brother Brian Stevenson. Others you mentioned Gilly was Glynn Gillibrand. Molly was Malcolm Taylor, Brian Trevethick, Spud Pickup was mates with our Brian. Ian Pocket Powers was my old mate. Mog is me.

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I knew "uncle" Bob, he and my father Jack Barnes ran their window cleaning rounds together during my youth. Although we called him Uncle Bob we were not blood relatives. If we are talking about the same man he was married to "auntie" Rita whose daughter was Susan (like myself). My father told us that prior to window cleaning uncle bob worked down the pits and that he wrestled under the name of Robert retsinab. I have photos somewhere when we were on holiday and Susan an I are riding around on trikes outside a caravan. I grew up knowing this man he was part of our family life.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

An article in today's (Jan 4th) Lancashire Telegraph about a miner from Huncoat.

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Any of you ex Miners know of a man called Herbert Daley. I have in my possession a badge with his name engraved on the back on the face it says LANCS & CHESHIRE MINERS across the top, below it says WELFARE COMMITTEE. There are also on the face two pennants either side of a Davy Lamp with the words Safety Badge under the lamp. How or why this came to be in my possession I have not got a clue, so if any of you guy's out there know of him or his family could you let me know, they may want a memento.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Hi my dad worked at Huncoat till 1967 Jack Southern, I worked at thornny bank yes it was a drift mine we left accrington and transferred to cotgrave nottingham 1967.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

After reading your first post about Woodnook school, I think that your first name may start with an (R) and that you were a member of the school football team that played in the mid 1960s; the team that followed on from the team that I played in during the 1961/62 season.
Regards, Taddy.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I realise it is the wrong time of year to mention this as it has closed now for the winter but while I am thinking on.....You miners out there might like to know there is an excellent mining museum in Burnley which is well worth a visit next year. Have a look on their website at Woodend Mining Museum > Home The bloke who owns it is only too happy to show folk round and loves nattering about the pits. He and his wife have done a remarkable job over the last few years. There is a little cafe too. Make a note and have a trip there in the Spring.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I recently saw a signpost for this museum and wondered why7 I had never heard of it before. It is off a road leading towards Burnley near to Fence.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

That's right Bob. If you turn right off the bypass coming from Padiham down Greenhead Lane, at the very bottom of the hill turn right. there is a sign there for the museum. It is a narrow lane and the museum is on the right some way along although it cannot be seen from the lane. There is a sign though. There is quite a bit abut Hapton Valley. As I said it is well worth a visit.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I have put this on the photos site but then thought all you ex miners may not look on there so, looking on comp this morn saw a picture of some miner's with the Duke of York this went under the heading Abandoned Collieries could solve heating prob, enough waffle look at the photo of the group of miners mainly the cheeky chappie front left, if your eyes are as bad as mine look just below his left hand. or is it my eye's

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

PS. msn news

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

It took me a while to find it but I think I get your drift,;);).

Your's Taddy.

P.S. I could also mistakenly have put this answer under another topic/title.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

When you say it took you a while to find it
you did mean the post didn't you.

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HA HA,very good,as it happens yes; I did mean the post.
Your's, Taddy.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Hello everyone,
My name is Mike Costello and I'm a new joiner. My dad worked at one of the mines in the area possibly just after the war and, as he and mum lived at Woodside Road, I am presuming it was the Huncoat Colliery. The only clue I have though is that my mum once told me that dad worked at the 'Happy Valley' mine. Whether that is a real place or a nickname I'm not sure. Dad was irish and called Paul Costello.

If you've heard of the mine, or my father, then any help on this would be really appreciated

Thanks

Mike

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

The pit's cor5rect name was Hapton Valley. It was situated just 'next door' to Burnley Crematorium. Now a garden centr
e IO think. I was the manager's clerk there1957-8.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

I think that the garden centre has been built on now.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Thanks Bob, that's helped me get the name right. I can now do further investigations at the correct colliery.

Thanks again.

Mike

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

In 1958 (?) there was an explosion at the HV pit resulting in loss of life. There was so much methane in it that some was used to make electricity..Just beforte I arrived there was a flood.

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

My mum told me about a disaster at that mine but I presumed she meant during the time my dad worked there, and hence why he left. Your info Bob means this occured after dad had left.
The information I used to be told by my mum was sketchy, at best, and this is probably why I never took any interest until now.

Thanks again.

Mike

Re: Huncoat Colliery
 

Hi my dads uncle was Eric whatmore . Great gentleman . My dad used to tell me about how he managed pots all over the country . Would be glad to here any stories/info about them days . Thanks