Genealogy Forum UK

Take 5 minutes to look at this:
It should be remembered for our area:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz8xWdyuw4I

Think ive photograph a few headstone relating to a mining disaster

When I was a child , my dad use to take us kids on walks,and on one occasion he took us down Camp Lane , opposite the Hawthorns ,it was a long walk but i can't remember the exact root we went. We came upon a colliery , not in use . It still had the building with what I think was a wheel ,and I remember a giant slag heap. We only stood on the edge and looked , There was wood everywhere and for some reason I remember there was a lot of water in puddles,and I remember I got my white socks dirty. I do not know if this was Hamstead Colliery , as it was not far from where we lived in Handsworth . My dad was born in April 1908 ,so my granddad would have been living in Handsworth then.It must have reminded him of his own grandfather who died down the pit in Dudley. It is all very sad Dt

Hi DT: That colliery was 'The Jubilee'...an area where as kids we would
go fishing in Swan Pool (known to us kids as 'Wason pool')...your right it
was an area where one could feel to be 'out in the country' and as one got
older, it was a good place to go 'courting'...Hamstead Colliery was situated
in Hamstead Rd,on the boundry between Brum and West Brom.
I went on an organised trip with the Fire Service to the Coal face many years
ago...it took 3/4 hr.via cage & train to get to the coal face,which we were
told was under Walsall at that time(6 miles from the entry shaft)....later when
the pit closed in 1965, the main building became a 'nightclub' for a time.

Just added to BCC..Two of the miners killed in the disaster:
Richard ASHTON b.1875 & Thomas HOLLYOAK b.1869.
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/fa ... oak-Family
Both were neighbours and related by marriage and also had
young children.

Oh yes I remember now. I did think it might not be the same pit. Before i got married i use to live by Oxhill road , thats not far from Hamstead Road ,I think. My brother's wife lived in that area. the Terrace on my Avatar is Church Terrace on the Holyhead Road ,not far from the New Inns Pub. Dt

I visited someone in a care home a few years ago and I seem to remember it was built on the site of the old Hamstead Colliery. Not sure exactly where it was but I think it was on the West Bromwich/Birmingham border.

dudleytaylor wrote:Oh yes I remember now. I did think it might not be the same pit. Before i got married i use to live by Oxhill road , thats not far from Hamstead Road ,I think. My brother's wife lived in that area. the Terrace on my Avatar is Church Terrace on the Holyhead Road ,not far from the New Inns Pub. Dt

Know the area well....Born & bred in Winson Green,spent a lot of time on the Soho Rd.
and 6 years at Handsworth Fire Stn.

sparkstopper wrote:

dudleytaylor wrote:Oh yes I remember now. I did think it might not be the same pit. Before i got married i use to live by Oxhill road , thats not far from Hamstead Road ,I think. My brother's wife lived in that area. the Terrace on my Avatar is Church Terrace on the Holyhead Road ,not far from the New Inns Pub. Dt

Know the area well....Born & bred in Winson Green,spent a lot of time on the Soho Rd.
and 6 years at Handsworth Fire Stn.

my granddad was a part time fireman in Handsworth. My eldest brother still has his brass helmet, I am not sure of the date ,but it must have been in the early part of the 1900's. I was born at Church Terrace,went to school at St James in Brewery St and married at St James Church Crocketts Road. My aunt lived at Barford Road Ladywood .I use to catch the no 11 bus to go and see her ,and pass through Winson Green. My husbands family come from Ladywood and Smethwick . His uncle use to run the Cross Keys in Stewart st. His name was Watty Green. Its a small world .

What a wonderful tribute to the men and families! I am a bit soppy but am sat in tears
Its out of BCC area isnt? Would have been good to follow the families.
Jo

Two families from BC area here Jo:
http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/fa ... oak-Family

I wonder if they would allow us to link them in?

I must apologize for going off thread. The mine disaster was close to my heart not just because it was close to home, but because my own 2nd great grandfather was killed in a mining accident in 1860 . Dt