MINING HERITAGE

For the past two months I have been writing of various mining aspects from Pinxton’s past. We are fortunate the details quoted are reliable and are corroborated by not just one source but by four different sources.

The first, not necessarily in chronological order, was Matthew Hayes from verbal information he gave to his son-in-law, Matthew Wheeler, and titled ‘The Collier’s Sturgeon’.

Second, we have the written accounts of Henry Walker, serialised under the pseudonym ‘ExResident’, in forty weekly instalments in the local newspaper entitled ‘Pinxton Old and New’.

Henry and Matthew Hayes were both born on Meadow Rows, Pinxton Wharf in 1824. They started worshipping at the Old Methodist Church, which was held in the upstairs library room of Pinxton’s first school for the children of mineworkers, built in 1824 by John Coke. This was the forerunner of the former Wharf Chapel.

In 1841 both young men became leaders of the burgeoning new Notts. Mineworkers Union. At the cessation of hostilities, both Matthew and Henry were blacklisted and had to find work in the Chesterfield coalmines. Matthew later returned to Pinxton and eventually became undermanager of one of the Birchwood Collieries, living at Paul Pry, before moving to Somercotes. Henry never returned to Pinxton to live, but visited occasionally, accompanied by his son in the 1890’s.

The third source is none other than John Spiers who wrote an account of the strike, ‘Pinxton’s Armageddon’. All three of our sources were ardent followers of the

Methodist faith, who you would expect not to tell untruths or exaggerate.

The last of our four sources is the report by the Commissioners employed to gather the evidence. The information is, therefore, well sourced and corroborated. Today five-yearolds are/or have just started school. Imagine mothers of yesteryear taking them to the local mine shaft and watching them being loaded into a wicker basket hanging loose on a long rope and then being slowly wound down a narrow hole some sixty or so yards deep. In winter the only time these boys saw daylight was on the Sabbath. Just imagine their quality of life, or more appropriately the lack of it. But this is exactly what and how it was. Enough to make one seek solace in drink. Is it any wonder there were so many ale houses and pubs in pinxton? However, that is another story for another time!

Written by Norman Taylor on behalf of The Pinxton and South Nornanton Local History Society.

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