YORKSHIRE MAIN COLLIERY

The only seam worked around the time of 1953 was the Barnsley seam , but the Dunsil seam some 18 yards deeper was due to be worked at any time.

It was noted at the time, that these two seams would provide a life of 70 years at 4,500 tons per day and there are other seams available which could be worked later making the estimated life of the pit without other seams being worked come to an end in 2023, the report was made in 1953.

The total number of men employed at the colliery in 1953 was 2,391 of whom 1,162 worked at the coal face.  The daily saleable output at the time was 3,840 tons of coal per day.

 

 Waiting to descend the shaft in 1952.

 

In 1930 the pit head baths were opened for the first time with accommodation for 2,200 men and boys.  Prior to this time men would walk home in there pit muck, hopefully to find a tin bath in front of the fire with freshly boiled water in and there wives waiting to scrub there backs.  This was later done by work colleagues or the nearest man showering next to you.  I remember even in the 80s one or two of the older men would still walk through the village in there muck and work clothes to get a bath at home rather than use the pit lockers and showers.

 

Men walking across the pit yard towards the pit baths in 1950, not a normal sight in my day.  As soon as the cage hit the surface the men would run like hell to get the best showers.

Notice the new cage waiting to be fitted on the right of the picture.

The first heavy duty face to be introduced to the pit was in the 1970s on the Barnsley seam and used modern coal cutting machines and six leg hydraulic props to hold up the roof. In the early 1970s the swallow wood seam was opened up which was worked until the pit closed in 1985, the parkgate seam was due to be opened up when the pit closed and was never worked.Other seams that were available to be extracted at yorkshire main but were never mined were the Haigh moor seam and the Lidgett seam. 

Below is a picture of the yorkshire main dance band in 1930.

The next picture shows the yorkshire main officials with the names below.

Fred Hutchinson, Freddie Davison, Tommy Oliver, Danny Gray, Tommy Lawrence, Tommy Edwards, Albert Barrowcliffe, Andy Cusack, Hughie Lewis, Percy York, Chris Thornycroft, Harry Unwin, Wilf Wallace, Bill Hilton, Ruben Spires, Albert Church, Arthur Holmes, Ned Reed, Bill Templeton, Tommy Emms, Bill Lowndes,  George Bailey, Albert Rose, Albert Unwin, Len Bates, Bob Grainger, Fred Beavers, Edger How and George Wanless. 

Yorkshire main brass band taken in the 30s out side the offices.

Yorkshire main pipe band in the drill hall.

The next picture shows the new houses under construction in Edlington to accommodate the influx of new miners from the closing pits in the north.

The old welfare ground next to the pit, the sports field and the track are still there but the old welfare building was demolished in the 60s to make way for the new miners welfare.

The local Army brigade on duty in the pit yard in the 30s.

Deputies on show in the 1920s on the pit top.

Edlington colliery.