Pit Head Collection

Coalmine pithead silhouetted at dusk, South Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, Staffordshire, 1963. Lea Hall was the first colliery planned and sunk by the National Coal Board (NCB) and work began in 1954

Wyndham Colliery, Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, South Wales
A pre-1914 image of the Wyndham Colliery, Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, South Wales which opened in 1868. Date: circa 1900s

Penrhiwceibr Colliery, Glamorgan, South Wales
View of Penrhiwceibr (Penrhiwceiber) Colliery, Glamorgan, South Wales. The colliery closed in 1985

Markham Main Colliery, Armthorpe, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1961. A general view of the colliery taken during refurbishment work in 1961

Frickley Colliery, South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, 1965. Artist: Michael Walters
Frickley Colliery, South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, 1965. With its shaft sunk in 1905, Frickley Colliery in the village of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire

Elliot Colliery, New Tredegar, Rhymney Valley, South Wales
General view of the Elliot Colliery, New Tredegar, Rhymney Valley, South Wales

Wath Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 1956. Artist
Wath Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 1956. The pit was originally sunk in 1876 to a depth of 382 yards

Queen Mary visiting a Welsh colliery, 1935. A print from King Emperors Jubilee, 1910-1935, by FGH Salusbury, Daily Express Publications, London, 1935

Building the pithead, 1832, (1833). Creator: Auguste Raffet
Building the pithead, 1832, (1833). Construction de la descente de Fosse'. Soldiers with baskets and wooden beams in a nocturnal hilly landscape

Soldiers at a mineshaft, 1832, (1833). Creator: Auguste Raffet
Soldiers at a mineshaft, 1832, (1833). Communication de la descente de Fosse'. Soldiers making a fire. On the right in the foreground a large basket (gabion)

Mouth of the Harton Coal-Pit, South Shields, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Mouth of the Harton Coal-Pit, South Shields, 1854. Mr. Airy['s] grand object was to arrive at the weight of our globe...it being necessary to know this before we can proceed to determine

Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1964. Artist: Michael Walters
Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1964. The main pit head and winding gear at Rossington Colliery. The original owners of the colliery were the Rossington Main Colliery Ltd which was

The Duke of York visits the Pit at Atherton, Lancashire
The Duke of York visits the Pit at Atherton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire on a tour organised by the Industrial Welfare Society. Date: 1932

Bilston Glen Colliery, Midlothian, Scotland, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
Bilston Glen Colliery, Midlothian, Scotland, 1960. Bilston Glen pit was sunk between 1952 and 1961. It was the scene of violent clashes between striking miners

Coal mining accident: Courrieres Mines, Pas de Calais, France. From Le Petit Journal Paris March 1906
541357 Coal mining accident: Courrieres Mines, Pas de Calais, France. From Le Petit Journal Paris March 1906. by French School

Welsh Firemen in position above the pit-head and railway
Welsh Firemen in a strategic position above the pit-head and railway on a daily exercise routine. many Welsh miners were part-time fireman during the war. Date: circa 1941

Miners coming off shift at Hamstead Colliery, West Bromwich to the news that the mine is to close in 1965. 22nd January 1962

A typical Black Country scene of the 1920s

Mr Joe Gormley (left) with George Rees, Vice President of South Wales Area National Union of Miners at the Lady Windsor Colliery, Ynysybwl, Wales 21st January 1975

Coal Queen Arlene puts a stop to swear-words at the coal face. The 1, 800 pitmen at a Yorkshire colliery were on their best behaviour yesterday-for they were hosts to a coal queen

Miner George Purcell and wife Brenda, pcitured with baby daughter Caroline at Bilston Glen Colliery in Loanhead. Midlothian, Scotland, January 1972

Winding gear at the closed Byermoor Colliery site. February 1968

Frank Tilsley, after descending Lyme Colliery, talks to miners coming off the morning shift. September 1954 P005312

The Duchess of York at the Abercynon Colliery, South Wales - she is being shown a Davy Safety lamp (and how it works) by one of the miners Date: 1933

A Colliery Winding Engine, c1864-1930. Artist: Anna Lea Merritt
A Colliery Winding Engine, c1864-1930

The pit head and offices at Ollerton Colliery, North Nottinghanshire, 11 July 1962

Pit ponies, South Yorkshire, 1967. Artist: Michael Walters
Pit ponies, South Yorkshire, 1967. In 1913 there were 70, 000 pit ponies at work in Britain, according to government statistics

The heapstead at Kadeby Colliery, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. The heapstead showing the top of the winding gear

The Big A, Hem Heath Colliery, Trentham, Staffordshire, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
The Big A, Hem Heath Colliery, Trentham, Staffordshire, 1960. A view of the headgear of no 2 shaft, known as the Big A due to its distinctive shape

Lea Hall Colliery, Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1961. Artist: Michael Walters
Lea Hall Colliery, Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1961. Lea Hall Colliery was sunk in 1954 and full production began in 1960. The mine was highly productive

Killoch Colliery, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
Killoch Colliery, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1960. Two miners look towards the new winding tower at Killoch Colliery in Ayrshire

The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1966. Artist
The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1966. The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, photographed from the north during re-furbishments in 1966

Newly installed conveyor sytem at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. The conveyor sytem at Hickleton Main before the belt was fitted in July of 1961

Installing a cage at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. Artist
Installing a cage at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. During the drive to improve the pits in the South Yorkshire area during the 1950s and 1960s

Heavy lifting gear at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. Artist
Heavy lifting gear at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. A Coles Crane operated by Mobile Lifting Services was brought in to lift heavy girders during the refurbishment work

The new headgear at Kilnhurst colliery, South Yorkshire, 1957. Artist: Michael Walters
The new headgear at Kilnhurst Colliery, South Yorkshire, 1957. The new headgear under construction at Kilnhurst Colliery near Rotherham

Markham Main Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. Artist: Michael Walters
Markham Main Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. This photograph shows the upcast ascent gear at Markham main colliery in Armthorpe, near Doncaster, during refurbishment work in 1956

A view of Horden Colliery, County Durham, 1964. Artist: Michael Walters
A view of Horden Colliery, County Durham, 1964. Horden opened in 1900 and worked for just 84 years, closing just after the miners returned to work after their year long strike

Modernisation of the South Yorkshire coalfields, Cadeby Colliery, near Doncaster, 1955. Civil engineers make preparations for a concrete pour on the site of the new heapstead at Cadeby Colliery

Work girls at the Wigan Collieries, late 19th century. From Cassells Illustrated History of England, Vol IX

Pithead at Hebburn Colliery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne area, 1860. The engine house (left) provides power for the winding gear (centre) which is raising baskets (corves)

Sketch of the Harrington Mill Pitt Colliery, County Durham, early 19th century. Artist: Middlemist
Sketch of the Harrington Mill Pitt Colliery, County Durham, early 19th century. View of the pit head, showing the steam engine house

Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. Artist: Thomas Dick
Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. A general pit head scene showing an engine house for a steam engine, the pit head winding gear and the underground areas of the mine in cross section

Men with dram, Elliot Colliery, New Tredegar, South Wales
Two men hauling a dram (truck) full of coal from a cage at the pithead of the Elliot Colliery, New Tredegar, Rhymney Valley, South Wales

Glyn Pits Colliery, near Pontypool, Gwent, South Wales
View of the winding engine house, built in 1845, which worked the pumps at the Glyn Pits Colliery, near Pontypool, Gwent, South Wales

Hook Colliery, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
A view of Hook Colliery, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, showing the wooden pithead gear in the middle distance, and a few buildings

THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT TRIMDON COLLIERY, DURHAM: 1. The Gear at the Shaft-mouth; 2. Scene at the Pit-Head: Bringing up the Body of Deputy Thwaites; 3. Office Street; 4

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"Pit Head: A Glimpse into the Coal Mining Era" As the sun sets, casting a golden glow on the horizon, a coalmine pithead stands tall and proud, silhouetted against the dusky sky. This iconic image captures the essence of an industry that once fueled nations and shaped communities. Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station in Staffordshire, 1963 - a testament to the symbiotic relationship between coal mining and power generation. These structures symbolize both progress and hard work, as they provided energy for countless homes and industries. Venturing further south to Wyndham Colliery in Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, South Wales; Penrhiwceibr Colliery in Glamorgan; Markham Main Colliery near Doncaster - we witness the heartbeats of mining towns. These collieries were not just places of labor but also centers of camaraderie where generations forged unbreakable bonds. In Elliot Colliery at New Tredegar, Rhymney Valley, South Wales; Wath Main Colliery near Rotherham - we see artists capturing scenes that depict both beauty and grit. Their brushstrokes immortalize miners' resilience amidst challenging conditions while reminding us of their unwavering spirit. History unfolds before our eyes as Queen Mary graces a Welsh colliery during her visit in 1935. Her presence acknowledges the vital role played by these mines in sustaining economies across Britain. Yet not all stories have happy endings. The Easington Colliery mining disaster serves as a somber reminder of the dangers faced by those who toiled underground. Lives lost but never forgotten – heroes whose sacrifice reminds us to value safety above all else. Across borders lies Courrieres Mines in Pas de Calais, France – forever etched into memory due to a devastating coal mining accident in 1906.