Mining the stories of Markham Vale's past

Mining the stories of MarkhamVale’s past

Derbyshire’s Markham Vale business park, located off junction 29a on the M1, became a UK Enterprise Zone in 2012, subsequently attracting over 50 businesses to ‘set up

shop’ there to benefit from the high quality of support to businesses, the attractive landscape and accessibility to the major highway network.

by Kate Dawson

Matt Parfitt, founder Radiant Cleaners

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King (centre) holds a photograph of Markham miner Wilfred Haywood with Wilfred’s granddaughter Janet Wilkins and his second cousin Alan Perry

Whilst the area has undergone significant regeneration, creating over 1,600 jobs, with plans to create a further 2,500 across theindustrial Florence, estate 10 the years developers, with xxxxxHenryBoots Developments together with Derbyshire County Council, have not lost sight of the fact that the area was a closeknit mining community before the closure of Markham Colliery in 1994. In 2009 they brought in Beam consultants to design a programme of community-led activities to celebrate the area’s coal-mining heritage and remember the men who died in the three major pit disasters of 1937, 1938 and 1973.

The Story Mine was one of the projects that was conceived by Beam. The project has been supported with £35,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund which helped fund a Community Co-ordinator, Lynn Ludditt, to engage local people in researching their mining heritage, as well as funding a website on which the history and recordings of memories of the lives of the workers and their families can be heard.

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Animal care is integral to learning at Turner Farm

The Story Mine website features the stories of the men who died in the three major disasters at Markham. It also hosts a variety of written recollections, oral histories, photographs, poetry and songs which provide a vivid portrayal of the lives of colliery workers from across Duckmanton, Staveley, Bolsover and Poolsbrook.

Lynn Ludditt explained: “It is vital to capture people’s stories while we can. There are still people living who lost loved ones in the ’37 and ‘38 disasters, as well as people who vividly remember the ’73 disaster – their stories are a valuable part of our local

history.”

Roy Moreton’s account of his family life following the death of his father in the 1937 disaster, brings home the stoicism of the communities that banded together in the wake of their personal loss and facing the hardship of life during World War II.

Local

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historian feedback

Sandra Struggles, whose father from was this a young miner, was heavily involved in the research person says effort it all as well as helping to find (and reunite) relatives of the miners commemorated by the statues. Sandra’s interest in local history goes back many years, and she accompanied her Dad underground on his last shift.

“I’ll never forget the fear of being under a very low roof as the coal cutting machine passed by the side of us. Luckily my Dad survived 46 years underground but could always remember feeling the earth shake the day of the Markham disaster of 1938. He was aged 14 and underground at Ireland Colliery.”

The community has also helped provide information for the county council’s Walking

Florence, 10 years with xxxxx

Together project which is a trail of steel

Florence, 10 , shows Sandra, 91 some wild flowers sculptures representing the 106 men who

died in Andrew the disasters, Lowe, starting Radiant at Cleaners Duckmanton and leading into the employee Markham Vale business park. Each figure has a name tag attached to it on which is inscribed their name, occupation and age when they died.

The artwork created by Stephen Broadbent cuts through the dramatic industrial landscape enabling walkers to re-imagine and remember the lives of all the miners, and in particular those who lost their lives for their work.

Pupils from Duckmanton Primary School have been involved in both projects and performed a song, Workers in Coal, written by local musician Steve Haywood, (himself a former miner and from mining stock), which they performed at a commemoration event of Walking Together statues in September 2018.

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So far 45 figures have been created with sponsorship from local businesses, funders and contributions from local families who are proud to see their relatives commemorated in this way.

Derbyshire County Council CabinetMember for Economic Development andRegeneration, Councillor Tony King, said:“As we continue to regenerate the MarkhamVale site, it’s really important that we don’tforget about its past, the challenging jobsthe pit workers had and the sacrifices theymade. Our Walking Together memorial andStory Mine projects are helping to tell thesite’s mining history and we can continue toshare this story with future generations foryears to come.”

Animal care is integral to learning at Turner Farm Lynn Ludditt, CommunityEngagement Officer provides herinsights into how to deliver asuccessful local heritage project: Animal care is integral to learning at Turner Farm

Harness the interest of people whoalready have a wealth of knowledgeabout their local history.

Invite a local school to get involvedwith the research to help them learnabout their local history and createeducation resources which can be usedby other schools.

Animal care is integral to learning at Turner Farm

Derbyshire Records Office has helpedus navigate their records and providedtraining to our volunteer researchers.We couldn't have done it without them.

To find out more and make a donation to support Walking Together please visit: www.markhamstorymine.org