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Hamstead Colliery

I visited the colliery in 61, with my school, arranged by "Coal Board", to see if any one wan
ted an apprenticeship, put me off coal mining for life. Paul
 
Banjo said:
I seem to have missed out on the general conversations by some years! Anyway, I lived in Langdale Road in 1958 and my Dad worked at the pit. I have so many great memories of that time. Sliding down the slag heaps on corrugated iron sheets (how dangerous was that? Playing on the cut, and playing over on the "Mole-hole". Also going over to Big Jim's Wood. I went to Churchfields school and we had school buses that took us there. I lived with the Phillips Family at 70 Langdale Rd. Mrs Phillips,Berwin,Pamela,Irene & Gloria. I've never forgotten them and if anyone remembers them it would be great. I could go on (and on) but will stop now to draw breath!
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P.S I eventually got in touch with Pamela.
 
My grandparents, dad, brothers & sisters moved up to Hamstead for grandad to work down Hamstead pit. My eldest uncle remained in South Wales as he had his own young family there. Nan & Gramps lived in the colliery house off Old Walsall Rd with the back yard overlooking the brickworks. Gramps and 2 uncles worked Hamstead pit until it closed (I think), Gramps retired and uncles moved one to Telford and one to Nuneaton to continue their mining careers. Nan & Gramps moved to West Bromwich when their house was due to be demolished. Dad never worked underground and spent most of his working life as a lorry and bus driver. The pictures here bring back so many memories, the area being a major part of my childhood years up until the mid 70's. My mom's parents came from Rockford Rd where I lived for the first 4 years of my life and subsequently spent most school summer holidays there from 6 years old upwards. Anybody remember the Probyn or Hickman families?
 
Apart from Hampstead, there was Jubilee Colliery. This mine was developed with a tramway to the canal at Sandwell Park Colliery. It was in West Bromwich, but was just on the border with Handsworth and had workings that went that way. There was also a sinking at Perry, but was stopped as little coal could be discovered. The Perry sinking did have a railway siding that linked with the London & North Western Railway.
 
Heartland said:
Apart from Hampstead, there was Jubilee Colliery. This mine was developed with a tramway to the canal at Sandwell Park Colliery. It was in West Bromwich, but was just on the border with Handsworth and had workings that went that way. There was also a sinking at Perry, but was stopped as little coal could be discovered. The Perry sinking did have a railway siding that linked with the London & North Western Railway.
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These sites all show on the Coal Board site
 
I agree Pete. I went down Radstock colliery in Somerset twice in the 1960s on visits. I'm not sure I would be prepared to do so today.
 
Funny to think I am alive because of Hamstead Colliery, my dad was a miner in Hamilton and came to Brum in the thirties to work at Hamstead.

He stayed with his cousin in Aston Lane when he came here, as many of those immigrant lads did and when he asked cousin Jimmy Anderson if there was football anywhere near he was pointed half a mile down Aston Lane to Villa Park which set us off as a family.

It's in our blood, not that I support the Accies as well, as dad did.

Dad was a dancer, very good at it and caught mom's eye she said, at The Dancing.

After the war, he was in the RAF thank god, he got a job hairdressing and they married in 1947.

Stayed with family in Lennox St after the wedding then got the house in Blucher St

I'm sure there's more to tell but was never given an insight to those harsh days down the pits, which gave dad emphysema.
 
Dave P said:
Stokkie, any idea what year they demolished the old coal board houses in I think it was Bradford St / AB Row off old Walsall Rd? I thought my grandparents were moved out to a flat in West Bromwich quite a while after 1965.
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No idea, I'm afraid Dave. I would think that the NCB housing would continue for a long time after the mine closure. Nationally 170,000 houses were owned up to the miners' strike 1984-5 and after the NCB was ordered to sell the housing stock. I don't know the history of these houses in Hamstead.
 
Pedrocut said:
Hamstead village cottages…

Resource Details - Birmingham Images

Images, documents and views from the past for the area where you live, work or visit.
www.search.birminghamimages.org.uk
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I remember seeing from a distance the miners walking away from the mine, I think toward them. We would watch for the lift wheel to rotate up. There were school trips there before my time, I never went or would go near, very claustrophobic just thinking about it!
 
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