Wigan Album
Blackpool Miners Home
7 Comments
Photo: Ged
Item #: 18176
A good night had by all,Bill Shaw is in this photo + another chap who's name i cant remember,
The bloke sat first left may be my dad Billy burgess, but not shure, as i was born in 1951, but i know my dad was a pit man and did spend time at the miners home.
Hi William, it does look like your dad, from what I can remember (I was born in '41). He was a customer at the Crispin Arms, Birkett Bank. My father Jack Bowen was landlord there from Jan. 1950 until 1956. I have already posted photos on this site from those days, and I'm sure Billy is on a few of them.
When it was converted into apartments. I have often wondered, what happened to the lovely blue carpet with the design of the miners' lamps,in the pattern. It was in the entrance hall, and I do have a recollection of some kind of mechanical device, also in the entrance hall, that you put a coin in to work it, although I could be mistaken.
Ged, I think that the pic might have been 1960. I went to Parkside from Stones in Sept 1959 and your dad followed when the pit shut. On the pic L-r d/k Tommy Fildes, Jack Mawdesley, d/k Tommy Hilton, Joe Dardis, Sammy Podmore, Harold Clark, Bill Shaw. Tommy Fildes went to work in South Wales with Brian Dunlevy with ATC. Harold Clark died sometime last year. Joe Dardis was an onsetter with the sinking team and he stayed on after the shafts were complete. Jack Mawdesley was a deputy, along with Tommy Fildes when the sinking was in progress
When I did my pitman's training at Betteshanger Colliery in Kent one of the training films we were shown was of the sinking of the shafts at Parkside. Not quite as interesting as the safety films they showed... of a miner's boot coming down a conveyor belt, with half a bloody leg attached. Didn't stop us riding the belts if that got us to pit bottom quicker.
My dad, Eddie Greenall, spent some time at the miners home. Probably mid to late 50's. My mum was telling me recently how she spent time in Blackpool in a boarding house when she went visiting - I'll have to get a few more details when I'm back next month