parsonage and bickershaw collieries

would like to hear from anybody who worked at these pits from 1987 to1992

Eyup, ar't related to Ste and Tony?

no I am afraid not do you know anybody else who worked at bickershaw and parsonage?

Peter Grainey was my brother in law.He worked at Parsonage

I've spoken to a woman from Westhoughton today, she told me her late husband was an electrician at Parsonage, his name is Kevin Kirkman.

I worked with Kevin Kirkman at Parsonage. Grand lad, always had a smile on his face. I was a fitter there but left in 1980

Just remembered I worked with a Colin Grainey in the developments.

Thanks for your replies .in response to Tonker and Dosco when our families came to england from ireland one group settled in the liverpool area and the other in the manchester area .my family settled in St,Helens our name was spelt as Graney.I remember when I worked at parsonage as an electrician part of an installation team I was waiting to get in the cage to go underground when I noticed a man with the name Peter Grainey on his coat it was like looking at my dad uncanny .I had the pleasure of knowing kevin kirkham I was sad to hear he had passed away .there is a picture on the parsonage site showing 5 electricians in the work shop I think the photographer was kevin kirkham good memories.

that was a long message sorry good memories

There's a bloke I work with,I'm pretty sure his dad worked at Plank Lane around that time.I'll ask him tomorrow.

I've been down Plank Lane several times. In fact, I went down today!

are you sure you was,nt going up

Completed my shot firing training at Parsonage with Stan Wall training officer and Gerald Gregson I think he was the deputy manager. Spent to weeks there a good set of men.

in reply to GrahamK do you remember tommy whittle and stuart crompton electricians .

I remember once going sea fishing with Kev kirkman,I think Stue Crompton and Tommy Whittlte were there, about an hour out a seagull cr--ped on me, I said has anybody got any paper ,Kevin said I wouldn't bother it will be miles away now.

Sorry graneyjoesph I worked at Bold and later at Parkside I completed my shotfiring at Parsonage.

Glynrich, when you went fishing with Kevin Kirkman, was there not an electrician there called Kenny Green?
Kemmy was a good mate of Kevin's and they always went fishing together.

glynrich that was kevins dry sense of humour great bloke ,tommy and stuart ended up working on the surface good set of lads at parsonage also the rest of the pits I worked at .but for maggie we would still be sharing these memories face to face.

in reply to messages I started my apprenticeship at old boston with graham coffey didnt know his family.also lad name of stuart burns .keith hibbut went to new zealand couple of years before the strike .afternoon chargehand fitter was bob hallsworth was that the bob you are talking about

Spotted a couple of ex Golborne colliery lads on your profile picture, is that Colin Richardson back left? and the lad next to him was form Burnley, I think his name is Gavin.

Tuddy thanks for you reply the picture is of colin richardson but not gavin cuuningham its brett hargreaves from burnley the picture is on parsonage album workshop pictures .lots of memories working at the complex ,colin is from ince I recall

TUDDY look at photo of the day february 2012 message from ste stonehouse from the picture of golborne memorial stone

Yea, now I remember, it was Brett not Gavin, there were a few lads came to Golborne from Burnley. That's a good photo of the memorial stone, I remember Ste and his brother Frank working at Golborne. There were two Grainey brothers killed in the explosion at Golborne, Peter and Pat, was that the Peter who you met at Parsonage?

I think it was never got chance to speak to him .I thought I was looking at my dad . the lads from burnley use to travel every day 2 names I recall the antrobuses and a bloke nickenamed Moose

I remember the Antrobusses, I think one of them was called Sid, they worked on the jackbit shift. I also remember Moose and his two mates, they helped to carry me out on a stretcher once. Tommy Paige was another of the Burnley men at Golborne.

Irememember tommy he got hurt on plodder face ,He moved to parsonage in charge of lifting appliances,nice bloke tommy ,your right about sid antrobus hard worker full of burnley humour must have been the pennine fresh air

These are the electricians (underground) that. I can remember.
Alf Taylor, Kevin Reidy, Malcolm Davies, Mick Davey, Mick Stokes, Kevin Kirkman, Tommy Whittle, Kenny Finch, Brian Harrison, Alan Burgess, Barry Parkinson. Stuart Crompton, Roy Parr, Kenny Penington (Red un) and a lad called Nigel that was a bit deaf.

DOSCO.I remember a few of those brian harrison his dad was an assistant engineer freddie harrison .do you remember russell noonan

also mick reid as well

Just remembered, Johny Bullough, Alan Jones and Cyril Bradley

i remember them alan jones had nickname pastie feet i think .i started at old boston with johnny bullough 1967 paddys day 17th march

Dosco - do you remember if Tommy Whittle lived in Atherton? My Grandad had the same name, and worked at Parsonage for a while.

Veg, the Tommy Whittle I knew lived in Hindley Green but he may have come from Atherton originaly?
I think he had a brother that was also an electrician at another pit, maybe Parkside.

Dosco, do you mean Cyril Benson instead of Bradley ?

Yes Evelyn, it was Benson

Dosco, I knew Kevin Reidey and Mick Stokes. They came to Parkside.

cyril benson theres a name from the past tommy whittle was working on the surface when i finished 1991 1992

Thanks Dosco, it isn't the same person.

When asked about how many pints he'd supped Mick Stokes used to say 'I don't talk in pints I talk in gallons'
He liked a drink did Mick

kenny pennington red haired lad hence the name red un.do you remember a lad called carl nabacov electrician came to parsonage after golborne closed .EVELYN i remember Don was elder member of the electric shop and was treated with a lot of respect from all who came in contact with him

Thank you Joe, You are not the first person to say that about Don.It appears that he was well respected by his Parsonage mates. He is still a gentleman and a gentle man who has been my soul mate for 52 years.

And long may it last.another name from the past Ste Dixon worked on the aurface as well,I remember his dad from bold a unoin man part of the st,helens craftmans branch

What about the fitters then, Underground.
Joe Kenyon, Alan Hampson, Eric Greenalgh, Ian Derbyshire, Ray Foster, Steph Myers, Frank Higgs, Albert Massey, Eric Smith, Roy Cunningham, John Bretherton, Billy Halliwell, Billy Machin, Dave Winstanley, Johnny Davies, Tommy Rigby, Joe Littler, Derek Morris, Kenny Grgory, Bob Hall, Bernard Marsh, Dave Topping, Laurie McTigue, Trevor Rosser.

A fine bunch of lads the names sticking out are alan hampson who lived locally we installed big haulage engine at parsonage alan was one of the fitters on the installation ,ray foster I knew from golborne he transferred to parsonage also a fitter ste halliwell who had the nickname gomez ,cant beat stirring memories from names from the days at the 3 pits not many work enviroments could equal pit life

Ste and Frank Stonehouse both moved onto Bold Colliery, Frank was good boxer.

he was true ,didnt they have trials for st,helens rugby

I did my shotfiring with Ronnie Caunce at Old Boston think he worked at Parsonage of Bickershaw he was a rum lad.

not sure about ronnie caunce, I started at bold 1968 moved to golborne 1986 the part of an installation team covering the 3 pit complex great times

Recently, I've met two ex-pit surveyors.

One's Dave Pasquell and the other's Derek Haslam. Anybody remember them two?

tonker not sure about those two ,do you remember the scottish lad first name alec use to work with tony pickavance (sasquash)after bold he moved to golborne

No, because I only ever did my training at Bold, except for a bit of salvaging. I was at Parkside from 1974 until 1986 and I loathed and despised it!

I'm Alan Burgess' son, he worked at Parsonage until 82 when we emigrated to Oz, Sadly my Dad passed away on 27th July 2013.
He was good friends with Kevin Kirkman and family.

There is a online memorial for him here:

www.legacy.com/guestbooks/thewest-au/guestbook.aspx?n=alan-burgess&pid=166110452&cid=full#sthash.FegjLpDs.8S47kmwL.dpbs

Burgo1010 very sorry to hear about your dad passing away pass on my sympathies to your family,I only worked at the 3 pit complex from 1987 until 1992 but I knew kevin kirkham who I AM led to believe as also passed away, there is a lady whose name is Evelyn Armstrong her Husband Don knew Kevin if you contact Brian on wiganworld he will be able to put you in contact with Evelyn Armstrong good luck

Yes I will do that as I am trying to contact family over there who may not know of my Dads passing.

Cheers

Dad had a cousin Barbara armstrong?

Burgo's link

kryten regarding Burgos link one message brought memories back tony mcgarry deputy electrical engineer at bickershaw best boss I ever had, last saw him in the Hare and Hounds 1990s pass on my regards

Burgo1010 good luck with getting in contact with Evelyn and Don Armstrong.

I'll pass on the message to Kevin Kirkman's wife.

graneyjoseph, if you tell me your name then I will pass the message directly to Tony, am in contact with the family

Morning Burgo1010, my name is Joe Graney he will remember me, wish him all the best great bloke

Tonker ,Kevin was a great bloke dry sense of humour ,It was a pleasure to have known him

Message sent Joe
To quote his wife Joan "tell him tony says he was the best x"

Burgo1010 he is a top dollar bloke only met joan through seeing tony at the hare and hounds ,tony will remember bonehead ,we met some great characters meet some more we hope ,you all take care good luck

Dave Nicholson and his dad Don who has past away both worked at Bickershaw Colliery until it closed.

GrahamK those names are not familiar to me at the moment,I worked installing the haulage system taking men and materials down to the plodder developments and then the NISBE bunker Kenny taylor was the chargehand electrician in the plodder area,other names I remember Jimmy gore and Bob Fairhurst Alan shields

Undermanager plodder area was it Mark Jones ?

Graneyjoseph,
The Alec you refer to with Sasquash was Alec Bole. A true friend who passed away at such a young age with cancer. Mark Jones was my undermanager at Bickershaw. I see you mention a Kevin Kirkman who I do not know but apparently liked his fishing, at Bickershaw I used to work with Jimmy Kirkman who also loved his fishing and he always said he was going on fishing trips with his brother but never ever mentioned his name. I wonder if Kevin and Jimmy were the brothers. Jimmy used to drive the loco on night turn.

BILLYAGG I think your right about jimmy and kevin kirkham,as regards Alec Bole at bold I worked on T26 with Alec he moved to golborne at the same time as I did good bloke like you say,I wasnt that keen on golborne but I moved as part of an installation team of 5 electricians working at all 3 pits mainly parsonage and bickershaw I enjoyed my time there,

on one of the threads somebody mentioned a pub outside the bickershaw gates I think it was The Neveison not a bad pint.

My brother john winrow worked as an electrician at plank lane, but I can't remember when he retired.

sorry wizzerwin cant remember john winrow ,jimmy gore I remember kenny taylor

At Bickershaw upon the night shift there was an electrician who I became good friends with, his name was Gary Blackhurst.

BILLYAGG cant remember Gary ,Bickershaw was a big mine I met some great mates there nobody thought it would end ,we (me and my 4 workmates)came up the mine and was on our way to the workshops when we was approached by a reporter from the local tv. news he asked how we felt about the news the mines was closing pending consultation we told him but they only showed a censored version ,what a question to ask

I remember Gary Blackhurst. He was in the same group as me at St.Helens college.

I remember Gary as well. Spent more time on the surface than he did at pit bottom

Billy Bolton onsetter at No3 pit, George Hitchy Deputy on nights, Mick Flannery another onsetter.

Great bunch of lads

tonker what years were you at st.helens college ,do you remember when they were going to call it St.Helens Institute of Technology when when they noticed the abbreviation?

graneyjoseph a couple of lads you might remember from the top ,stey sutton & a bloke called cec had 6 sausage barms for his dinner every day & pea soup aswell on fridays ,also the main man stey dixon

names from the past is ste dixon the lad from haydock his dad worked at bold he used to be a shopsteward.so whats your name handsomeminer?

handsomeminer have a look at Photo of the day February 2012 11-02-2012 golborne memorial there is some messages worth reading

Ill keep you guessing but a clue is I appeared on tv once ,a few more names Eddie porter,mick the vegan,Eddie mack,jimmy rowlands,randy

man of mystery then ,you worked at bold and parsonage,eddie mack was he the ropeman

handsomeminer your tv appearance was it the announcement of the collieries pending closure

It certainly was joe as I remember it they could only use the interviews with the wiganers because they couldn't understand the st helliners

is that you shep? if it is good to hear from you if not hello anyway

You guessed the wrong one joe ,I was having a pint with shep a few month ago we were on about you wondering what you was up to,nice to here from you if your ever back up here well meet up for a pint

handsomer miner put a name to the mystery is that colin

It is

Well its good to hear from you how as life treated you 20years+ ,I have have been down in wales permanently since 1999,I stumbled across thee wigan world site by accident good to talk about the time we spent in the mines

Yes plenty good times don't see many ex workmates about now

take care pass on my regards to shep perhaps we can exchange e-mail addresses

GJ, in your pic of the miners, on the far right in specs, is that Jim Frampton?

no it is Kenny Williams of St.HELENS the picture is on the parsonage site electricians in the workshop ,I am on the bottom left the lad on the top left is colin ,I am not familiar with the name Jim Frampton perhaps somebody reading these will know the name

Joe I've been working with graham Burke knows you from bold

graham yes good lad worked with his dad john died in the wool miner he was a overman good man manager pass on my regards to him

Art, Jim Frampton came to Parsonage from (I think) Bickershaw along with several other Deputies. He was a very nice bloke. His son was an electrician at Parsonage too.

Dosco, the deputy Jim, is my Mrs Bro'-in-law. In his 80's now. He used to work at Johnpit SLG
Young Jim, is the one I thought was in the pic. He is now a prison officer. Another son, Tony, has been living in the Far East for years..

Art, If it's the same one and my memory serves me right he had ginger hair. I worked in the developments when I first qualified as a fitter and Jim was deputy on my shift. He used to give me (ocasionally) a chew of his baccy. It was a treat as he used to soak it in Rum for a few days before bringing it to work. I think Tony was still an apprentice when I left Parsonage in 1980.

dosco did you not go back into the mines ?or have I not been paying attention,

tuddy was you a fitter at golborne if so I probably worked with you

Grainey, no I didn't go back when I came back from South Africa. I tried to but things where going the wrong way and none of the mines in the area where taking on.
Maybe was a blessing in disguise as I had to look for work elsewhere before thousands of other miners where faced with the same dilemma a few years later.

thats true dosco in the early 80s before the strike I worked with a fitter Ray Sefton and another electrician George Cummings we decided to apply to Anglo American about jobs in south africa we along with our wives were invited to a fancy hotel in manchester for final interviews the outcome was I was offered a job in the coalmines the other two jobs in a goldmine ,my wife got coldfeet we didnt go they did .after the strike 87 or 88 I was working at parsonage and Ray sefton started with the ATC as a fitter he had come back paid his mortgage off ,I turned three jobs down in my time at the mines the last job working on the channel tunnel, comical part 98 I started back in the tunnels with AMEC minus a wife never been so happy about the latter .sorry to drag on

No, I wasn't a fitter, I was a face man, worked mainly in the plodder and the six feet with Snowy's team. Before that I was spare P.L.A. and worked all over the place.

Dosco, this is a pic of Jimmy Framptons eldest son Jim.
He's the one in the middle, glasses & a big smile, taken down Parkside

tuddy I worked in the plodder seams electricians dave mc,coombs kevin sharkey alan pennington fitter tommy page ,I worked both on the face and in the developments in plodder with jimmy clarke dave southworth some of the names I remember working with a lad in the headings Brian Whittle his brother Roy worked at bold

Cheers Art, I didn't know young Jim but he looks like a cheerful chap, as was Tony. Please pass my regards to Jim snr next time you see him.

Will do

Art, I know from your previous posts that you where good friends with Bill Collier. Am I correct that Bill has passed on now?

graineyjoseph, Yea, I remember most of them fellers. Sadly I think a couple of them have passed away now. I worked in the headings with Brian and Smithy a few times, Brian's nephew Kenny worked on the face, he broke his back in the bottom stable on one of the plodder faces. Tommy Page was hurt in the plodder as well, I think he fractured his skull.

@

@

Dosco, yes, Bill passed away a couple of years ago.
The sad thing was, just before, I met Bill & his wife in the Market Hall.....And he didn't know me....Very upsetting. Salt o' the earth was Bill.
A few happy Hols we spent together

Here's a shot taken outside the "Original Wigan Pier Bar" in Torviscas Tenerife, the lad behind Bill & me,(from Carlisle) is also deceased..

good picture art

Art, That must have been hard for you after knowing him so well. Bill and his wife where neighbours of my parents in Bamfurlong and they where very kind to my Mother after Dad passed away. I went out for a pint afew times with Dad and Bill to a club just down the road from where they lived (can't think of the name) and played football with his son Martin.
Wasn't his wife a nurse?
That photo must be a nice momento of a lovely man.

Dosco,yes, I went to their house in Bamfurlong, was it Enid Place or Winstanley Rd? Can't recall which. He & Margaret left there & went to the flats , near W/L/Theatre.
The club you mention would have been Jolly Jacks, now a Police Station. I have many hard copy pics of our hols...priceless

Had a lot of good times at both parsonage and bickershaw it always felt like you was part of a big family community.

BILLYAGG You mentioned you worked with Mark Jones undermanager at bickershaw I have sadly been informed Mark passed away a few years ago he was only 50,sorry to pass on sad news ,I had a lot of respect for Mark.

I have been asked a question by a fellow member of the parsonage ex-workers he asked if I or anybody on this thread knows the surname of the fitter who tragically died of his injuries incurred when he was crushed dismantling DOSCO bridge conveyor his first name was Norman ,I would be grateful if anyone remembers his surname and anything relating to this tragedy ,thank you.

Joe, Norman Partington

Thanks dosco appreciated

joe our trevor(sharples ) died of brain tumors and lung cancer he was 52 ish , i think he did work with you , he was a rum lad on qt even knicked a panda car once lol , i miss him every day

lezgee sorry about trevor god bless him,we worked in the darkest and dirtiest places in the mines I personally would not of changed it you take care and good luck

I had a message on my blog from Vinny Kay you parsonage lads would remember him senior overman great bloke

I remember Vinny, he was the only bloke that I knew who came to the pit in a Rolls Royce.

yes that sounds like Vinny I think he started a wedding car business

sad news I have just heard Jimmy Fiddler as passed away and Jimmy Gore God Bless

Sad news indeed, Jimmy used to give me a lift home from Parsonage when I was an apprentice. A gentle giant is how I will remember him.
God bless

dosco yes great bloke.

seasons greetings evelyn & Don ,& all other freinds & ex colleagus

Many thanks Handsomeminer and the same to you, and a happy, healthy 2014 to one and all.

Evelyn Don and Colin and family and everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

30yrs since the strike ,23yrs since I finished in the mines,yesterdays service remembering the golborne disaster,how time flies.I left school on St,Patricks day 1967,happy Paddys day to all.

what happened to tommy whittle and kenny williams who worked at parsonage ?

Joe, Not seen Tommy since about '83 but someone told me he opened a carpet shop in Market street Hindley after Parsonage shut. I think it was with his brother. I could have dreamt it though

dosco good to hear from you,there was two whittle brothers not sure if theyre related to tommy their names are brian worked at golborne and roy who worked at bold,

tommy,s brother was John Whittle he was a pit electrician did a long spell in south africa ,when he came back he worked at Golborne for a spell not seen John for over 30 year now ,not seen Tommy since the complex shut ,Id be surprised if Evelyn or Don hadnt seen tommy recently,not seen Kenny since he finished at pit

morning Colin,last time I spoke to ste dixon he said Kenny got a job in hindley a firm called volex I think,Evelyn as not mentioned seeing tommy ,cant see him running a carpet shop you never know though.

joe that was about 25 year ago think volex shut a few years ago it was on the sight of the old turner bros factory in hindley green ,kieth quinn & dicky humphreys started at the same time bet kennys retired now ,iam wondering if don & evelyn are on their hols as iam sure theyd have commented by now

Colin you might be right about Evelyn and Don,Kenny probably as retired now,people I spoke to who worked at bold have not seen kenny for years.

Handsome and Joe,
Don remembers Tommy working for an agency doing P.A.T.( portable apparatus testing ) at Wigan Infirmary.
As far as we know Tommy has never had a carpet shop but his son in law is/was a carpet fitter.
We haven't seen him for a long time.
Hope you are both OK.

thanks Evelyn,I hope you and Don are well,about Tommy I wonder if he worked at Wigan Infirmary at the same time as Ste Dixon if so they must have had some interesting tea breaks,best regards Evelyn and Don.

no wonder the heath service is struggling Derek Henry also worked their

sounds like last of the summer wine.

Not sure as to were Derek Henry is upto but I must say, He was one of the most honest, genuine and polite man I have had the pleasure of knowing. He had his priciples and stuck to them, plenty may have called him and/or ridiculed him but no one and I mean no one would have pushed him into a direction, he didn't want to go... Cracking lad and I really hope he is ok.

ste your right about derek one of the people I was proud to have met your description of him was perfect.

I'm off fer some Tony Brown

Bob screw

Condor or Aromatic from the Co-Op

hedges snuff for me never chewed tobacco.

Joe, I always found hedges a bit 'sharp'
It was Rumneys for me
Did any of you soak the baccy in Rum or Whiskey

This morning, I've been working in a house, belonging to a girl whose dad came round to let me in.

He worked at Parsonage, as a cutter driver. His name is Jack Hobbs!

Anybody remember him?

dosco that was a good one too,soaking tobacco in spirits was the done thing,tonker I dont recall the name myself but somebody will remember him.

I never smoked in my life but would'nt go down pit without at least 5" of Tony Brown. I can still smell it !!!. Once I was on the Rider at the pit bottom (Bold) and must have lost my "baccer" and got off, went back up pit to the canteen and by the time I got back down pit, the rider was on its way and I had to walk in to the Bull Nose to make sure I got the Becarit down to the dip (South Area). Gentlemen, they were the Good Old Days...

best days of my life great people and those that are no longer with us we will meet again,good days ste.

Tonker, I worked as apprentice fitter on W&B 13'S and Jack Hobbs was monorail man. If you see him again ask him if he remembers the fitters Joe Kenyon and Alan Hampson. I don't recall Jack ever being on the cutter but that could have been before or after my time. He was a good bloke though.

dosco I remember alan hampson great bloke hope he is doing well if you see him pass on my regards.

like this thread, just a few fellas reminiscing about times past, no bickering, just chit chat. Love the camaraderie amongst pit men, worked with a few and they all say the same thing...."I would go back tommorrow".

A pleasure to read Gents. Excuse the interruption.

your welcome brocklanders.

brocklanders, Thanks for the comment. I suppose we are still just doing what we did back then,,,,,,,being mates
I don't personally know any of the posters on this thread but feel a bond to each and every one of them

me to I think our paths will have crossed ,I worked with handsomeminer and new campfire and his family,

Gentlemen - It is really nice to have a sensible and mature chat among true Gentlemen, as I do feel at times that within other "threads" within WW there are comments posted purely to wind folks up.

I forgot to mention that I got a Taxi the other day and Vinny Kays son was the driver. I asked how Vinny was doing and he is fine. Did'nt ask his son how old would Vinny be,, any ideas???
Remember doing a stint on nights, around 1980 / 81 for a couple of weeks but ended up doing close on 2 years and going in on Saturday and Sunday nights to cover the "travelling" with a Deputy and ended up with Vinny. I started at 10pm till the morning but Vinny started a 12 noon and was still there and that was the norm. He wasnt 7 stone wet through but must have had and still has the heart of a lion. He lives on a farm in Wrightington and still working... What a chap...

Ste I bought a sportscar off Vinny,I am 62yrs old Vinny will be about the same age roughly great bloke turned up at parsonage for a shift in a Rolls Royce.

Joe - I remember that.. that's when he started doing Weddings part time. Couldnt believe it, untill he shown us.. he had his uniform in the boot with the flat chauffeur hat with a badge on the front and I'm sure it was a Bold Branch NACODS badge. Honestly !!!!

ste thats true vinny is an always will
be a character proud to know him.

Me and Don saw Vinny in Morrisons Supermarket about 2 months ago.He looked very well and was telling us about his farm in Croston.
He also told us that he had a narrow boat which is moored at Rufford.

Evelyn ,Vinny is a larger than life character I first met him at bold then meeting up again at parsonage,he would be a great subject for life stories on the TV he certainly would entertain us.best regards to you and Don.

I think Vinny was interviewed on radio Manchester once by Alan Beswick.

tuddy I would liked to heard that .

I've been asked to relay this message (from Wigan Rejects) onto this (WiganWorld) thread.

Courtesy of - les-bradd (a Wigan Reject)



"Tonks could you pass a message on Wigan world P and B thread about Vinnie Kay I used to work in the Lamproom at Parsonage and totally agree with the folks on there in there admiration for Vinnie even though he had smelly feet"

well done tonker for passing the message on.

hi evelyn
hope you & Don are keeping well myself & graneyjoe have both tried contacting Stey Dixon recently with no reply have you or Don heard from him

Hi Colin
We spoke to Ste this morning, he has had health problems but he is OK again. He said he will email you .
Take care.

Thanks Evelyn you and Don take care.

Many thanks don/evelyn stey contacted me yesterday good to hear hes on the mend

Your welcome Colin

Evelyn,Don,Colin,Ste and campfire and all have a good weekend.

and you joe, was talking to neil darlington[fitter] theirs rumour of a bickershaw reunion in the near future

Neil theres a name from the past,let me know Colin.

If there is a reunion please put it on here, my hubby would be very interested. He worked at both Parsonage and Bickershaw ( there till the bitter end) finishing in October 1992, had only good things to say about his pit days!

lynhalliwell,is your husbands first name Ste,? if it is wish him the best we used to call him gomez because of his moustache,

No that's not him, his name is Kev. Fitter at Parsonage and later a deputy at Bickershaw.

lyn there will be people on WW who will have known him from both mines,good luck with getting replies.

hijoe
stey halliwell was from coppul,he mated with eddie mack the rope man & our old mate keith gardener [aka moose]not seen any of the lads from that side of wigan for 20odd year now

hello Colin, we had some good laughs with them three.

Went on Nobby Clark's stag do and was close to getting arrested with Ste Halliwell. We were round the Gay quarter in Manchester (Canal street) and you can guess the rest....Ste Morley also had a say in it... Great memories though..

you know all the best places Ste.

Joe - not been round Canal Street since but heard its more up market then when we were there.. Dont know the reason but it seems that I dont get asked these days to go on any Stag do's ????

thats their loss Ste,last one I can remember was in the Plaza in St,Helens comedians and strippers,I went on a couple of the gentlemens nights out organised by a fitter at golborne one was at Aspull rugby club,eye opening to put it mildly.

The Plaza in Duke Street, Joe- your bringing back some true memories With coming from Parr, I frequented the Plaza most Sunday nights, in the very early 70's say 70 /71 it was then classed as the upmarket type of establishment, bouncers with suits on and a cloak room were they gave you a raffle ticket as a receipt. Some of the entertainment wasn't really up my street but the class of clientele were the next division up from the Bold Miners Welfare and Derbyshaw Hill Labour clubs. The freshments were also over priced at the time about 2 bob a pint but we consoled ourselves with the Double Diamond DD, which without any doubt always allowed for a few sparks on the way home.

very true Ste, double diamond nectar sadly missed,the marketing men who promoted lager certainly did a good job ,heineken in bold miners ,greenalls lager yuk.happy days.

Joe - do you remember Top Hat on draught?? it was available in bottles but certain places had it on draught. Brewed by Burtonwood brewery and was certainly "fighting Tackle"

Ste I do remember Burtonwoods Top Hat very strong beer.

not heard from GrahamK for a while on the colliery threads hope he is well,

"Ex Miner Stuart Twist passed away Sunday 11th January. He worked at Bickershaw / Parsonage from 1981 to 1992, he was aged 48. Would you pass it on to the miners thread on WW, the one on wiganworld section. Some may know him. His funeral was today 21/1/15"

tonker sad news 48 no age at all,R.I.P,

tonker - I do remember Stuart, really sad news R.I.P

Ste I had a message on my blog from Charlie Fox fitter do you remember him he worked at bold and parsonage.?

Hi Joe - I do remember Charlie, we used to call him Robocop at Parsonage with all the tools he had hanging from his belt. I remember we were working the holidays and installing a face and Charlie was the fitter.. a chock hose had gone and we shouted for Charlie but to no avail as he was in the Sportsmans pub but still on overtime with us and he got away with it...

Ste that sounds like him not a bad bloke his dad worked on the surface,thanks Ste

Sportsmanship pub no longer exists

wouldnt even know where that was Colin,I remember having a pint in the pub uotside of bickershaw pit the everson I think.

It was the big pub right at he end of wigan road ,just passed the street for parsonage,shut about 10'year ago was empty had a fire now demolished

thanks Colin,

we had some great times do it again,and again no problem.

joe - When was the last time you was around Bickershaw area, where the pit was?? If its not for the last few years, you would'nt recognise it now...They have made it really good and they are still working on it.

Ste it as been a long time I wish it was yesterday ,Ste have a great weekend god bless to you and your family,I believe bold is the same even an housing development on there, Joe

Heard its incorporating a marina,not sure how many boat owners their are in plank lane & crank

not many I would guess Colin.

Any one knew my Dad Allen France he worked at Parsonage and some others not sure Parkside or not.Sadly he passed away 2003 with a Brain Tumor.He finished at 55 with ill health he got Salmonela food poisening they never found out where he picked it up.

alfranco sad to hear about your dad.I didnt personally know him but you can expect some replies.

I can remember the name, was he a surveyor? Sorry to hear that he's passed away.

tuddy best wishes to you and your family .

Thank you Joe, regards to you and yours.

Gentlemen - Seasons greetings to you all and your Families. A little early, I know... I think I may be having a bit of a procedure shortly and may not have the flexibility of communicating again for some time on WW.

Ste good luck in what comes next we are thinking of you and wish you well.

Hope all goes well campfire

Good luck Ste, let us know how you get on.

P.S. Your'e not having the snip are you?

Ste - I wish.. I had the snip done in 1982.. when I could knock and 6" nail into a foot block with it !!!

you cant beat memories ,knowing then what we know now.

End of an era gentlemen

it certainly is sad day for all of us.

Seasons greetings to all freinds & ex colleagues

sadly joe graney isnt with us anymore .

Brian Joe finished up on his own in Newport I kept in touch with him over the phone sadly he got a little confused towards the end,nice to say his brother met up with him and kept in contact at the end

wot did he die of colin ? .

Joe give up posting in Aug 2019 and met his demise in April 2020

Not sure Brian

does anyone else know colin ? .

Don't think so Brian he lost touch with people round here

it,s a bit of a mystery then .

Most of it boiled down to a very bitter divorce of which Joe was the innocent party he had no contact with his adult children sad really

Any miner's on this site worked at " THE QUAKER HOUSE COLLIERY " in Ashton-in -makerfield ?????????GB

Winstanley!

GB type into search at top of the page "quaker pit"

YES TONKER ,,, NAMED AFTER UMSELF !! ALSO MANY THANKS TO YOU
PETER.P . GB .

Umself, eh.?

yes alan i worked there for a short spell .

i see the search engine has been working overtime .

Oh no, only just seen
GraneyJoseph isn't with us anymore. Saddened to hear that, he was great fun to know on WW. R.I.P.