Mines, Memories and Music

Documenting the living history of our mining heritage.

Project Overview

PROJECT OVERVIEW

As the proud Grand-Daughter of a Lancashire Miner who broke his back in the Maypole Pit in 1957, I want to document the living history of my mining heritage. By creating original songs inspired by and interwoven with the real oral testimonies of former miners, who were employed when the mines were closed.

To document their working lives, communities and more importantly their friendships.

This is an important legacy for the generations to come who don’t have a full understanding of the toll this type of work took both on the body and minds of the workers and their families. This includes the work/play balance and also the effects of the closing down of this important industry on the communities and the changes to the landscape. The project will be focusing on the importance of capturing their testimonies before they disappear making local history real and accessible.

PROJECT DETAILS

OUTLINE OF PROPOSED PROJECT STAGES

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Stage 1
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

  • Research mines in the North of England, including Lancashire, Durham, Nottingham, Yorkshire & Derbyshire
  • Obtain data on specific mines (duration of business, #employees, yearly yield, type of mine, etc)
  • Visit different mining communities, drawing on the links established with Durham Miners Association & Brass Band, The Lancashire Mining Museum, Sutton Manor Colliery etc
  • Interview former miners & their families, brass bands, Colliery Choirs, starting with a few questions and then letting them talk & reminisce about their experiences to gain ‘golden nuggets’ to convert into songs
  • Record the interviews via digital audio and video
  • Photograph the interviewees during the conversations to capture the emotion
  • Research maps from different time periods to analyse the change in the landscape
  • Collate and document the change in jobs in these areas, population changes
  • Visit folk clubs to hear local songs
  • Research the archives of the Vaughan Williams Library for historical mining songs, in particular finding a ‘Lost Song’ of one mans experience showing the pain, discomfort despair and brutality during the working day.
  • Research the archives of Mining museums etc for historical information about prominent figures in the industry (eg: Edward Ormerod’s Butterfly safety link to improve cage safety)

SONG & BOOKLET DEVELOPMENT

Stage 2
SONG & BOOKLET DEVELOPMENT

  • Write songs based on interview material
  • Resurrect historical mining songs – add arrangement
  • Edit the interviews
  • Record songs (collaborating with Brass Bands, Colliery choirs)
  • Edit the photographs

Generate book(let) consisting of:

  • ‘what is coal’
  • History of mining – different types, deep mine, open cast, surface
  • Changes in technology / health & safety
  • Disasters (Including Pretoria Pit & Huskar Pit, Silkstone)
  • Article about Arthur Frodsham (grandad – and inspiration)
  • Page for each interviewee including photo, name, age, employment history (which mine, what afterwards) quote from interview
  • Page for each mine they worked at, (duration of business, #employees, yearly yield, type of mine, etc)
  • Local map from when mine was at capacity, & now
  • Lyrics sheet for each song

Generate album consisting of songs and snippets from the interviews

TOURING PRODUCTION

Stage 3
TOURING PRODUCTION

Develop a production which will include the songs interspersed with clips from the interviews to a backdrop of photographs and video footage.

Arrange tour of work to include the communities interviewed

Involve local choirs & brass bands

TOUR PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND MINING MUSEUMS

Stage 4
TOUR PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND MINING MUSEUMS

Tour primary schools as part of local history workshops.

Hold song writing workshops in schools & museums

Former Miners

Former Miners

Do you have mining stories from your time working down the pit that you'd like to share?

Would you like to take part and be interviewed?

I want to hear and record your memories and those of your colleagues which will then form the basis of new original songs, touring production, CD & booklet.

Let's take a seat on the bench and we'll have a chat.

Copyright & Release Form Get in Touch
Photographs

Photographs

Do you have any photos of the collieries you worked at?

Please submit using the button below with the following information: Date of image, colliery, names of individuals and consent for images to be used on the website and added to the archives at Lancashire Mining Museum.

Submit Photographs
Mining Families & Communities

Mining Families & Communities

Like the spokes on the wheel the mining community had many strong elements that kept the wheel turning.

Are you the wife or child of a miner who remembers how life & your community was?

Were you part of the Colliery Brass Band?

Did you sing in the choir (or just the shower)?

Copyright & Release Form Get in Touch