Early mention in one conversation of the date 14.6.86 puts this film as shot as summer 1986. 38 years ago. A year after the 1984-85 Miners' Strike en ded., The Warwickshire, Staffordfshire, Leicestershire miners did not strike. Fascinating to see Birch Coppice (though not its working faces underground) now that it no longer exists and the mine shifts have been capped.
Great memories shame you missed footage of my dad Stewart Chapman the training officer and no visit to the Ventilation Office. Must have been too busy !
I have another question. I am aware that the two shafts on the site were very close together when they were sunk. I also not that the upcast was sited at Woodend colliery some distance away. Birch Coppice was sunk well before Woodend, so where was the upcast if both shafts at Birch Coppice were downcast. was one of them originally upcast as I cannot find a fan housing on the old plans.
Best days of my life spent 8 years at this pit my dad was head surveyer Reg kirk lost my mum recently at 90 years old so reunited with dad who died in 2006
Chris these videos are brilliant! You’ve actually captured a part of local history along with its real characters that are long since gone. Well done mate and thanks for sharing.
Worked here in 77/78. Respect to Eddie baxter(personnel)good bloke,syd hiatt .John garrott.(pit grandads) baddesley was a crap pit deserved to close. Same as birch. Well past there sell by dates. Subsidised .
Thank you for this ... my Dad, who sadly died 9 years ago, is in it for a few seconds, it's a precious few seconds and a great insight to the place he worked in.
I live minutes away from this pit ( or where it was ) ....what a great film and good foresight to capture things on camera that are now long gone. Respect to all who worked underground.
Early mention in one conversation of the date 14.6.86 puts this film as shot as summer 1986. 38 years ago. A year after the 1984-85 Miners' Strike en ded., The Warwickshire, Staffordfshire, Leicestershire miners did not strike. Fascinating to see Birch Coppice (though not its working faces underground) now that it no longer exists and the mine shifts have been capped.
Great memories shame you missed footage of my dad Stewart Chapman the training officer and no visit to the Ventilation Office. Must have been too busy !
I have another question. I am aware that the two shafts on the site were very close together when they were sunk. I also not that the upcast was sited at Woodend colliery some distance away. Birch Coppice was sunk well before Woodend, so where was the upcast if both shafts at Birch Coppice were downcast. was one of them originally upcast as I cannot find a fan housing on the old plans.
Did Birch coppice have a drift as well as shafts.
No. Sounds daft, but it had an internal one called “The South Bench Hill”. This came from the main working pit, rising to the training area. 👍🏽
Best days of my life spent 8 years at this pit my dad was head surveyer Reg kirk lost my mum recently at 90 years old so reunited with dad who died in 2006
Did my under ground training there 1983
Chris these videos are brilliant! You’ve actually captured a part of local history along with its real characters that are long since gone. Well done mate and thanks for sharing.
Thanks mate. 👍🏼
The late Gerald Hodgkinson was a deputy at Birch Coppice
Was you dad called joe and did he go to coventry after birch??
That’s the bloke mate.
Thanks for sharing. My dad was a loco driver at Birch Coppice nice to be able to put relevance to the stories he’s told me, of while he worked there!
Been to a old coal board building today, found a old house brick with NCB BIRCH COPPIES on it,
Spent 12 months there 1968/69 part of a team installing Dynalink belt control system
2shafts. One was a real tiny shaft, held around 8 men . Then the production shaft for winding coal tube most the time
Did my underground training here in 1975.
That’s my Dad at 25.33 on the right. Geoff Draper. 😊
Worked here in 77/78. Respect to Eddie baxter(personnel)good bloke,syd hiatt .John garrott.(pit grandads) baddesley was a crap pit deserved to close. Same as birch. Well past there sell by dates. Subsidised .
How many shafts Kevin, 2 or 3. Think 3rd was by road by the slag heap / road crossing.
I was at the bottom of the main manrider with Eddie Baxter one day when he noticed someone had changed his name on the phone list to Jimmy Clitheroe.
God Bless British Coal
I loved being a Miner it was cut short by Thatcher the bastard woman hope she’s burning in hell with best British Coal.
I hear she's closed all the furnaces there.
Thank you for this ... my Dad, who sadly died 9 years ago, is in it for a few seconds, it's a precious few seconds and a great insight to the place he worked in.
Great bloke ya dad. Nee him well. 👍🏽👌🏽
50 22 Ronnie Douglas best official to work at Birch Coppice a proper miner and a gentleman
Did my under ground training there in 1985
many happy memories martin nogga jones
I live minutes away from this pit ( or where it was ) ....what a great film and good foresight to capture things on camera that are now long gone. Respect to all who worked underground.
Wasn't that Graham Johnson at 53:00 mins
Yes it was and the guy with the little dance who was with him was Joe Rendchen
Hard to believe there's not a pit left in north Warwickshire now.
Ime coming off the cage at 53 mins 46 seconds
There's a number of characters there I remember. They were the days. 👍👍