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Snibston is appealing for memorabilia to contribute to its miners’ gala event in September.
The gala, a traditional-style celebration of mining life, will feature some of the attractions that made a miners’ gala the highlight of the mining community’s year, including a horticultural competition and a display of memorabilia.
The free event is part of the Heritage Lottery funded Mines of Memory project. This 12-month long project has been capturing the oral histories of former employees of Snibston and Whitwick collieries, including miners and office workers.
Snibston staff are now on the hunt for photographs of past galas, parades and gala queens, as there are few of these in the archives.
Members of the public with any such memorabilia are being urged to get in touch as soon as possible, so curators can make copies and include them in the displays.
The family fun day will be at Leicestershire County Council’s Snibston on Saturday, 20th September. As well as the other attractions it will also have a range of displays by local groups, tours of the colliery and its railway and a special performance by the world-famous Desford Colliery Band.
Ernie White, Cabinet member for Community Services, said: “This event is a chance for us to thank everybody who has been involved in the project so far, and to celebrate Snibston’s mining heritage.
“We want to recreate the fun and excitement of a traditional miners’ gala and we’ve been working hard to get a great range of family activities and entertainment organised for the day. We hope that this pilot event will become an annual fixture and in future years grow to be as big as the galas at Coleorton Hall.”
Old pictures of past Miners’ Galas can be sent to: Alison Clague by emailing aclague@leics.gov.uk or calling 01530 278444.
Background information
When George Stephenson and Partners opened a coal mine in north-west Leicestershire in 1833 they named it after the nearby hamlet of Snibston. Together with the adjacent Whitwick Colliery it gradually brought into being a new town called Coalville. The two collieries continued in use for over 150 years, exploiting deeper and more distant seams under and around the town.
The Leicestershire Coalfield reached maturity towards the end of the 19th century. During the 1930s it led the way in mechanisation and continued to be a strong industry until the 1980s. In 1982 there were six coal pits operating in North West Leicestershire, employing 25% of the workforce and in some communities as much as 40-50% of the male workforce. By 1990 all the pits had been closed.
Snibston Colliery closed in 1986, but the site was acquired by Leicestershire County Council as the focal point for the Snibston Discovery Park. Since then several of the colliery buildings have been designated Scheduled Ancient Monuments, and a nationally-important collection of coal mining artefacts has been gathered together as part of the County’s Museum collections. The colliery buildings can be viewed by visitors who join one of the frequent and popular guided tours, led by former coal miners.
Latest News
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New names for care homes | |
| Adults & Communities3 February 2012New names for care homesNine county council care homes will have new names when they transfer to Leicestershire County Care Ltd in the next few weeks. The transfer will save the council 1 million per year, while retaining places for existing residents, safeguarding the jobs of existing staff and enabling improvements such as en-suite facilities.... 03 Feb 2012 New names for care homes |
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| Adults & Communities31 January 2012Spring in the step of The Century Theatre with dance double billThe Century Theatres spring 2012 programme leaps into action with an exciting double bill of contemporary dance presented by regional dance agency Dance4. The event on Wednesday February 8th marks the theatres first programme of professional dance and heralds a new partnership between the theatre and Dance4.... 31 Jan 2012 Spring in the step of The Century Theatre with dance double bill |
Burglary at a house in Bridge Road, Coalville this morning (Monday January 30) | |
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Dog stolen from kennel in Coalville | |
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Related News
Snibston awaits world-famous desford colliery band | |
|---|---|
| Community Services10 September 2009Snibston awaits world-famous desford colliery bandSnibston is looking forward to welcoming Desford Colliery Band this Saturday (12 September) at 7. 30pm.... 10 Sep 2009 Snibston awaits world-famous desford colliery band |
Miners Gala Returns to Snibston | |
| Community Services4 September 2009Miners Gala Returns to SnibstonSnibston is opening its doors for a second annual Miners Gala on Saturday 12th September, 10am 5pm. This year, it will begin with a parade featuring local school children, a marching brass band, and a former Coal Queen.... 04 Sep 2009 Miners Gala Returns to Snibston |
Snibston Greets 3000 Gala Goers! | |
| Community Services22 September 2009Snibston Greets 3000 Gala Goers!Snibston played host to over 3000 gala goers last Saturday (September 12th) when it opened its doors for a second Snibston Miners Gala. The event drew a total crowd of 3,385, an increase of 35% on last year.... 22 Sep 2009 Snibston Greets 3000 Gala Goers! |
The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queens | |
| Community Services5 August 2009The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queensSnibston Discovery Museum is searching for beauties who were the coal queens of their day to take part in its Miners Gala parade on Saturday, 12th September. When coal was king, the annual coal queen contest brought a touch of glamour to the Leicestershire coalfield.... 05 Aug 2009 The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queens |
Parade is a hit as Miners' gala goes down well | |
| Community Services15 September 2010Parade is a hit as Miners' gala goes down wellSnibston welcomed over 3,500 gala goers on Saturday as it held its annual Miners Gala reminiscent of those from the areas mining heyday. Local residents gathered to see the parade as it marched along Margaret Street and through Coalville, before entering Snibstons Ashby Road gate.... 15 Sep 2010 Parade is a hit as Miners' gala goes down well |
Relevant News
Snibston Mining Lives and Wives | |
|---|---|
 | Mining Lives and Wives, a special day of free events at Snibston, will show what family life was really like in a mining community.... 15 May 2008 Snibston Mining Lives and Wives |
Mining Lives | |
| Community Services 20 February 2009 Mining Lives Have you ever imagined what life was like for your grandfather, brother, father, cousin or uncle as a miner in the olden days? Or for the women, men and communities who supported the county s collieries?Snibston's proposed Mining Lives project aims to conserve and tell the story of coal mining in Leicestershire and involve local communities in the scheme's development. Snibston is a successful visitor attraction in Coalville, North West Leicestershire, and is run by Leicestershire County Council.... 23 Feb 2009 Mining Lives |
Voice your opinion on Snibston's Mining Lives project | |
| Community Services 9 April 2009 Voice your opinion on Snibston's Mining Lives project Snibston is inviting the public to have their say on plans to renovate and improve parts of the award winning visitor attraction run by Leicestershire County Council. Museum staff have been working with two design companies to create plans for new exhibition spaces and interpretation of the colliery buildings as part of a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Mining Lives project.... 10 Apr 2009 Voice your opinion on Snibston's Mining Lives project |
The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queens | |
| Community Services5 August 2009The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queensSnibston Discovery Museum is searching for beauties who were the coal queens of their day to take part in its Miners Gala parade on Saturday, 12th September. When coal was king, the annual coal queen contest brought a touch of glamour to the Leicestershire coalfield.... 05 Aug 2009 The hunt is on for Leicestershire coal queens |
Calling all prize-winning parsnips… | |
| Community Services14 August 2009Calling all prize-winning parsnipsGreen-fingered residents growing vegetables which can beet off competition are being sought to take part in a special show at Snibston Discovery Museum. People who grow their own fruit, vegetables or flowers at home or on an allotment are invited to show their potential prize produce at the second Old Leicestershire Miners Horticultural Show, being held at Snibston Miners Gala next month.... 17 Aug 2009 Calling all prize-winning parsnips… |
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| Vehicle damaged in CoalvillePolice are appealing for witnesses after a car parked outside an address on Bridge Road in Coalville was damaged. The incident happened sometime between 1am and 8.... 30 Nov 2009 Vehicle damaged in Coalville |
Plea for photographs for miners' gala | |
| Snibston is appealing for memorabilia to contribute to its miners gala event in September. The gala, a traditional-style celebration of mining life, will feature some of the attractions that made a miners gala the highlight of the mining community s year, including a horticultural competition and a display of memorabilia.... 07 Aug 2008 Plea for photographs for miners' gala |
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| Chief Executive's 3 March 2009 Keep up-to-date at Coalville meeting Coalville residents can keep their finger on the pulse of local issues at an interactive meeting. At Coalville Community Forum next week, people can hear from NHS County and Rutland who will be outlining their plans for the coming year and talking about changes to community health.... 02 Apr 2009 Keep up-to-date at Coalville meeting |
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Most Read News (this month)
Dog stolen from kennel in Coalville | |
|---|---|
| Dog stolen from kennel in CoalvillePolice are appealing for information about the current whereabouts of a stolen dog that was taken from his home in Coalville last week. The incident happened sometime between 7.... 24 Jan 2012 Dog stolen from kennel in Coalville |
Burglary at a house in Bridge Road, Coalville this morning (Monday January 30) | |
| Burglary at a house in Bridge Road, Coalville this morning (Monday January 30)Officers investigating a burglary during the early hours of this morning (Monday January 30) are appealing for public help. The incident took place at about 2.... 30 Jan 2012 Burglary at a house in Bridge Road, Coalville this morning (Monday January 30) |
New names for care homes | |
| Adults & Communities3 February 2012New names for care homesNine county council care homes will have new names when they transfer to Leicestershire County Care Ltd in the next few weeks. The transfer will save the council 1 million per year, while retaining places for existing residents, safeguarding the jobs of existing staff and enabling improvements such as en-suite facilities.... 03 Feb 2012 New names for care homes |
Spring in the step of The Century Theatre with dance double bill | |
| Adults & Communities31 January 2012Spring in the step of The Century Theatre with dance double billThe Century Theatres spring 2012 programme leaps into action with an exciting double bill of contemporary dance presented by regional dance agency Dance4. The event on Wednesday February 8th marks the theatres first programme of professional dance and heralds a new partnership between the theatre and Dance4.... 31 Jan 2012 Spring in the step of The Century Theatre with dance double bill |
Transport funding bid considered | |
| Cabinet Office3 February 2012Transport funding bid consideredLeicestershire County Council is preparing to submit a bid for 4. 5m to improve sustainable transport in and around Loughborough and Coalville.... 03 Feb 2012 Transport funding bid considered |
Most Read News (alltime)
Vehicle damaged in Coalville | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle damaged in CoalvillePolice are appealing for witnesses after a car parked outside an address on Bridge Road in Coalville was damaged. The incident happened sometime between 1am and 8.... 30 Nov 2009 Vehicle damaged in Coalville |
Plea for photographs for miners' gala | |
| Snibston is appealing for memorabilia to contribute to its miners gala event in September. The gala, a traditional-style celebration of mining life, will feature some of the attractions that made a miners gala the highlight of the mining community s year, including a horticultural competition and a display of memorabilia.... 07 Aug 2008 Plea for photographs for miners' gala |
China Earthquake | |
| Leading Leicestershire figures are pulling together to offer vital support to the people of Sichuan in China.... 14 May 2008 China Earthquake |
Keep up-to-date at Coalville meeting | |
| Chief Executive's 3 March 2009 Keep up-to-date at Coalville meeting Coalville residents can keep their finger on the pulse of local issues at an interactive meeting. At Coalville Community Forum next week, people can hear from NHS County and Rutland who will be outlining their plans for the coming year and talking about changes to community health.... 02 Apr 2009 Keep up-to-date at Coalville meeting |
Give nappies a 'real' chance | |
| Highways, Transportation & Waste Management 21 April 2009 Give nappies a 'real' chance - photo opportunity - A new campaign is highlighting that by the time a baby is potty trained, they could have used 6,000 nappies. By turning away from disposables and making the change to real nappies, not only will people reduce the amount of waste going to landfill but they could also save up to 700.... 23 Apr 2009 Give nappies a 'real' chance |