The South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (SGMRG) have just published a new booklet "Kingswood Coal". The price is £6 plus £1p&p from SGMRG Treasurer (KC), Roger Gosling, 51 Greenhill Road, Alveston, Bristol, BS35 3NA. Cheques to be payable to SGMRG.
Information and an order form are at:
http://www.sgmrg.co.uk/kingswoodcoal
PRESS RELEASE - COAL BOOK
BOOK UNEARTHS LOCAL COAL MINES
Ever wondered where Bristol's Coal Mines were? You can find out now. South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (SGMRG) have just published "Kingswood Coal" the only book ever published telling you where the mines actually were across the whole Coalfield - and where you can still find visible remains!
The book covers the area from Cromhall in the North to Bedminster in the South: Cromhall, Yate, Coalpit Heath, Easton, Kingswood, Emersons Green, Hanham all played an important part in our mining history - producing the coal that fuelled Bristol's industrial revolution.
Brief histories of all these collieries are illustrated with photographs of local sites, mostly never before published.
The great strength of the book is that it goes on to provide a gazetteer of those sites that have survived into the 21st century - with a grid reference so curious readers can go and look. But, with more mining remains disappearing every day the advice is to go now - whilst there is still anything left. Visible surface remains range from original engine houses to spoil heaps - and some stunning engine house remains.
The book contains 36 pages of text, 4 maps and 50 photographs, including a colour front cover, most previously unpublished. The book is based around articles written over a period of 25 years for BIAS (Bristol Industrial Archaeology Society). For details of how to order it, the group have set up a separate weblink: www.sgmrg.co.uk/kingswoodcoal.
Steve Grudgings of the Mines Research Group, confesses
"I fell in love with our mining past because of these snippets. When I started exploring what remained of the Bristol Coalfield in the early 1980s, there was very little accessible information. I used these original BIAS documents to help me spend many happy hours walking around some of the less well know corners of South Gloucestershire, poking at walls, peering through holes and introducing myself to surprised landowners."
Archaeologist Mark Horton commented
"Most people don't even know Bristol was surrounded by coalmines right through into the last century - this work opens up the story to anyone. You can't possibly read this book without it changing the way you see our area. The countryside that now looks so green was once a maze of shafts, mines and great steam engine houses. I'm itching to get out to look at some of the sites."
So if you want to know where your Great Grandfather worked or where to find the engine houses this book is for you - and all for only £6!
Copies available for £6 plus £1p&p from SGMRG Treasurer (KC), Roger Gosling, 51 Greenhill Road, Alveston, Bristol, BS35 3NA
More about SGMRG and its work recording, excavating and conserving mining heritage in and around Bristol and South Gloucestershire can be found at:
www.sgmrg.co.uk.
Publicity for Kingswood Coal can be found at www.sgmrg.co.uk/kingswoodcoal
Regards
Roger Gosling
SGMRG Treasurer
|