Reading the ‘plans history’ page of the portal link below (thankyou, Chris) and Tinho’s posting of the extract from Cartographiti of 1998, I realized the national call for pit & mine plans followed the 1973 Lofthouse colliery disaster – probably in 1975. Doesn’t memory play tricks when you’re senescent? [no replies, please]

-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Fleet, Christopher
Sent: 13 October 2008 14:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Campaign to pin coal mines on OS maps

Just in case its helpful, the Mining Access Portal at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/nocomico/ allows anyone who is interested in an abandoned mine plan to locate the repository in which it is stored. In the longer term, the aim is to add scanned images of the maps. The portal includes the Coal Authority plans mentioned below, as well as plans from the Health and Safety Executive, The National Archives, the British Geological Survey, the Mineral Valuer, and Camborne School of Mines.

Chris

From: A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nick Millea
Sent: 13 October 2008 12:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Campaign to pin coal mines on OS maps

Dear All,

For the record, the Coal Authority has now moved all its plans to their purpose-built HQ in Mansfield. Well worth a visit.

Nick Millea

Map Librarian, Bodleian Library, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG
Tel: 01865 287119
Fax: 01865 277139
Email: [log in to unmask]

Homepage: http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/guides/maps/

From: A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Da Cruz, Antonio
Sent: 13 October 2008 12:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Campaign to pin coal mines on OS maps

Like Clare I was reminded of the MCG visit some years ago. Here’s the write-up from Cartographiti 56, page six.

Tinho

Visit to the Coal Authority’s Mining Records Office

Friday 11th September 1998

Prior to the visit many curators were sceptical as to why we were going to see mining records. However, at the end of the trip the comments seemed unanimous: ‘Wasn’t it fascinating?’ or ‘I had no idea such records existed’. We were taken by coach to Burton-on-Trent where half the group were dropped and the others taken to Bretby industrial estate, the site of the Mining Records Office. There we were met by David Clarke, the genial head of the record office, who guided us round the collection. The main part of this consists of approximately 100,000 plans of abandoned coal mines. Mine owners have been obliged to deposit these since 1872 which is reassuring when one considers that some areas have as many as thirty workable seams below the surface! It is important not just for those wishing to buy properties in mining areas, but also to ensure new excavations do not puncture old unrecorded and flooded workings. Such a disaster occurred as recently as 1973 when seven men lost their

Jan Smit, Roelof Odden, Richard Oliver and Margaret Wilkes

waiting for the coach in Burton on Trent

lives at a colliery in Lofthouse. The collection is freely available to the general public who have the use of individual consulting rooms, each containing a table, catalogue and 35mm microfilm reader. The catalogue is based on six inch county series maps (it was started in 1929). In 1911 the regulations were further tightened to cover active mines, for which plans had to be updated at least every three months. These plans were at the scale of two chains to one inch (1:1584) and on waxed linen. These have all now been transferred to microfilm for the use of the public. From 1952 a different plan was used for each seam within a mine. Plans are currently produced at a scale of 1:2500 on metal sheets - quite a challenge for those retrieving them from the stacks. We viewed the stacks and were impressed with disaster prevention measures, for example a halon gas fire extinguishing system and a controlled atmosphere for the whole building. The tour continued with a visit to the microfilming room and staff work areas. Mr Clarke concluded by mentioning some of the other records held in the office, namely the Coal Holdings Register of the late thirties when coal was bought by the State prior to nationalisation, and geological data from bore holes and seismic reels acquired by the National Coal Board. Examination of these other records requires a fee. Once again the Convener and local organiser should be thanked for coming up with an enjoyable and enlightening visit.

-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Clare Gordon
Sent: 13 October 2008 12:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Campaign to pin coal mines on OS maps

Didn't we have a visit to a Mining Records Office near Burton on Trent

as part of BCS a few years ago? I've just found the web page at

http://www.coal.gov.uk/services/miningrecords/index.cfm.

The web page says that they hold coal abandonment plans going back to

1872. I remember it being a fascinating visit. So they hold a lot of the

information even if it isn't all available on one series of maps.

Best wishes,

Clare

Cooper, Alexander P R wrote:

> While I can see the aim of the proposal, is the OS the appropriate

> body to do this? The OS do not normally provide historical data; they

> provide a map of what is currently on the ground (with the occasional

> exception of battle-sites). They don’t provide a historical product;

> they provide a definitive version of what is there now. As defunct

> pits may have no expression on the surface, is it the OS’ job to add

> such data to their maps? I am sure that where there are existing

> surface buildings, these are present on the OS’ maps.

> Paul

> *From:* A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship

> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Francis Herbert

> *Sent:* 13 October 2008 11:34

> *To:* [log in to unmask]

> *Subject:* Re: Campaign to pin coal mines on OS maps

> Robert (et al.):

> The idea of “seeking to have the sites of defunct coal mines recorded

> on Ordnance Survey maps.” reminds some of us with elephantine memories

> of a similar (same?) nationwide effort, ca 1980, following a pit or

> mine disaster, of calling in and collection of _all_ maps and plans

> marking disused mines & pits in to form a ‘preventative’ database.

> Someone will come up with the responsible government (?) department’s

> name; and somewhere I think some of us will have a yellow-coloured

> paper public advertisement calling for such cartographic materials to

> be forwarded.

> Francis (again)

Librarian / Web Manager

Kennedy Library

Earth Sciences

School of Earth & Environment

Leeds University

Leeds, LS2 9JT

U.K.

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