Colliery keepsakes would not just be a token find...
A FORMER miner has put out an appeal for colliery tokens from pits around Rossendale to complete his collection.
Bill Bennett, who started work at Barnburgh colliery in south Yorkshire in 1964, has appealed for anyone with tokens from pits around Rossendale to get in touch.
The tokens, or ‘lamp checks’, were used to record the number of men underground at any one time - vital information for rescue workers if there was an emergency such as a fire or explosion.
What began as a hobby for Bill has now turned into an obsession.
He said: “I started at Barnburgh colliery South Yorkshire way back in 1964, working my way through various jobs eventually to a coal face worker.
“Local collieries around me were closing and the men who came gave me their tokens, that was it! It sparked my interest in collecting them.
“After 25 years my colliery closed, I then continued contract work and worked at various pits in various areas, collecting tokens on the way. After 33 years I retired but continued my hobby.”
Bill, who lives in Rotherham, is looking for tokens from any of the pits in the Valley area.
In the Lancashire coalfield alone there were an estimated 1,000 pits.
“As my area, like yours, was littered with coal mines any help to move me forward with my collection would be appreciated,” he said.
“There are far too many collieries for me to list and no doubt some I don’t know of, for example Hill Top, Copy, Fox Hill, Grimebridge, Calder, Moorfield, Old Meadows, Nabb, but I suspect I’ve only scratched the surface.”
To get in contact with Bill call 07548 212638 or post the tokens to: W.Bennett, 5 Edinburgh Avenue, Bolton on Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S63 8DS.