” Recollections of the Cannock Chase Mining Community” – the book running alongside the Cannock Chase Coalfield Memorial sited in Hednesford, Staffordshire
This book was written to tell the story of how the memorial came to be built. It is also a tribute to the area’s coal mining heritage and to the people who played a role, however big or small, in helping to create that heritage.
It also records all 4,034 names which appear on the bricks making up the memorial. This enabled those not able to visit the site an opportunity to have a record of names included within the memorial.
Mike Mellor and Julie Shires compiled and edited the book on behalf of CHAPS as the group was nearing completion of Phase 2 of the memorial. They approached several people from Mining Historical groups as well as committee members involved in the process; wrote chapters themselves charting progress and included some of the messages and letters sent in by those who purchased groups. Full lists of those named on the bricks were included: 1,130 within phase one and 1,491 in phase two.
Supplements were added with names of those included in phase three: 913 and phase four:500 – a total of 4,034 names.
3000 copies of the book were sold, a number were sent overseas. Copies were gifted to all Historical Societies involved, to Parish Councils who had donated towards the memorial, and to all libraries in the area meaning that the information included within the book will always be accessible.
The book is no longer available for sale but copies can be found in: Cannock, Hednesford, Norton Canes, Rugeley libraries; with the British Library; Parish Councils of Bridgtown, Brindley Heath, Burntwood, Cannock Wood, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes & Wimblebury, Norton Canes; with Hednesford Town Council and Cannock Chase Council; Historical Societies of Bridgtown, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Lea Hall & Brereton Collieries, Norton Canes, with the Museum of Cannock Chase and the William Salt Library, Stafford.
Four Phases: 2006; 2012; 2014; 2017
This is memorial to ensure local heritage – the coal industry – and those who worked within it are remembered
CHAPS committee members formulated the concept of a memorial to be funded by members of the public buying a brick with the name of a miner or someone who’d worked within the Cannock Chase Coalfield along with the colliery they were most associated with. The focal point was to be a Davy Lamp which measured 3.45 metres in height – members Mike Mellor who designed the memorial and Jack Sunley, a former Colliery manager, travelled to South Wales to arrange for a lamp to be made, transported and fixed. The lamp has a perpetually shining light.
1,130 bricks were sold and put into a wall surrounding the lamp. In 2006, an emotional dedication service was held; this was followed by many more requests for bricks!
Over 2,500 people attended the Dedication Service, led by the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester and former bishop to the miners.
In 2012 a further 1,491 bricks were laid – this time around the grass areas surrounding the Town Clock. Several of these bricks were purchased by families who had emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. Paving slabs engraved with names of all the local collieries and funded by Parish and Town Councils as well as Historical groups were laid as a link between the two sections of the memorial.
Two books were published and launched on the same day: ‘A Lasting Tribute’ and ‘Memories’.
Interest and requests for named bricks continued, this resulted in 913 bricks being laid in phase three in 2014 and 500 in phase four, 2017. The Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch presided over each of these Dedication Services too, each attended by over 2,000 people.
The names of 4034 people who worked within the Cannock Chase Coalfield – most of them miners – are now commemorated forever, as are the names of the collieries within the coalfield. Hednesford Town Council has willingly accepted the role of guardian of the memorial in perpetuity; local volunteer groups keep the area looking beautiful. There are regular visits to the memorial by those wishing to remember their loved ones; flowers are often left as a tribute.
It is a well known landmark in its own right but also used to direct to other locations or establishments, using terms such as ‘the giant davy lamp’ or ‘the miners’ memorial’.
Inspired by the success of the Cannock Chase Embroidery, 25 members from Chadsmoor Tapestry Group produced this unique embroidery which can be viewed at Pye Green Community Centre in Hednesford.
It features a map of Cannock Chase, flora and fauna of the area and local landmarks using a variety of stitching and tapestry techniques, fabric layers and print. This detailed piece took over four and half years to create involving thousands of hours to achieve it and framed to meet conservation standards by NHR Joinery
“The dedication and attention to detail is remarkable.” Cllr Alan Pearson