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 Here’s a good image of a Cranner Loader in action at North Skelton Mine. Quite a late image, judging by the headgear and electric lamps. North Skelton Mine was the last of the Cleveland Mines to close, so this image could be as late as 1963. Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection, etc.  Miners at Park Pit Skelton, but are these men coming off shift or going on? No safety helmets, so we can surmise it’s before the mid 1930’s. Jean Cunion asked of the Archive: “I first saw the picture of Park Pit Skelton at Kirkleatham Hall Museum and was struck by the likeness of the lad in the middle on the front row to my father Alphonso Cunion, as a child. I have obtained a copy of the picture but unfortunately no names of the individuals were recorded. I have written to Teesside Archives who are searching the records held on miners in the area. I know from census records that my great great grandfather was an ironstone miner as were his sons. I also hold copies of Peter Tuff’s “Directories of ironstone miners and their associates” which refers to John, Jacob and Robert Cunion (John could refer to junior and/or senior). Does any one know of any other books or sources of information?” Thanks to Jean Cunion for the update, can anybody assist?
South Skelton Pit (or Van’s Pit as it was locally known – after the owner – Thomas Vaughan) is sited between Boosbeck and Margrove Park. A nicely compact pit, this image shows the winding shaft and engine house built over and onto the heapstead. The two strange dovecot-type structures in the centre foreground are horse-gins used for working the winding shaft when engineering work was required below. Not much remains today, the mine manager’s house, two overmen’s houses, the stables and the engine house are about all I can bring to mind. The shale heap at Margrove Ponds Nature Reserve was waste from the mine and the pond itself was caused by subsidence from the mine. Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection.
South Skelton mine is shown in the image and Simon Chapman advised us: “The mine was electrified 1912 – 1914, so the picture was taken before those dates.”. Image courtesy of Mike Holliday and thanks to Simon Chapman for the update.
”South Skelton Mine – 2nd December 1903” is the information this image; however Eric Johnson advises: ”Three of the men are holding carpentry tools; wood plane, large saw and set square. The front row are sitting on a plank between two saw “horses” (benches). They maybe joiners, tub repairers etc., also on the front row some men appear to be wearing oilskins (shaft workers ??). Simon Chapman’s book ”South Skelton Mine” has a photograph contemporary with this dated 6 days after this image”. Any more information would be welcomed. Image courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum.
I’m guessing a bit here, but there’s a fair-cross section of society depicted, so I reckon this is the mine manager with his management team. The man seated on the right with the walking stick has a shot cannister under his arm. Can somebody could supply names we’d get a better picture? Image courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum. |
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