When you have been exploring as long as I have, sites that you visit start to tie in with each other. Annesley welfare is a good example of this. The welfare served the pitmen of Annesley Colliery, one of the first collieries I explored during 2006 - 7 when I was touring the remnants of the British coal industry. It was also served by the Mansfield brewery, which was one of the first breweries I explored.
These little places are a shred of social history. There was a time when the welfare was very important to the local community. Folk's lives were a lot simpler back then, and the pitmen's life revolved around the entertainment at the welfare where he could drink inexpensive beer, entertain his family and involve himself with the numerous games and sports teams.
The collieries are long gone and many of the former pitmen and now deceased, so these little places are disappearing as fast as the headstocks and bath houses themselves.
The colliery that the welfare served. We has some fun times here. The pitwheel is now stuck in some crappy memorial...
These little places are a shred of social history. There was a time when the welfare was very important to the local community. Folk's lives were a lot simpler back then, and the pitmen's life revolved around the entertainment at the welfare where he could drink inexpensive beer, entertain his family and involve himself with the numerous games and sports teams.
The collieries are long gone and many of the former pitmen and now deceased, so these little places are disappearing as fast as the headstocks and bath houses themselves.
The colliery that the welfare served. We has some fun times here. The pitwheel is now stuck in some crappy memorial...
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