The last pit in the valley

I took time out at lunchtime today to visit a little exhibition in the Swinton Gateway - organised by the Irwell Valley Mining Project. 

The Irwell Valley in Salford was once a real centre of coal mining, although virtually no trace is left of an industry which existed for 250 yeas. The man in the blip is Paul Kelly, ex miner, who I chatted to after I bought his book "The last pit in the Valley", which is a history of Agecroft Colliery where he worked. It closed in 1990. He told me about the pits and pit heads which were once scattered across Salford - many people who now live in the city have no idea about this history, which is still pretty recent. 

I've been flicking through the book this evening - it is a great read, and written with real passion, even anger. To quote from the forward - "No monuments or memorials were erected to the memory of the coal miners who worked at the pit, many of whom paid the  ultimate price. Their memory and sacrifice was forgotten".

The aim of the project is to put that right. Starting with a modest little memorial created near the site of Agecroft colliery,  others have followed at Clifton Hall and Pendleton, and the eventual  aim is to mark the site of each pit in the Valley. It deserves to succeed. To quote again "... it was coal which was the source of energy that powered the industrial revolution and made this country great".

I've added an extra, good teeshirt