Pithead Collection

Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, Staffordshire, 1963. Lea Hall was the first colliery planned and sunk by the National Coal Board (NCB) and work began in 1954

Markham Main Colliery, Armthorpe, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1961. A general view of the colliery taken during refurbishment work in 1961

Frickley Colliery, South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, 1965. Artist: Michael Walters
Frickley Colliery, South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, 1965. With its shaft sunk in 1905, Frickley Colliery in the village of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire

Wath Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 1956. Artist
Wath Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 1956. The pit was originally sunk in 1876 to a depth of 382 yards

A Welsh coal mine (litho)
3622182 A Welsh coal mine (litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Welsh coal mine)

Queen Mary visiting a Welsh colliery, 1935. A print from King Emperors Jubilee, 1910-1935, by FGH Salusbury, Daily Express Publications, London, 1935

Female pithead workers
2602804 Female pithead workers; (add.info.: Female pithead workers, Creusot coal mines, eastern France. Engraving, Paris, 1885.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Building the pithead, 1832, (1833). Creator: Auguste Raffet
Building the pithead, 1832, (1833). Construction de la descente de Fosse'. Soldiers with baskets and wooden beams in a nocturnal hilly landscape

Soldiers at a mineshaft, 1832, (1833). Creator: Auguste Raffet
Soldiers at a mineshaft, 1832, (1833). Communication de la descente de Fosse'. Soldiers making a fire. On the right in the foreground a large basket (gabion)

Mouth of the Harton Coal-Pit, South Shields, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Mouth of the Harton Coal-Pit, South Shields, 1854. Mr. Airy['s] grand object was to arrive at the weight of our globe...it being necessary to know this before we can proceed to determine

St Just Tin Miners, Harold Harvey (1874-1941)
Oil on canvas, Newlyn School, 1935. Harold Harvey was one of the few successful artists of the period who was born and raised in Cornwall

Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1964. Artist: Michael Walters
Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1964. The main pit head and winding gear at Rossington Colliery. The original owners of the colliery were the Rossington Main Colliery Ltd which was

A miner enjoying the newly installed showers at Askern Colliery near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. This Bevin Boy is Bill Thomas

Bilston Glen Colliery, Midlothian, Scotland, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
Bilston Glen Colliery, Midlothian, Scotland, 1960. Bilston Glen pit was sunk between 1952 and 1961. It was the scene of violent clashes between striking miners

Pithead Abstraction
Christian Meermann

Nottinghamshire Miners
A group of Nottinghamshire miners leave the pithead after completing their shift Date: January 1974

Pickets at Snowdown Colliery
Striking coalminers at the Snowdown colliery in Kent, threatened with closure, mount a token picket. The colliery was eventually closed in 1986 Date: February 1981

Discharging coal at the top of a mine shaft (litho)
6014254 Discharging coal at the top of a mine shaft (litho) by Ward, Enoch (1859-1922); Private Collection; (add.info.: Discharging coal at the top of a mine shaft)

Cross-section of the workings of an English coal mine (litho)
6014400 Cross-section of the workings of an English coal mine (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cross-section of the workings of an English coal mine)

Great Coal Strike, South Wales, 1921
Great Coal Strike in South Wales, 1921 - pit head with shafts covered. 1921

A colliery - early morning (colour litho)
3622168 A colliery - early morning (colour litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A colliery - early morning)

Welfare, Important schemes for the promotion of industrial well being (b / w photo)
6008315 Welfare, Important schemes for the promotion of industrial well being (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Welfare)

Gelli Colliery. Gelli is a village in the Rhondda Fawr valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. The view from Alexander Road, pictured in the background in a coal tip. Circa 1953

The Duchess of York at the Abercynon Colliery, South Wales - she is being shown a Davy Safety lamp (and how it works) by one of the miners Date: 1933

A Colliery Winding Engine, c1864-1930. Artist: Anna Lea Merritt
A Colliery Winding Engine, c1864-1930

The pit head and offices at Ollerton Colliery, North Nottinghanshire, 11 July 1962

Pit ponies, South Yorkshire, 1967. Artist: Michael Walters
Pit ponies, South Yorkshire, 1967. In 1913 there were 70, 000 pit ponies at work in Britain, according to government statistics

The heapstead at Kadeby Colliery, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. The heapstead showing the top of the winding gear

The Big A, Hem Heath Colliery, Trentham, Staffordshire, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
The Big A, Hem Heath Colliery, Trentham, Staffordshire, 1960. A view of the headgear of no 2 shaft, known as the Big A due to its distinctive shape

Lea Hall Colliery, Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1961. Artist: Michael Walters
Lea Hall Colliery, Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1961. Lea Hall Colliery was sunk in 1954 and full production began in 1960. The mine was highly productive

Killoch Colliery, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
Killoch Colliery, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1960. Two miners look towards the new winding tower at Killoch Colliery in Ayrshire

The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1966. Artist
The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1966. The main fan drift at Rossington Colliery, photographed from the north during re-furbishments in 1966

Newly installed conveyor sytem at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. The conveyor sytem at Hickleton Main before the belt was fitted in July of 1961

Installing a cage at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. Artist
Installing a cage at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. During the drive to improve the pits in the South Yorkshire area during the 1950s and 1960s

Heavy lifting gear at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. Artist
Heavy lifting gear at Hickleton Main pit, Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire, 1961. A Coles Crane operated by Mobile Lifting Services was brought in to lift heavy girders during the refurbishment work

The new headgear at Kilnhurst colliery, South Yorkshire, 1957. Artist: Michael Walters
The new headgear at Kilnhurst Colliery, South Yorkshire, 1957. The new headgear under construction at Kilnhurst Colliery near Rotherham

Markham Main Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. Artist: Michael Walters
Markham Main Colliery, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1956. This photograph shows the upcast ascent gear at Markham main colliery in Armthorpe, near Doncaster, during refurbishment work in 1956

A view of Horden Colliery, County Durham, 1964. Artist: Michael Walters
A view of Horden Colliery, County Durham, 1964. Horden opened in 1900 and worked for just 84 years, closing just after the miners returned to work after their year long strike

Modernisation of the South Yorkshire coalfields, Cadeby Colliery, near Doncaster, 1955. Civil engineers make preparations for a concrete pour on the site of the new heapstead at Cadeby Colliery

Work girls at the Wigan Collieries, late 19th century. From Cassells Illustrated History of England, Vol IX

Pithead at Hebburn Colliery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne area, 1860. The engine house (left) provides power for the winding gear (centre) which is raising baskets (corves)

Sketch of the Harrington Mill Pitt Colliery, County Durham, early 19th century. Artist: Middlemist
Sketch of the Harrington Mill Pitt Colliery, County Durham, early 19th century. View of the pit head, showing the steam engine house

Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. Artist: Thomas Dick
Section of a Coal Mine, 1860. A general pit head scene showing an engine house for a steam engine, the pit head winding gear and the underground areas of the mine in cross section

G Stephenson - West Moor
George Stephenson (1781 - 1848) Engineers cottage at West Moor

Pithead Scene
10th November 1970: The pithead at Glamorgan, which was affected by a massive unofficial strike in 1970. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

WW1 - Loos - Tower Bridge - pithead gear towers
WW1, Loos Tower Bridge - the name given to a pair of pithead gear towers here (also sometimes known as Crystal Palace ). Men from the Black Watch

Pithead at Hebburn Colliery, Newcastle area, showing engine house (left) providing power for the winding gear (centre) which is raising baskets (corves)

Rail mounted coal cutting machine powered by compressed air produced by a steam engine at the pithead. Wood engraving 1864

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Pithead: A Glimpse into the Coal Mining Era" Step back in time to Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station in Staffordshire, 1963. Witness the bustling pithead as miners toil away, fueling the nation's energy needs. Travel further north to Markham Main Colliery near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, 1961. The air is thick with determination as miners descend into the depths of the earth, their faces etched with resilience. In Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, 1956, an artist captures the essence of Wath Main Colliery through his brushstrokes. The painting immortalizes a way of life that would soon fade into history. Even royalty couldn't resist exploring Wales' coal mines. In 1935, Queen Mary graced a Welsh colliery with her presence - a testament to the importance of this industry in shaping communities across Britain. A lithograph transports us deep underground into a Welsh coal mine - its dark tunnels and tireless workers reminding us of their immense contribution to our industrial heritage. Nottinghamshire Miners stand united against adversity - their unwavering solidarity echoing through time as they fight for better working conditions and fair treatment. Pickets at Snowdown Colliery symbolize resistance and defiance amidst turbulent times. These brave men refuse to be silenced as they defend their rights on picket lines filled with conviction. The St Just Tin Miners come alive through Harold Harvey's artistry (1874-1941). His masterful strokes capture both grit and grace as these Cornish miners navigate treacherous conditions beneath Cornwall's rugged landscape. Michael Walters takes us on a visual journey to Frickley Colliery in West Yorkshire during 1965. His artwork reveals not only the physical labor but also glimpses of camaraderie among those who toil together.