The Black Gold of our past

Staffordshire has two coalfields, one from Cannock to West Bromwich in the Southern and a bit better off and the other here in the North circles Audley, Talke, Mow Cop and Biddulph and goes as far south as Fenton and yes the first three are very near my house.

Both were instrumental to the rapid economic and physical growth of both urban conurbations The Black Country with Cannock and broad Stoke On Trent/North Staffs area, practically a self contained city region because that coal made iron, glass and pottery production not just viable but most economic for firing kilns and furnaces supplying the UK and beyond.

Within living memory men would walk or bicycle in all weathers here to the local coal mines, coming back and we personally know of mining families.

Indeed one powerful and shocking memory of my Mum was seeing one "gentleman" walking back having called in at our local pub  having spent a good half of his wage on ale and bets, staggering blind drunk toward his his home to face the wrath of his wife.

In this area you'll see the preserved heads with winding gears dotted about and I did go as a boy in my teens down a mine which part of a then functioning mining museum just a few miles away which back in the day would of been one place you'd of ended up working at in some role or other.