Industrial Developments

New Hucknall Colliery

Final Huthwaite Miners

Acceptable reasoning for closing this last Huthwaite pit was again due to encountering water difficulties. Colliers knew troublesome depths could only offer slimmest last hopes. Restarting a previously unworkable Yard seam challenged even modern technology.

Final 1981 Record Output Peter Clarke - Paul Morton - Barry ?????? - John Smith - Fred Sully - Tom Phillips - Steve Hallam - Billy Wood - Jack Boot - Fred Webster - Sam Marshall - Pete Atkins

Other contributing factors might become apparent influencing this pits closure dated February 1982. Indisputable historic significance rapidly expanding a prospering Huthwaite mining community, cannot deny the level of coal production barely compared with fast advancement of deeper and larger mines just being sunk across Nottinghamshire. The New Hucknall Colliery Company secondly sited its own Bentinck colliery, at Kirkby-in-Ashfield. That easily carried on to apparently set a new British record producing one million tons in only seven months.

Comparing much lower New Hucknall Colliery NCB output figures does not disrespect any efforts made by a Huthwaite workforce numbering around 660.

Graphing emphasises problematic sharp drops, as often staged by the National Union of Mineworkers. Hard won wage improvements promoted steepest rise in output following a 1974 NUM strike. Periods without home electricity attested when Huthwaite coals primarily helped fuel Nottinghamshire power stations well beyond the revolutionary steam age.

Pete Atkins fronts his team marking New Hucknall colliery ultimately achieving an impressive record output exceeding half a million tons. But that lump of coal might also represent one of the last raised from Huthwaite just before Feb 1982 pit closure.

Gradually reducing employees throughout this pits final years left those remaining two choices. The first option to transfer skills into Nottinghamshires newer and larger pits assured future NCB incomes. Handsome redundancy payments could otherwise assist a change in career, or for many with a longer service history, enviable chance of early retirement.

A small number of key workers were kept on to form a site salvage crew through 1982. Mr John Boot also provided most names.

1982 Underground Salvage Crew ?????? - Colin Wilson - Unknown - Lyn Haywood - Fred Good - John Boot - ?????? - Arthur Giglow - Ken Hallam

Above group identifies the last underground salvage crew of shift workers emerging from No.3 pit shaft headings in 1982.   Larger team below represents total retained workforce tasked with continuing that years pit yard ground site clearance. Welder Pete Collier recognised his close workmate and Fitter Dave Colebourne, informing they both started at New Hucknall just three years earlier. They'd be likewise offered NCB transfer next heading into Babbington and Calverton respectfully.

1982 Pit Yard Salvage Team George Berry - Dave Colebourne - Brian Hayes - Jeff Cox - Windsor Key - Derick Hill - John Boot - Pete Collier -
John Cooper - Billy Reynolds - Victor Machin - Charlie Topliss - Derick Smith - Ray Dommy - Jack Howells

1982 Final Key Staff

Final key company representatives enjoy a drink marking completion of the New Hucknall Colliery yard being suitably and safely left cleared.

 Len Haywood = Colliery Manager
  Web Hallam = Undermanager
Mick Bostock = Head Electrician
 Derek Hague = Union Rep Delegate
????? ?????? = Surveyor
   John Boot = Union Secretary

Headquarter offices were left standing fronting a fully cleared industrial yard. A Fulwood Learning Centre is signed in 2007, after December 2006 incorporation of an IMC Group Holdings Limited had moved into Mill Lane, NG17 2SX offices.