Shirley Moore, former Chair of Edwinstowe Historical Society, had always considered that
there should be a memorial to the men who lost their lives working at Thoresby Colliery.
This was discussed with the Revd Claire Melless, vicar of St Mary’s Church, who did not
hesitate to agree to hold a commemoration service to mark 10 years since the colliery
closed and 100 years since it opened, also to remember all those who worked at the colliery
and those who lost their lives there. Revd Claire Melless led the service which was held on
Sunday, 13th July. The Thoresby Colliery Band, under the leadership of Stan Lippeatt,
accompanied the hymn singing, and Tom Stanforth shared colliery memories with the
congregation. Darren Martin and Trevor Baker read out the names of the men who lost
their lives at the colliery, for whom candles were lit in their memory. Bible readings were
read by Olwen Hawkes and Molly Wright. Terry Wheatley and David Betts, both ex colliery
Managers at Thoresby Colliery, were among the congregation, which included former
miners, families and friends, all of whom were invited to sign the Book of Remembrance
that had been placed in church. A recording of the event was televised on East Midlands
Today later that evening.

Located in the heart of Sherwood Forest, Thoresby Colliery was the last Nottinghamshire
colliery to be sunk by the former Bolsover Colliery Company between 1925-28, and was the
first pit in the country to be built with electric winding – in other words, the first pit without
a smoking chimney.
In 1951, Thoresby became the first nationalised mine to exceed an output of one million
tons in one year. One of the most productive and profitable coal mines in Europe for many
years, in 1988 went on to produce two million tons in 43 working weeks.
On Friday 10 th July 2015, Thoresby was the last mine to be closed in the Nottinghamshire
coalfield. The end of an era for the coal mine sunk amongst the birches of Sherwood Forest,
known as a record breaking “Jewel in the Crown”.

Acknowledgment to Simon Ford for the photographs.