Miners Memorial Meadows: Lesley Silvera (Groundwork)

www.groundwork.org.uk/northeast

GROUNDWORKCHANGING PLACES CHANGING LIVES

Miners’ Memorial MeadowsLesley SilveraSenior Project Officer


Miners’ Memorial Meadows

This project will focus on two aspects – historical investigation into Northumbrian miners and their families in WW1 and the creation of beautiful wildflower places to reflect and remember miners in WW1.


Miners’ Memorial Meadows – WW1 commemoration of Northumbrian miners


Miners’ Memorial Meadows – commemoration of WW1 miners


Quote from Lieutenant Nixon, N’land Fuseliers War Diaries 1915

At 7a.m. on the 1st July …..two and a half platoons of “B” company, noted diggers, all of them Northumberland and Durham colliery men, detailed to dig a communication trench across No Man’s Land to the Boche lines as soon as the attacking force had passed over. It was a lovely morning, bright sun and very little wind. The guns kept up an incessant roar, but above us hovered a lark quite undisturbed.


Mining, tunnelling and WW1


Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Norton-Griffiths

In early December 1914, John Norton-Griffiths wrote to the War Office , to offer tunnelling assistance but his letter was not acted upon.On 20 December 1914, German sappers placed eight mines beneath the positions of an Indian Brigade in Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée. The detonation and follow up attack wiped out the entire company of 800 men.Following further attacks, it was evident by January 1915 that the Germans were mining to a planned system. Lord Kitchener, contacted Norton-Griffiths on Friday, 12 February 1915, and by the end of the February 1915, eighteen "Manchester Moles" sewer men were in France as founding members of 170 (Tunnelling) Company, Royal Engineers.


But I will delve one yard below their mines, And blow them at the moon

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4


Tunnelling Strategy 1915-188 tunnelling companies createdBy mid 1916, the British Army had around 25,000 trained tunnellersMost were volunteers from coal mining communities50,000 acted as ‘attached infantry’, moving the earth out of the tunnels


TasksDigging tunnels and subwaysSaps (narrow trenches to approach enemy trenches)Cable trenchesUnderground chambers for signalsChambers for medical servicesIt was offensive and defensive activity


Tunnelling deeper gave an advantage


Memorial to officers


Linda Shepherd’s storyLinda’s grandfather was a miner in Wylam and then signed up as a volunteer in WW1.He survived the war and went back to mining. His leaving certificate pays tribute to 52 years of loyal service to the country and coal mining industry.Linda has kindly loaned her grandfather’s medals and WW1 papers to the project to be copied.


Mark Hudson’s story


Karen Blore’s storiesKaren’s grandfather was captured and, in the POW camp in Limburg, met an Australian who then wrote as he was leaving for Australia.Her grandfather’s cousin was killed in action on 20 Oct 2918.


Part 2: The MeadowsThis part of our project is designed to make beautiful spaces by increasing pollen plants within three grassland areas, adjacent to old mine sites.


Step 1 - Locations of proposed meadows


How does it work?3 meadow sites were chosen with NCC’s permission We want to increase the native species for each particular site ie. a woodland glade, a reclaimed coal site and woodland clearingWe have involved local schools and volunteersYear 1 surveys have been doneSeed collection and propagation is underway, planting out is due in autumn 2017Mowing, management and interpretation is underway






Seed collecting, drying and storage



Planting out





Important meadow visitors - bees, hoverflies and butterflies…


…and moths


Sharing the storiesInterpretive panelsSchools loans boxesWalks leafletsDisplaysOn-line albumMore artefacts archived



Thank you for listening, are there any questions?

Lesley SilveraUNIUN DEPOT

Front StPegswoodNE61 6RG

01670514876

Date post:	14-Apr-2017
Category:	Environment
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Miners Memorial Meadows: Lesley Silvera (Groundwork)

Environment