Manvers Main Colliery
Encyclopedia
Manvers Main Colliery was a coal mine, sunk on land belonging to the Earl Manvers
and was situated on the northern edge of the township of Wath-upon-Dearne
, between that town and Mexborough
, in the Dearne Valley
, South Yorkshire
, England
. Within the complex was the Regional headquarters and laboratories of British Coal
.
Manvers was, in fact, a complex of collieries, the original sinkings being known as "Old Manvers", the later sinkings as "New Manvers", and a coke
and by-products plant. The first shaft was sunk in the late 19th century and this was followed by the second shaft, sunk between 1900 and 1901, and later a third shaft was added.
The Manvers Main Colliery Company was also responsible, in 1911, for the sinking of two shafts at Barnburgh
, a village about two miles north east. The collieries were connected by a private railway.
Between 1920 and 1934, the manager of the coke-oven, washery and brickworks departments at Manvers Main was Cornelius Finn, who during this period (1923-24) was also president of the Coke Oven Managers Association.
On 4 March 1945, the colliery suffered an accident which caused the death of five underground workers. The cause was an explosion of firedamp ignited by sparks from a damaged trailing cable.
Immediately prior to nationalization, Manvers was owned by Manvers Main Collieries Ltd. The coke ovens and coal by-products plant were closed in 1981. With rationalisation in the South Yorkshire coalfield, from 1950 to 1956, this became the centre of coal output from a number of local collieries (known as the South Manvers complex) linked below ground and including Wath Main
and Kilnhurst
. The colliery complex was closed on 25 March 1988.
. Manvers, and the adjoining areas that were formerly the Wath Main Colliery
and the Wath marshalling yard
were bulldozed, landscaped and are now an area of light industry and commerce, with a beautiful nature reserve managed by the RSPB Old Moor Wetland Centre RSPB reserve, including the call centre
s of companies such as Ventura
, TSC
, T-Mobile
and many others occupying purpose-built units. They are now the area's largest private employers with approximately 60,000 employees between them. It was also home to the nursing campus
of the University of Sheffield
, although this has since closed and currently stands empty.
Plans have now been put in place to develop more land to be used for 9 hole golf course with driving range, hotel, restaurants and residential home after the original plan for a multiplex cinema was objected to by Barnsley Council.
Several very large distribution and warehousing centres have been built in Manvers: these are so large as to dominate the surrounding area. Maplin Electronics
is one of the companies that is located in these buildings, after relocating their headquarters there from Wombwell
, two miles away.
In 2009, several builders began construction of housing developments based around the lake at Manvers and the area will eventually have more than 300 homes consisting of apartments and houses.
Other developments such as retail outlets, a health centre and restaurants are planned to add to the Blue Bell public house already on the site.
Earl Manvers
Earl Manvers was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for Charles Pierrepont, 1st Viscount Newark. He had already been created Baron Pierrepont, of Holme Pierrepont in the County of Nottingham, and Viscount Newark, of Newark-on-Trent in the County of Nottingham, in...
and was situated on the northern edge of the township of Wath-upon-Dearne
Wath-upon-Dearne
Wath-upon-Dearne is a small town on the south side of the Dearne Valley in the historic county of the West Riding of Yorkshire and the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, lying 5 miles north of Rotherham, almost midway between Barnsley and Doncaster. It has a population...
, between that town and Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
, in the Dearne Valley
Dearne Valley
The Dearne Valley is an area of South Yorkshire along the River Dearne. It encompasses the towns of Wombwell, Wath-upon-Dearne, Swinton, Conisbrough and Mexborough, the large villages of Ardsley, Bolton on Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe, Darfield, Stairfoot and Brampton Bierlow, and many other...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Within the complex was the Regional headquarters and laboratories of British Coal
British Coal
thumb|right|British Coal company logoThe British Coal Corporation was a nationalised corporation in the United Kingdom responsible for the extraction of coal...
.
Manvers was, in fact, a complex of collieries, the original sinkings being known as "Old Manvers", the later sinkings as "New Manvers", and a coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
and by-products plant. The first shaft was sunk in the late 19th century and this was followed by the second shaft, sunk between 1900 and 1901, and later a third shaft was added.
The Manvers Main Colliery Company was also responsible, in 1911, for the sinking of two shafts at Barnburgh
Barnburgh Main Colliery
Barnburgh Main Colliery was a coal mine situated on the outskirts of the village of Barnburgh, about two miles north of Mexborough in the Dearne Valley, South Yorkshire, England....
, a village about two miles north east. The collieries were connected by a private railway.
Between 1920 and 1934, the manager of the coke-oven, washery and brickworks departments at Manvers Main was Cornelius Finn, who during this period (1923-24) was also president of the Coke Oven Managers Association.
On 4 March 1945, the colliery suffered an accident which caused the death of five underground workers. The cause was an explosion of firedamp ignited by sparks from a damaged trailing cable.
Immediately prior to nationalization, Manvers was owned by Manvers Main Collieries Ltd. The coke ovens and coal by-products plant were closed in 1981. With rationalisation in the South Yorkshire coalfield, from 1950 to 1956, this became the centre of coal output from a number of local collieries (known as the South Manvers complex) linked below ground and including Wath Main
Wath Main Colliery
Wath Main Colliery was a coal mine situated in the Dearne Valley, close by the township of Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, England. The colliery was operated by the Wath Main Coal Company Limited....
and Kilnhurst
Kilnhurst Colliery
Kilnhurst Colliery, formerly known as either Thrybergh or Thrybergh Hall Colliery, was situated on the southern side of the village of Kilnhurst, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England....
. The colliery complex was closed on 25 March 1988.
Dereliction and rebirth
The land remained derelict until the mid–1990s when the government started a regeneration programme with the assistance of the European Social FundEuropean Social Fund
The European Social Fund is the European Union’s main financial instrument for supporting employment in the Member States as well as promoting economic and social cohesion. ESF spending amounts to around 10% of the EU’s total budget....
. Manvers, and the adjoining areas that were formerly the Wath Main Colliery
Wath Main Colliery
Wath Main Colliery was a coal mine situated in the Dearne Valley, close by the township of Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, England. The colliery was operated by the Wath Main Coal Company Limited....
and the Wath marshalling yard
Wath marshalling yard
Wath marshalling yard, also known as Wath concentration yard, was a large railway marshalling yard specifically designed for the concentration of coal traffic. It was set at the heart of the South Yorkshire Coalfield, at Wath-upon-Dearne, approximately halfway between Barnsley and Doncaster, in...
were bulldozed, landscaped and are now an area of light industry and commerce, with a beautiful nature reserve managed by the RSPB Old Moor Wetland Centre RSPB reserve, including the call centre
Call centre
A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls for telemarketing,...
s of companies such as Ventura
Ventura
-Places:*Ventura, California, US*Ventura, Iowa, US*Ventura County, California, US*Las Venturas, San Andreas, a fictional city in Grand Theft Auto series of video games...
, TSC
TSC
- Miscellaneous :* Terrorist Screening Center, an FBI organization for identifying suspected or potential terrorists* Tractor Supply Company, a home-improvement retail chain* The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, a common book establishing rules of order...
, T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
and many others occupying purpose-built units. They are now the area's largest private employers with approximately 60,000 employees between them. It was also home to the nursing campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, although this has since closed and currently stands empty.
Plans have now been put in place to develop more land to be used for 9 hole golf course with driving range, hotel, restaurants and residential home after the original plan for a multiplex cinema was objected to by Barnsley Council.
Several very large distribution and warehousing centres have been built in Manvers: these are so large as to dominate the surrounding area. Maplin Electronics
Maplin Electronics
Maplin Electronics is a retailer of electronic goods in the UK and Ireland. As of December 2010, there are 180 Maplin Electronics stores in the United Kingdom...
is one of the companies that is located in these buildings, after relocating their headquarters there from Wombwell
Wombwell
Wombwell is a small town near Barnsley, located in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 15,180.Its name's origin may mean "Womba's Well", or "well in a hollow"....
, two miles away.
In 2009, several builders began construction of housing developments based around the lake at Manvers and the area will eventually have more than 300 homes consisting of apartments and houses.
Other developments such as retail outlets, a health centre and restaurants are planned to add to the Blue Bell public house already on the site.