June Pickerill

Coal mining in Cannock Chase was recognised as a vital industry by the middle of the nineteenth century and dominated the area for the next 150 years. In 1913 annual output of coal from local mines was 5.76 million tons, from a labour force of 20,400 men. However, with the closure of the collieries by the mid-1990s this proud history in in danger of being forgotten. This volume of nearly 300 photographs offers a pictorial history of the mining community of Cannock Chase - at work and at play, at school and at prayer, at moments of celebration and of tragedy.These photographs have been collected from miners and their families, and great emphasis has been placed on naming the people and places depicted - maybe you will recognise a member of your extended family, or the pit in which they worked. This book records an important piece of history and will be a nostalgic journey for many people.

This is the second volume of archive photographs featuring Cannock Chase. Its particular charm derives from the fact that it draws on the hidden treasure of local people's photographs and recollections. All aspects of life in the area are recalled: around the district, work, the mining industry, sport and leisure, education, transport, church and chapel and The Chase. Extraordinary events rub shoulders with everyday life, from life at the Longford House in 1886 to finding the right partner at 'The Civic'' or a modern house on the Bevan-Lee or Brindley Heath estates; from General de Gaulle on The Chase and visits by Clement Atlee and Aneurin Bevan, to Red Martin the pig killer, open fields at Hawks Green and haymaking at Hatherton. One chapter is devoted to the pictures from the private family album of Julia Maud Gilpin, most of which were taken in 1886. This fascinating collection vividly recalls a way of life now long gone and will appeal to all those who know and love Cannock Chase. Maybe you will recognise someone on its pages. You may even recognise yourself!