This film is part of Free

Peckfield Open Day

Workers from Peckfield Colliery and the local Micklefield population enjoy an open day in this celebratory film.

Amateur film 1976 10 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Yorkshire Film Archive

Overview

Micklefield people revel in the exciting activities that Peckfiled Colliery open day offers. At the beginning of the film, colliery workers walk out of their factory all smiles in their white coats, no doubt anticipating their day off ahead. As people begin to explore the colliery grounds, we cut to a number of interesting local attractions such as Castlerigg Stone Circle.

Mining at Peckfield Colliery began towards the end of the 19th Century and continued on the site until the closure of the mine in 1980. A notable mining disaster occurred at Peckfield Colliery in 1896 when an explosion killed 67 miners, including a number of child labourers. The incident made the national news at the time and prompted Queen Victoria to offer £50 to the widows and dependents of the dead miners.