Bagworth Historical Society
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Hard at work during a monthly meeting
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An insight into Bagworth
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| The area we live and work in is very different from that of years ago. From 1825 - 1991 we had a highly competitive colliery, which in its heyday produced more coal per man-shift than any other pit in Europe. Bagworth colliery is entered in the Guinness Book of Records for its outstanding production per man-shift. There were two pits working within the village boundaries of Bagworth. The other pit was named Desford Colliery, which closed in 1984 after running into insurmountable geological problems. When Bagworth pit finally closed in February 1991 (the last pit in Leicestershire) the people of Bagworth had mixed feelings. For 166 years they had endured the dust, dirt and fumes of industry. But at the same time they were losing their biggest employer. Huge changes took place with redundancy and hardship taking over the lives of miners’ families. |
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Exhibiting at Snibston Discovery Park
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Bagworth Historical Society group Profile
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Bagworth Historical Society formed on 16th October 2001, when Rhianydd Murray met with half-a-dozen or so interested retired miners at Bagworth Working Men’s Club for our first few meetings. Rhianydd was initially funded to organise six starter meetings, later extended by a further six meetings. During this time she organized taped sessions of our group on a one-to-one basis. The idea was to build up an archive of what the village was like in years gone by. Although Rhianydd placed the set of tapes into a large County archive, we took a copy of each one.
Like the rolling stone gathering moss, membership has grown steadily with new members joining, not only from ex-miners, but from all walks of life. All of our members have Bagworth roots, although many now live as far away as Leicester.
Our group does not produce a newsletter. However we have a newsletter in the village that is always eager to publicize our group’s activities. Bagworth Village Voice is a bi-monthly publication with a circulation of 600 and is free to all villagers.
The specialist interests in the group such as those of Graham Aldred are valued. Graham has held the appointment of Archaeological Warden of Bagworth for a few years now. He conducts field walks for pieces of ancient pottery / weapons etc. and has found several interesting items to date (verified by the Museum). He occasionally rallies the services of a few interested locals to systematically search a field (with the owner’s permission). |
How to contact us:
Write to: |
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Frank Gregory
Secretary
288 Station Road
Bagworth
Coalville
Leicestershire
LE67 1BN
Phone: 01530 230863
Email: gregory167@aol.com
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Bob Austin
122 Station Road
Bagworth
Coalville
Leicestershire
Phone: 01530 230429
Email: Austin@bagworth.freeserve.co.uk
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| Meeting details: We meet at Bagworth Working Men’s Club every 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in the concert room. Today we have over 30 members, with usually 12 to 20 members attending any one meeting. New members are always welcome and encouraged. |
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Previous projects and events
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| Exhibitions… |
In the summer of 2002 Bagworth Historical Society held its first open week at its headquarters at Bagworth Club. Displayed were a variety of objects including a collection of ancient and modern miners tools. A photographic exhibition of the bygone Bagworth school, pictured pupils from before and after the war. Round the walls a time line gave all the important historical events in Bagworth, right from Domesday Book times. A continuous video showed the everyday working of Bagworth pit, a record-breaking output colliery. Books and albums about Bagworth’s history were on display. The weeklong exhibition was a huge success, and attracted a ‘full house’ throughout its duration.
We were invited by Snibston Discovery Park to stage a similar exhibition in January 2003. It was opened by the Mayor and proved to be a fantastically successful experience. Snibston provided us with glass exhibition cabinets to display items of value and rarity, and provided the opportunity to display original documents and artefacts.
History group member Alwyne Watson is greatly involved with preserving the memory and tradition of the Royal Tiger Regiment, and holds annual memorial services in Tigers Wood, Bagworth, every November 11th. The services are held adjacent to a large granite stone with an engraved plaque in honour of the Tigers Regiment. |
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Bagworth History Booklets and Oral Histories
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Bagworth Historical Society members have produced three booklets in what is hoped will be part of a longer series. Booklet 1 is called 'July 17th 1832' and is about the opening of Stephenson’s early Bagworth section of the Leicester and Swannington Railway. Booklet 2 is 'A History of Bagworth Park' and booklet 3 is called 'A History of the People of Bagworth'.
Booklet 3 includes engrossing accounts of life in the village years ago by various local people. George and Joyce Farmer talk about the busy railway station and steam train rides to the seaside. Derrick Holmes (our Chairman) and Marion Plumb recall the story of the Jollies Concert Parties in the ‘40’s. Reg Ison (our Joint Treasurer) tells of his schooldays at Bagworth from before the war, and describes many of the buildings now long since gone through subsidence.
Tapes made in 1991 during interviews with members of the ‘Evergreens’ (a now defunct retired people’s club) are also transcribed in Book 3.
Please contact the authors on the numbers above for details on how to obtain a copy. |
Current Activities
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We are currently researching information for our 4th booklet called A Village History. It will include chapters on The Village, The Churches, The Farms, The Public Houses, The Bier House and The Shops. Many of these buildings we have lost through subsidence damage. Bagworth hasn’t had any shops for years now, although a Post Office has now opened in the Community Centre.
Each booklet is a year-long research project, including visits to the Record Office, libraries and conducting oral interviews.
The group is always on the lookout for old local photographs and stories that tell the people of today about the people of yesteryear. |
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