South Yorkshire Times, May 24th, 1969.
Life In The Shadow Of The Headstocks.
Everyone to his own choice, but living slap bang on top of a colliery is not most people’s idea of the ideal home. Except that is for some Barnburgh folk, who have been living with a pit for their constant companion for most of their lives.
Green Lane, Barnburgh, is a lonely stretch of houses hidden by the village pit. It was built in the days when colliery bosses wore spats, and their idea of industrial relations was having workers as near at hand as possible.
The Lane residents echoed the same feelings when they first came.”We did not think it would last six months.” without exception they have all lasted a decade or two… or three.
There are 38 houses. Seventeen are the homes of widows, Widowers, or retired miners and their families. ” You just cannot account for all the old folk living on this street,” said Mrs. Kate Ellis, who runs the street shop. She moved from Wath to Green Lane in 1939 “People get used to a place; they just don’t want to move,” she added.
At the bottom of the lane are Mr. and Mrs. George Wood. They have been living in No 37 since they came from bolton in 1927. They have five children. Three of the sons left the lane, the fourth, the oldest, remains. He works in the electricians shop at Barnburgh Colliery. But the others have not left mining. One gained a B.Sc degree at Leeds University, one is a group engineer for the N.C.B., and the other is a deputy engineer at Cortonwood. The daughter is a shorthand typist. “It’s a bit awkward, a bit out of the way,” said 68-years-old Mr. Wood, who worked on shunting, loco driving and winding at the No 6 Pit for 27 years. “But even when we did not have a car, we still like it,” he said.
Mr. Wood originally from Norfolk, came to South Yorkshire when he was 18. He marries his Wife, Lily, during the General strike in 1926, and had to drive the landlord’s horse and cart to pay the rent.
“The Countryside is not the same as in Norfolk,” he mused, “but there is character in the people, “I and you get accustomed to a place.”
Mrs. Mary Alsopp has lived at No 33 for 27 years. She has been widowed four years. “when I first came I did not think I would last six months, but now I would not live anywhere else,” she said.
Filling in their time at No.34 are Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Roberts. A Senior Overman at Barnburgh until three years ago, 68 year old Mr. Roberts has in his time been treasurer of the officials Club on Green lane, a job he held for 20 years, and a stalwart in amateur drama circles for more years than he can recall. “I never though I would be happy when I retired,” he said, “but I can find all sorts to help fill in my time. But the main thing is the fact that there is a good set of folk around here. Everybody’s got a good word for you,” He said, which is probably why people do not want to leave once they get there. No-one mentioned the pit.
