A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

British Coal Nottinghamshire Area

Page - 78 -

Jan 1990

Senior Surveyor 1988 – 1990

Tues 2 ... Office ... Meeting ... GE Marshall, TR Draper, IR Burns ... AR Barnes later. Update ... to concentrate on Plan Rationalisation. Discuss Bob Draper and Dave Clarke. Phone John Walls Harworth. Phone John Cranham Clipstone. Phone Steve Barnes Bevercotes. To Harworth ... to take tribrach and Gyro info. Met Bob Robson new Manager transferred from Bevercotes, Bobby Watson gone! Discuss John Walls and Carl Sterland (ex Supervisory Linesman at Teversal). To Bevercotes ... took tapes and repair kit. Also some Laser signs. Discuss Steve Barnes, Ian Daykin and David Ellison. Office ... To Job Shop ... British Coal Enterprise ... discuss Terry ? and arranged interview. Put my name down on list for Self-Employment.

Wed 3 ... Office ... Phone Geoff Woods Deputy Estates Manager re any movement re Valuation ... no! Phoned all pits re info required for Keith Leighfield Deputy National Surveyor Bretby ... re seam depths etc. for Emergency Drill Rig. Discuss Graeme Marshall. Printing forms and labelling. To Newstead MRO ... continued gridding old plans. Discuss Brian Stringfellow, Brian Stevenson and Dave Clarke M4. Alan Marlowe I/c M1. Phoned all pits to gather info. Discuss John Nightingale Silverhill re send SM1 ... Ashgate rock in future. Office ... filled in forms re depths etc. Discuss Tony Barnes. (John Stapleton Cotgrave Surveyor interviewed by Tim Burke for to transfer to Surveyor at Ollerton.)

Thurs 4 ... Office ... gathered all info together for faxing to Keith Leighfield at Bretby. Clearing out drawers and files. Discuss Graeme Marshall re Silverhill Ashgate rock. Calverton still in ‘a mess’ ... says Leigh Warhurst. Phone re Karen Saunders Tracer at Clipstone off sick yet again! Info to take out to collieries. Phone Steve Lunnon geologist re various. To Bilsthorpe ... took files. Discuss Jed Thomas. To Rufford ... took files. Discuss Tony Barnes Andy Wells, David Archer, Steve Leavesley, and Peter Chatterton. Also Vivian re ‘work load ... from planner! Office ... Interview Job Shop 2pm Terry ... To Clipstone ... took files. Discuss John Cranham and Richard Longden various. To Sherwood ... took files. Discuss Rob Quincey and Carl Banton various. To Rescue Station ... Clipstone R & FF plans exchanged.

Fri 5 ... Office ... clearing out filing cabinet and parcelling up. Phone various. To Thoresby ... took files. Discuss Richard Pearson and Tony Nicholson various and calculation sheets a la Welbeck. To Ollerton ... took files. Discuss Garry Hall, Philip Shaw and Bob Hallott. Phone Stas Watson Sherwood various. To Welbeck ... took files. Discuss Graeme Walters, John Hind and Gary Quibell and Chris Walton planner. Office ... Phone Geoff Woods Estates re Valuation progress ! Discuss Graeme Marshall same. Also re Karen Saunders at Clipstone. Sorting out. Phone Graham Millward Bilsthorpe various.

Mon 8 ... Office ... moving tackle downstairs to Eric Fretwell’s office. Phone Gary Blacknell Annesley re 50 metre tape? Phone Denise Tindale Bilsthorpe re Tracing unit ... no. To Clipstone ... took Tracing unit. Discuss various. To Annesley ... took 30 metre band to Gary Blacknell. To Newstead MRO ... continued gridding old plans. Discuss Jason Leavesley re Rationalisation. Discuss Dave Clarke same. Phone Graeme Marshall re same ... re ask Keith Leighfield. Discuss Brian Stevenson and Dennis Arnold (ex Surveyor Renishaw Park) Rationalisation.

Tues 9 ... Office ... clearing out drawers with Tony Barnes. Phone John Walls Harworth re arrangement for Gyro. Phone Geoff Woods Estates re obtain Yearly tonnage Dec to Dec. Phone Cliff Rhodes Statistics re send same. Phone Mike Gallagher Leeds re Sutton demolition. To Electrical dept. To Newstead ... continued gridding old plans. Total 160 ... 341 grids. Phone Graham Millward Bilsthorpe re change battery for Gyro. Office ... Discuss Eric Fretwell re new role.

Wed 10 ... Office ... sent Colliery year end tonnages for 1989 to Geoff Woods Estates. To Harworth ... Picked up Eric Woss and Karl Mitchell then to Bilsthorpe ... to pick up Gyro tackle. To University of Nottingham ... Gyro observations on base line to obtain E factor and practice. To Harworth to take them back. Office ... discuss Graeme Marshall various and possible Subsidence job? Re Keith Leighfield ! (nothing would come of it). To S & C, Pam Slaney re Peter Daffin dial and Peter Robinson dial ... paperwork and paid for. Sorting out stools for Newstead ... set 18 ex Surveyors on today for Rationalisation. Phone Bob Draper. Discuss Phil Critchley re Subsidence job. Phone Dick Bramley Calverton re old stools etc. To call tomorrow. Manager agreed to another linesman. Phone Stas Watson Sherwood re questions ... go Friday.

Thurs 11 ... Phoned all pits with Apprentices re exam forms and dates. Discuss Graeme Marshall re Bilsthorpe and Cotgrave Unit Surveyors jobs. John Stapleton to start at Ollerton 1 March. Interviewees Graham Millward, Stas Watson, John Potts, Steve Barnes, Ian Revill, David Archer and Peter Toon. Phone Graham Millward Bilsthorpe. Phone discuss Bob Draper. To Thoresby ... picked up R & FF plans. Discuss Ian Shaw and Simon Smith British Rail ... 118s Parkgate to go under Boughton. To Calverton ... picked up 4 stools and tackle. Discuss Dick Bramley, Leigh Warhurst, Mick Clayton and David Bamford. To Newstead ... took stools and tackle to new rooms for Plan Rationalisation. Discuss Dave Clarke. Copies of G Offen’s paper. To Annesley ... discuss Ian Revill job interview. Discuss same George Simms and Apprentice Alan Wilmot ...to attend ‘occasionally’. To Rescue Station ... exchanged Thoresby R & FF plans.

Fri 12 ... To Sherwood ... discuss various Rob Quincey and Stas Watson. Also SM1 amend. Pens, pencils etc. Office ... clearing out. Phone Graham Millward Bilsthorpe. To Job Shop ... Rosemary next Thursday. Discuss Ellis Riley Deputy Surveyor Warsop. Phone Geoff Austin Bilsthorpe off sick re we both finish in March. Phone Cliff Rhodes Statistics ... he finishes today. To Superannuation office ... Wayne Cooper re updates. Phone Mike Pope Deputy Staff Manager re a job at Bretby? ... (Nothing would come of it). Discuss same Graeme Marshall re same ... Subsidence dept job. Discuss Wendy Wain Zenith. To Subsidence dept re details of job.(never went further).

Mon 15 ... Office ... clearing out. Discuss Peter Toon Asfordby re Cotgrave and Bilsthorpe jobs. Phone John Potts Cotgrave re Sec 2 and Sec 3 notices etc. Meeting ... GE Marshall, AR Barnes, IR Burns, Steve Hill and TR Draper. Sherwood subsidence levelling ? To Subsidence dept ... introduction to examples with Phil Critchley. To Newstead MRO ... discuss Jerry Hancock (ex Senior Surveyor) set on in charge for Plan Rationalisation ... shopping list. Took certain items. Assisting in setting up new office accommodation with movers ... Bob Draper, Dave Clarke and Jerry Hancock.

Tues 16 ... Office ... clearing out ... moved office downstairs to Subsidence dept. Discuss Graham Millward, Steve Barnes and David Archer re interviews. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Top Hard plans. (3). Discuss Graham Walters and Gary Quibell. Phone Tony Barnes re check on Valuations at Harworth, Creswell and Clipstone. Office ...discuss Eric Fretwell.

Wed 17 ... Office ... Subsidence dept ... introduction to examples with Phil Garner. Graeme Marshall re possible appointment to Subsidence dept. (Never went further, don’t no why). Phone ... Graham Millward, John Potts, Steve Barnes, Stas Watson, David Archer re interviews. Phone John Walls Harworth, Ian Orgill Creswell, Hadi Al Rekabi re calling about Valuation. To Clipstone ... to check Valuation ... could not find plans. Discuss Hadi, to call again! To Creswell ... to check Valuation ... could not find plans ... however managed to do so using other plans. Discuss Billy Ellison, Ian Orgilland Keith Banton. Discuss Ian Gill new planner (ex geologist). 

Thurs 18 ... Office ... checking through files and sorting out. Seminar in Conference Room A 9.30am to 11.30am ... Self-employment. To Harworth ... checking Valuation figures. Discuss John Walls and then Maria re redundancy. Discuss Eric Woss and Karl Mitchell re Gyro results ... o.k. Office ... discuss Graeme Marshall in his new office ... moving furniture and filling bags with rubbish.

Fri 19 ...Office ... phone Andy Wells Rufford, Steve Barnes Bevercotes. Phone Leeds office ... no Valuers in. To Bevercotes ... to take tackle. Discuss Steve Barnes. To Welbeck ... continued stippling plans (3). Surface on plans. Discuss all staff.

Mon 22 ... Office ... phone various. To Welbeck ... continued stippling plans (2).

Tues 23...Office ... discuss Graeme Marshall ... re move Stas Watson ? Phoned Steve Barnes Bevercotes re his appointment as Surveyor at Cotgrave (another of my Apprentices) ... well done. Phone Andy Wells Rufford ... re Abandonment plans. Phone Hadi Al Rekabi Clipstone re Valuation check. Looking at Asfordby proposal plan sent by Peter Toon. To Clipstone ... discuss Hadi ... checking Valuation figures. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Top Hard Working plans (2). Discuss Graham Walters, John Hind and Gary Quibell. Phone Stas Watson re interview.

Wed 24 ... Office ... Writing out Valuation results and differences. Tony Barnes re ozaloft for Jerry Hancock at Newstead office. Phone Garry Hall Ollerton, David Archer Rufford, Rob Quincey Sherwood, Denise Tindale Bilsthorpe, Dick Bramley Calverton, Richard Pearson Thoresby (ex Teversal Mech Engr Dennis Pearson’s son), John Cranham Clipstone re spare ozaloft for Newstead. To Clipstone ... picked up ozaloft. To Ollerton ... picked up ozaloft and discuss Garry Hall re Philip Shaw move? Rep had been with plastic staff ... not thick enough. To Bilsthorpe ... picked up ozaloft from Denise. To Rufford ... picked up ozaloft. Discuss Andy Wells re Yard seam abandonment. Discuss David Archer Rufford re his appointment as Surveyor at Bilsthorpe. To Newstead ... Discuss Jerry Hancock, Charles Whyte, Gordon Ison, Trevor Speed and others set on for Plan Rationalisation ... took ozaloft material. To Annesley... to take prints. Discuss Ian Revill, Gary Blacknell and George Simms re the appointments of Steve Barnes and David Archer. To Newstead Mining Records Office ... Discuss Mike Parker and Sheila Smith. Office ... Mansfield Supplementary plans to Tony Barnes. Discuss Graeme Marshall re interviews and re possible staff moves.

Thurs 25 ... Office ... Info re instruments. Discuss Eric Fretwell re theodolite and tracheotomy for Estates dept. Letter re same for request. Phone Peter Toon Asfordby re interview. Phone Eddie Betts (ex Deputy Chief) re various and plans. Lunch Maid Marion Celia leaving. Office ... Wane Cooper Admin re my retirement figures. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Working plans (2).

Fri 26 ... To Welbeck ... continued stippling Working plans (2). To Ollerton ... to meet a Rep re staffs. Office ... Notice re instruments. Christine re various. Carol re 12 prints for Welbeck. Phone Gordon Froggatt Manager Creswell re letters for pollution ... message for Graeme Marshall. Phone Rob Quincey Sherwood re Blackshale 304s SM1 ... query re copy ... to send a plan in. Christine re same. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Top Hard Working plans.

Mon 29 ... Office ... Phone Graeme Marshall from Silverhill re letter for pollution at Creswell? To Subsidence dept ... did 4 Subsidence reports with Phil Critchley. Discuss Eddie Betts re various and Ordnance Survey sheets. Copies of O.S. negatives for Welbeck from Carol. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Working plans. Discuss Graeme Marshall update and Tony Barnes later.

Tues 30 ... Office ... Discuss various. Graeme Marshall re code candidates for Deputy Surveyors. Also update. To Rufford ... checking through Yard seam Abandonment plans. Discuss Andy Wells and David Archer and discuss Steve Leavesley and Peter Chatterton about what to expect in interviews. Discuss Vivian and then Wendy Wain Zenith re dial repair. To Bilsthorpe ... discuss Graham Millward re disappointment re interview for job he had been doing. Checking Valuation figures. Discuss David Archer re start at Bilsthorpe as Surveyor on Thursday.

Wed 31 ... Office ... Phone Ollerton ... Garry Hall had crash yesterday. Phone Richard Pearson Thoresby and Leigh Warhurst Calverton also. To Thoresby ... to check Valuation figures with Keith Jenkins. To Calverton ... to check Valuation figures with Mick Clayton. To Rufford ... to take Watts 5’ dial and set of Wild theodolite legs. Office ... discuss Wayne Cooper Admin re update of leaving figures. Celia’s Leaving Party. To Estates Office at Thoresby ... discuss Geoff Woods Deputy Estates Manager re the checking of Valuation figures. Also letter from Albert Sturgess National Chief Surveyor ... copy taken.

February 1990

Thurs 1 ... Office ... photocopies x 2. Phone Eric Fretwell re moving out to Estates! Phone Steve Leavesley Rufford re dial and legs taken. Phone Graham Millward Bilsthorpe various and David Baldwin Manager choosing David Archer. Phone Bob Hallott Ollerton query. Phone Steve Barnes Cotgrave restart there today and various.
To Bilsthorpe ... discuss Geoff Austin (called in) and David Archer re started today as Surveyor. Took books for Jed Thomas. To Ollerton ... discuss Garry Hall and John Stapleton re started there today as Surveyor, would overlap for a week. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Working plans. Discuss Graham Walters and John Hind.

Fri 2 ... Office ... discuss Eric Fretwell and Bob re various and subsidence. Method Study dept moved into next door office. Discuss Ray Fish and Alan ? Re pay rise etc. To Welbeck ... continued stippling Working plans.

Mon 5 ... Nottinghamshire Group starts. Office ... discuss various with Eric Fretwell, Bob Draper and Carol reoverwork ... to see Tony Barnes re same. Phone Garry Hall re take instrument to Welbeck. Discuss Malcolm Clarke planner. Phone Graeme Marshall re update on Valuation. To Job Shop ... Terry, took my Curriculum Vitae (CV). They would type it out. Phone Rob Quincey Sherwood re map measurer ? ... No. Discuss Geoff Woods re 9 pits Valuation etc. ... also re answer letter to Albert Sturgess National Surveyor. Phone Mike Clayton Calverton ... no figures yet! ... to get them finished! To Ollerton ... Discuss Garry Hall, John Stapleton and Philip Shaw. Took some tackle. To Welbeck ... discuss Gary Quibell various. Discuss John Hind re old notebooks ... in store. Discuss Graham Walters re surface plans ... to put surface features on Top Hard plans. 6 flat sheets required.

Tues 6 ... Office ... discuss Eric Fretwell ... moved to Estates at Thoresby. Letter for Graeme Marshall re Valuation. Phone Peter Robinson Sutton. Phone John Potts Cotgrave. To Sutton ... discuss Graeme Peter Robinson and picked up 6 foot straight edge and 4m metric stave from store. Discuss John Payne Manager and Graham Bradshaw Safety Officer. To Clipstone ... discuss John Cranham various ... needs another Automatic Level ! Office ... gridded 6 flat sheets for Welbeck. Phone Geoff Woods Estates re further 3 pits for checking Valuation figures ... Cotgrave, Annesley Bentinck and Rufford. Phone Steve Barnes Cotgrave re I would call and check Valuation figures. Phone Ian Revill Annesley and do same, check Valuation figures. Discuss Brian Orange Method Study and Sam Dunlop Mech Engr re Income tax. Discuss Ian Smith Estates and Phil Critchley Subsidence. To Clipstone ... took Wild NAK 1 Level, legs and staff from Sutton store.

Wed 7 ... Office ... Query re order for Pagra sheets from Switzerland ... a Firm in Bradford sent a fax re VAT £305. To Supply and Contracts (S & C) several times. Phoned S & C Doncaster Peter Lambert twice. Area S & C dept Sandra ... sorting it out. Discuss Phil Critchley Subsidence dept re negatives for Mick Flintham at Calverton. Printing machine broken down. Query Stuart Whittle planner re Tracer from Newstead for their dept ... No ! To Calverton ... took negatives for Mick Flintham and discuss. Discuss Mike Clayton ... still not got the Valuation check figures ! ... tomorrow ... said that last week ... look, get stuck in and finish it ... I’ve got to check it ... as usual you and one other pit are always last for everything ... get organised or there could be changes! To Newstead ... Plan Rationalisation. 6 foot straightedge for Jerry Hancock. Discuss. Mining Records ... discuss Dave Clarke and Percy Hett (ex Mining Records Officer at Eastwood Hall). To Annesley ... check Valuation figures with Ian Revill. Discuss George Simms, Gary Blacknell and Anne Hollett. Office ... info for Graeme Marshall re Pagra sheets. No instrument for Brian Bird (ex No4 Area) as yet. Discuss Tony Barnes same address Clipstone NAK 1 from Blidworth. Also to sort out staff at Creswell.

Thurs 8 ... Office ... discuss Bob Draper. Phone Billy Ellison Creswell re underground staff ? ... took one in November. Another imperial staff left. Phone Steve Barnes Cotgrave. To Cotgrave ... checking Valuation figures. On Blackshale Working plan K1s ... plotting levels, interpolation of contours, plotted faults etc., inked in same (since March 1988) ... why not done before ? ... asked John Potts re plotting plans to date ... to check with John Stapleton. Absolutely pathetic. Discuss Steve Barnes re methods etc. 

Fri 9 ... Office ... to see Keith Froggatt Adminre for me to finish on 9 March (holidays). Phone Steve Leavesley Rufford re visit. Discuss Bob Draper. To Rufford ... checking Valuation figures. Discuss Andy Wells, Steve Leavesley and Peter Chatterton. Phone John Stapleton Ollerton re ‘shocking state of plans’ at Cotgrave. Phone Garry Hall Ollerton re his last day and farewell. Phone Graeme Marshall from Cotgrave (he had gone to see plans and systems etc.) ... for me to go back there and sort the plans! To Welbeck ... continued stippling Top Hard Working plans and now putting surface on. Only 5 more to do. Discuss Graham Walters, John Hind and Gary Quibell. Phone Peter Robinson Sutton ... his last full day.

Mon 12 ...Office ... discuss Bob Draper. Discuss and farewell to Peter Robinson ... left today at midday. To Welbeck ... continued with Working plans, stippling and surface. (To do 6 with surface and 3 to stipple).

Tues 13 ... Office ... Phone Philip Shaw Ollerton re dispute over 54 Whinney Lane and Welfare land ? No update O.S. Plan since 1972. To Welbeck ... continued with Working plans ... stippling and finished off putting surface on plans.

Wed 14 ... Office ... picked up 3 rolls of Rembroplast table covering. To Cotgrave ... took Rembroplast. Discuss Steve Barnes, John Potts and Stuart Rolley re systems etc. Checked through Working plans etc. ... Deep Hard ... began stippling plans. Discuss Stuart Rolley re interview.

Thurs 15 ... Office ... discuss Graeme Marshall re delivery of Pagra sheets ... to go in safe. Tony Barnes re same. Discuss Alan Barron Estates Manager and Richard Thompson re downstairs office, safe, cupboard etc. ... Estates to move in? Also discussed Plan Rationalisation, subsidence reports etc. To Cotgrave ... discuss Steve Barnes and Colin Stocks Manager, also re linesman ... o.k. Continued with Deep Hard Working plans ... stippling, adding, erasing etc., etc. Made up second copy Working plans. What a mess! CJ Whyte missed that on his Accountability ... I wasn’t with him!

Fri 16 ... Office ... correspondence. To Cotgrave ... continued with Deep Hard Working plans stippling etc. Discuss John Potts and Steve Barnes ... do not let things get in a mess again! Phone Graeme Marshall re bottom office, safe and records etc. re Alan Barron Estates Manager.

Graeme Marshall on holiday ... to 27 Feb

Mon 19 ... Office ... phone Tony Barnes re protractors for Cotgrave. Also recreating out the safe. M & Q A 139 ... 212 notice for Clipstone Low Main finished on 9 Dec 1989. Gave it to Christine. Phone Mike Gallagher Mineral Valuer Leeds re Mansfield Washery and Clipstone Town & Country Planning re fill etc. Phone Ian Burns Environment same. Discuss Bob Draper re clearing out safe. To Staff dept re phone Elaine Yates re final Redundancy figures and to finish on 9 March 1990. Phone Mike Pope Deputy Staff Manager at Eastwood re same. To Cotgrave ... continued with Working plans ... Deep Hard ... stippling. Phone Tony Barnes re ‘no pay for holidays’ after redundancy. Agreed date to finish 9 March. Also Re 212 notice for Clipstone in for typing.

Tues 20 ... Office ... 2 letters for Roger Bexon re 212 notice for Clipstone Low Main finish ... to Christine PA to DS Crisp Operations Manager. Tony Barnes re same and Pagra sheets ... sent all info received. To Cotgrave ... continued with Working plans ... (everyone down the pit). Just one more for surface and 55s Deep Hard to stipple. Started on Blackshale plan. Discuss Steve Barnes and Mike Need.

Wed 21 ... To Cotgrave ... continued with Working plans (all down the pit again). Discuss Colin Stocks Manager re 55s A Seismic Survey ... fault ? Phone Ian Shaw Thoresby various. Office ... clearing out safe with Bob Draper.

Thurs 22 ... Office ... continued clearing out safe. To Bevercotes ... took files from safe with Bob Draper. Discuss Ian Daykin, Janet Wells, Tony Hartopp? And Steve Westmoreland planners. To Harworth ... took files from safe ... and an underground staff. Discuss Chris Shail and Carl Sterland. To Creswell ... took files from safe and an underground staff. Discuss Billy Ellison, Ian Orgill and Ian Gill geologist. Office ... Mike Osborne re Investments. To Job Shop for typed CV. To Welbeck ... took files from safe. Finished off Top Hard plans. Discuss John Hind and Gary Quibell.

Fri 23 ... Office ... continued clearing out safe. To Clipstone ... took files from safe. Discuss Hadi Al Rekabi and Karen. ... prints. To Sherwood ... took files from safe. Discuss Stas Watson and Vivian. To Rufford ... took files from safe. Discuss Steve Leavesley, Peter Chatterton and Andy Vjestica planner. To Bilsthorpe ... took files from safe. Discuss Geoff Austin finished, Graham Kemp finished, Denise Tindale, David Archer, Graham Millward and Jed Thomas ... Lunch. To Ollerton ... took files from safe.
Discussion with John Stapleton re the disgusting mess and state of Cotgrave plans, Office untidiness, lack of ‘organisation or leadership ... I said ... do not get Ollerton in a mess ... 
Ollerton Office is clean, tidy, plans up to date, surveys and systems good (I set everything up when I was Surveyor. New main office, new private office, new safe, new systems, new calculations, new plans, new files, new plan identity numbers, everything cleared off tables at knock off, no pit clothes / boots allowed. I used to do surveys, info in pit book, and after showering and lunch would copy survey into office book, someone would check it later. I would calculate the survey and plot the stations if it was a theodolite survey. 100m dial surveys would be carried out using the last theodolite base bearing in both gates or heading position. I would plot the dial survey co-ordinates on the working plan and if there was a bend for an excavation in the side it was plotted as it was. The survey face position was checked for ‘drift’ and adjusted if necessary. The face length was calculated and checked against the measured length allowance made for the difference of dip of face etc and plotted on 1/2500, 1/5000, 1/10560 and 1/10000 and inked in, dated with stencil and stippled before I went home on that day. The contour values would be calculated and plotted also if the 100m levelling had been done, if not, as soon as it had ... plans and headings always up to date as per Code of Practice, but my system was good and I trained my Assistants and Apprentices to do the same. They all had pit books, they filled in a diary, and they read and initialled all correspondence. They were naturally slow to start off but hopefully they improved with time. I used to complain to CJ Whyte that as soon as an Apprentice had got up to speed with theodolite, dialling, calculating and plotting, so as to be useful, he would move them to another pit and I had to start again as every one of them I had had never been taught like that and had spent a lot of time in the office doing mundane tasks. The Apprentice went down the pit almost every day for half a shift and the other half a shift was in the office ... the only way to learn ... that is efficiency, then leaving the desk clear for next day for routine or special jobs thereby never getting behind with work, like many of the pits did ... none came up to my standard that is why I was asked to complete Mansfield, Welbeck, Calverton and Cotgrave Working plans and some old abandoned plans at Mining Records Office.)
Office ... Parcelling up books etc.

Mon 26 ... Office ... discuss. To Calverton ... Why late again with info? To Cotgrave ... finished off Deep Hard plans. Discuss re ‘mess’ ... told them to sort it out!

Tues 27 ... Office ... Phone Mike Gallagher Leeds re Valuation. Phone Geoff Woods re same. To Estates ... to pick up Valuation forms and take results. To Silverhill ... to take files from safe. To Sherwood ... check on Valuation figures. Office ... Phone xxxxx ... To Thoresby ... Lunch ... Discuss Ian Shaw, Richard Pearson and Andy Vjestica planner. Phone Graham Hall Bevercotes re check on Valuation figures ... to phone Geoff Woods Estates later. Office ... Phone.

Wed 28 ... To Rufford ... to take tackle. Discuss Andy Wells. Office ... discuss Mike Gallagher Mineral Valuer. Final discussion with Graeme Marshall and Tony Barnes.

Farewell Party at the Black Swan ... Valete ...

March 1990

Sat 1 - Bought a Rover 216S, Atlantic Blue

On Holiday for 9 days.

Redundant ... to finish work with British Coal on 9 March 1990.

After all that running about, Jerry Hancock couldn’t set me on the plan work at Newstead. The other jobs muted never materialised either.

I was disappointed to have been made redundant and would have liked to have done a few more years, particularly at the top, but it was not to be.

I signed on with British Mining Consultants at Huthwaite, the old No4 Area offices. I was soon interviewed for a job in Ranchi, India, some 200 miles NW of Calcutta. One month tour ... 2 weeks work ... sorting out BSc students re survey work, instruments, projects etc. etc. To report to Head office on findings and results. Offered the job at £750 per wk. Meals were mainly curry. Wasn’t sure if I could manage that, and turned the job down because there was no doctor on the remote site. Was then offered £1,000 per week ... still no. They wanted me, so offered as an extra, to fly Mary out first class and for us to have a week’s holiday on them to the Golden triangle ... Taj Mahal etc. Still refused because of the doctor business, as I did used to suffer indigestion problems. Sometimes I reflected on my decision not to go as I went to India twice on holiday several years later ... no problems. Another offer was to Iran? Then China.

Graeme Marshall employed me back at the office for a week to write an in depth water report for every colliery and also neighbouring areas etc.

I was later asked again by Graeme Marshall to set up a Course for linesmen from most pits at Lound Hall Training Centre for one day a week for several weeks to teach them to use levels, dials and theodolites and do surveys, booking, simple calculations etc. We used the ‘underground’ tunnels, needing lamps and helmets etc. and the loco test track and measured roads and buildings etc. The weather was good for surface work. They all passed the grade I had set. Each was presented with a Certificate of Merit by Graeme Marshall. It was a job I really enjoyed. I remember one Levelling instrument brought by a lad from Annesley that was so far out of adjustment to be true when I checked it by the 3 peg test. I told the lad to tell the Surveyor to drop it down the shaft ... I received some abuse ... until they checked it and proved me correct ... however I have often wondered how many miles of levelling was done using that instrument and whether they ever checked levelled those routes!

I had declined overseas work, so my time as a Consultant ended February 1992.

I would begin piecing all my notes on mining history together and I purchased a computer and was taught by my best friend Ralph how to use it. Over the years the amount of information grew. When the Mining Records department opened at Berry Hill ex Computer Centre at Lichfield Lane, Mansfield I used to go almost every Friday to glean information mainly off of old plans. Dave Clarke who was in charge of records moved from Bretby in 2000 and since then I used to visit the office most Fridays until the 2020 virus pandemic. On many occasions I used to help them. That too was a job I liked. In fact I loved my job as a Surveyor and enjoyed every day, even though some were bad days, particularly in my early period at Ollerton 1971/72.

Architectural Work etc.


I started work as a trainee architect when I left school in July 1952.  I was taught all the basics of drawing, measuring and printing and calculations and the use of theodolite and levelling instruments by the team at Warner & Deans, Sutton. I was mainly taken around the area by the Clerk of Works who just told me to get on with the measuring up of a house etc whilst he sat having a chat and a cup of tea with the client. No training or instructions other than ... His words were ...'You'll know if you measured it right if it plots o.k. in the office'. As it so happens and fortunately they all did and the plans I prepared were checked by one of the architects who passed them on for forward use. I liked the job very much but after my initial 6 months trial I was offered a position as a trainee Architect but would have to pay the owner George Warner 3 guineas (£3 . 3s) per week articles for future training for up to 7 years. That was impossible as my family could not afford the fees.  But I had learned quite a lot about houses, shops, factories, renovations, conversions, layouts, land use, planning, instrument use etc. I did the 16 weeks underground training at Silverhill then started work as an Apprentice Mine Surveyor in April 1953 at Teversal Sub-Area office and it was to prove a very good grounding for the start of my career with the National Coal Board.

Over my career by chance I constructed 1,001 plans starting off with a half contract with a Surveyor colleague to provide plans of asbestos garages for Council approval on a private site that contained around 30 garages.  It was a simple 16 ft x 8 ft plan, side and end elevations and site plan on a base. These garages were rented out for 7s 6d per week.  When I first had a car in 1964 I rented one on the site which was about 1/2 mile from home. We lived in the top corner of a cul-de-sac but although only one other next door but one neighbour had a car I had to have by law a temporary parking light on the car window each night. This was the incentive to apply for permission to have my own asbestos garage adjacent to the house. This required a pavement crossing also. When I was an Apprentice then Assistant Surveyor at Teversal word spread throughout the pit that I could do 'drawings' for Council approval and soon regular jobs were commissioned again for garages, then simple porch extensions, rear house extensions and loft conversions etc. Lots of jobs were done for the Teversal Welfare and this included a major side extension, bookies office, football field then cricket pitch score board and shed, bowling green changing hut, driveway tarmacing and areas marked out for car parking etc. Subsidence levelling for the greens. Similarly when I moved to Ollerton the word again spread throughout the village that I could 'do jobs' so I was always being approached by workers at the pit. Then I became the resident 'architect' for Ollerton Welfare like I was at Teversal so anything that was needed such as football and rugby pitches, bowling greens and tennis courts etc, even on one occasion to calculating the amount of mortar required to repoint the old Welfare building.

Over the years I did major extensions for factories, new build brick garages, then new build houses etc. However I love helping people and the worst aspect to all this was that although it was 'back pocket' money I never charged enough and hardly ever made a profit, I was too accommodating to the clients. Of course like all Surveyors, Planners, Civil Engineers and Estates Surveyors doing jobs on the side the plans were printed by 'courtesy' of the NCB and later BCC.

I was rewarded with an honorary doctorate from the University of Nottingham in July 2019 ... Doctor of Letters honoris causa, for my in depth writing of all collieries in the Midlands Coalfield. 

MINES & ESTABLISHMENTS etc., VISITED IN MY CAREER

FIRST UNDERGROUND VISIT Feb 1947, aged 10,
SHIPLEY WOODSIDE No2 Colliery (Derbys) Piper seam face and feeding ponies.

UNDERGROUND VISITS NCB (1952 - 1986) and BRITISH COAL (1986 - 1990) some as Apprentice aged 16 (Training school, 16 weeks at Silverhill Dec 1952 to April 1953 (Best trainee of the session, presented with a clock for 1st prize), then at Teversal as apprentice but also assisted at Pleasley, Silverhill and Sutton and then Assistant Surveyor, Senior Assistant at Teversal, then Ollerton Surveyor and many others in my position as Senior Surveyor, Nottinghamshire Area, and also some in retirement.

Asfordby (NW Leics) in sinkers kibble to pit bottom drivages, 1987, Deep Main, paddling in water. (Was this the Gypsy's warning? ) It was. It was closed through flooding within 2 years.

Bentinck … Deputy’s practical exam 2nd Waterloo face.

Bevercotes, Top Hard and Parkgate and Deep Soft faces and headings.

Bilsthorpe, Parkgate face.

Calverton, Abdy Brinsley face.

Clipstone, vertical bunker, Yard face.

Cotgrave, Deep Hard, Blackshale faces.

Creswell (Derbys). Top Hard, drift, Langwith connection and water.

Gedling, High Hazles face and overhead wire 25mph electric manriding train.

Harper Hill drift mine, check survey Dunsil, Waterloo and Royalty checks

Harworth, Deep Soft seam.
Harworth, Barnsley seam pit bottom area. I arranged Mock Practical exams 1987-1990 for last apprentices from British Coal and Gypsum mines.

Leeds Institute of Geological sciences.

Linby MQB, examiner 1987 High Main roadway.

Mansfield, Deep Soft face.
Mansfield, (appointed Surveyor for the mine temporary 1988 - 1989) for closure.

Newstead, (underground borehole) Top Hard, return via Dunsil.
Newstead, drifts and laser beam, Tupton panel, wet and crushed
Newstead, (appointed Surveyor for the mine 1987 temporary on closure)
… note … a qualified surveyor is appointed at every mine and is responsible by law to complete or oversee the working plan depicting workings up to date of abandonment of the seams or mine and other duties and regulations relating to same (plus waste tips) and until the mine shafts were filled or capped when there was no access to underground workings.

Ollerton, (acting Surveyor from July 1971, appointed Surveyor for the mine Oct 1971 - Sep 1986). Top Hard, Main Bright headings, Parkgate. Installed laser beams

Pleasley, (N Derbys) Dunsil, correlation 2nd Waterloo horizon, 1in2 drift to Deep Hard.

Rufford, Low Main (first time with Teversal Rescue team), Blackshale.

Sharlston, (North Yorks) visit to coal face re the first installation of new Dosco machine (from Tuxford). Ollerton was second.

Sherwood Main, Bright roadway, Surveyor’s practical exam. (Certificate No 4381). Blackshale face.

Silverhill, (also underground training Piper 22 Dec 1952 - 13 Apr 1953), Deep Hard, Low Main, Yard seams faces.

Sutton, Low Main 28s explosion Feb 1957, (5 died), 1 of 6 Surveyors, site measures.
Sutton, Piper, Low Main, Deep Hard faces. Correlation pit bottom and shaft sump.

Teversal, nostalgic visit underground on final day of coal production July 1980 1st Waterloo … I went through the water connection snicket to Pleasley workings, face in perfect condition. A water trap was constructed.
I had been Apprentice, Assistant and Senior Assistant at Teversal from 1953 - 1971, Dunsil and 1st Waterloo seams.
Teversal, correlation.

Thoresby, Top Hard, Parkgate faces. Inclined bunker.

Welbeck, Top Hard faces and diesel manrider. Battery loco in pit bottom.

Visits to several engineering firms to check measure equipment for installation at Teversal and Ollerton.
Visits to Surveying Instrument firms.

OTHER UNDERGROUND VISITS

Boulby Potash mine (North Yorks).

Eckington drift mine, Flockton seam.

Gypsum mine (Gotham).

Selby project, Wistow and Gascoigne Wood surface drifts development (North Yorks).

Winsford Salt mine (Cheshire).

TOURIST SITES & MUSEUMS, some with UNDERGROUND VISITS

Apedale Drift mine and Museum (Staffs).

Beamish, Mahogany Drift mine and Museum (County Durham).

Big Pit, Shaft mine and Museum (S Wales).

Bilsthorpe mining museum.

Caphouse, Shaft mine plus Hope Drift mine Wakefield (North Yorks) which is also the English National Mining Museum.

Nottinghamshire Miners’ mining museum, Mansfield train station.

Snibston (Staffs) SURFACE tour of Museum only.

OTHER UNDERGROUND VISITS, various minerals

Blue John mine (Derbys).
Copper mine (North Wales).
Gold mine (Australia).
Lead mine (Derbys).
Silver mine (USA).
Slate mine (North Wales).

SURFACE VISITS to Coal mines and establishments etc …. Some as Senior Surveyor 1986-1990.

Annesley, Survey office info and general.

Bentinck, Survey office info and general.

Babbington, (S Notts) I instigated the exposing of unknown / forgotten part-driven surface drift in pit yard. (From notes I found in a book belonging to Harry B Bennett, Undermanager, manager and later several senior positions in South Derbyshire and finally General manager No4 Area, Huthwaite HQ.

Bestwood HQ, (S Notts) Survey office sorting equipment.
Bestwood engine house with vertical pistons. Dressed the mannequin engine
driver in 1890s garb.

Bevercotes, proposed working under Gamston airfield evening meeting with Parish Council for Br Coal.

Birmingham NEC, visit and exhibition of mining equipment.

Blidworth, (N Notts) (oversaw closure 1989) info and general.

Bretby HQ … explained new Mines MASHAM Regs to National Surveyor Albert Sturgess & Deputy Keith Leighfield.

Bulwell Hall, talk on abandoned mines and exhibition.

Calverton … making new plan sections (imperial and metric mixed on same sectional plan sheets), plus stippling. Info and general.

Center Parcs, remote survey to fix position, because we were not allowed on the site.

Chalfont, St Giles, Staff College, Specialist course.

Clipstone … met Albert Sturgess National Surveyor, discuss various changes.
Clipstone, Plant pool to measure machinery.

Coleorton, (S Derbys / Leics) Central Area HQ, meeting re water problems Pleasley.

Cotgrave office, stippling plans.

Conkers venue, mining museum with South Derbys Preservation group.

Creswelll Crags, re water etc.
Creswell, general info visits.

Deputy’s and Shotfirer’s evening course, Westbourne school Sutton.

Doncaster Engineering firm measurements of machinery etc.

Donington, Thistle Hotel. Instrument exhibition.

Dosco & Hollybank HQ, Tuxford, machines.

Eakring BP Oil HQ, re boreholes, positions and reaming out.
Eakring visit, listed buildings.
Eakring, Dukes Wood oil boreholes and museum.

East Midlands Airport RICS visit.

Eastwood Hall, Mining Records visit and deposit abandonment plans.

Eckington Microfilm, Processing of plans from several closed collieries.

Edwinstowe HQ, lectures, various, to visiting mining engineers, China, India etc
Edwinstowe HQ, Charles Whyte and Ron Sheldon RICS members re MASHAM.

Estates Dept, Thoresby, various times for info.

Gamston, public meeting re Bevercotes undermining airfield 1987.

Geological dept, the Forest, Edwinstowe, various times.

Glapwell, survey office (North Derbys) meeting.

Grassmoor Outstation, (North Derbys), meeting.

Gresley Old Hall visits, museum and meetings South Derbys Preservation group.

Hardwick Hall and roof OS station observations to surrounding stations 1957.
Hardwick Park and area re surface surveys for emergency boreholes, 1967 Notts & Derbys … periodic checks 1968-1970.

Hartington Opencast site, Staveley (N Derbys) last one in England 2020, visit and coal samples obtained.

Harworth, on top of new concrete tower headgear and surface fittings 1989, watched new framework being pulled in and old headgear pulled out.

Hucknall, (S Notts) shaft filling and measuring experience 1986.

HMI Office, Potter Street, Worksop info.

Hollingwell Golf tournament.

Kelham Hall, Oil museum (after Eakring Wood site). (Kevin Topham, curactor).

Kellingley offices at closure for instruments.

Keyworth, British Geological Society several visits re shafts and boreholes check for all collieries post Lofthouse colliery inrush (previously at Leeds).

Kirkby old colliery site, Co to supply proposed vertical bunker blocks.

Laboratory, High Street (Mansfield Woodhouse) regular visits re air and water samples.

Langwith, shaft water and also new Pumping Station (N Derbys).

Leeds, British Geological Society prior to Keyworth, examining plans.

Lound Hall, (N Notts) Industrial Training centre and Museum at one time. Lectures, teaching linesmen to use surveying instruments and tests.

Mansfield, stippled all 5 seam flat sheet plans.
Mansfield shafts measured and checked insets and sump checked.
Mansfield shafts filling with limestone chippings and concrete, measuring daily for several weeks.
Mansfield surface, Pit yard well survey of both levels and fill … never been done.

Mines Rescue Station, (Mansfield Woodhouse) meetings and exchange R&FF plans.
Mines Rescue Station, (Ilkeston) meeting and plans.

Mining exhibition at NEC Birmingham by invitation.

Mining records, the Forest, Edwinstowe, info in boxes.
Mining Records, Coal Authority from 2001.

Moorgreen Training centre, (S Notts) to give a lecture.

Museum forum meetings.

National Library, London, deposition of 9 volumes of my book.

New Hucknall, survey office for plan info.

Newstead, PHB Mining Records temp after Eastwood Hall and before Bretby for 10 years then Coal Authority Berry Hill from 2001. Regular visits on Fridays up to 2024.

North Notts Area HQ, Survey periodically and to give lectures to foreign visitors.

No4 Area HQ, Survey office at Huthwaite periodically, to update second copy plans.
Nottingham archives.

Ollerton, headgear and obsevations.
Ollerton, tip restoration, grassing and tree planting, lead in area, with Estates dept.
Ollerton, tip surveys and biennial tip inspection and meeting.

Old shafts measures (40+) and survey positions in Upper Meden valley between. Opencast mine at Shipley, samples of Waterloo seam.
Opencast mine at Staveley, (Hartington site) visit prior to closure. Samples of Top Hard, Dunsil and Waterloo seams.

Teversal, No1 shaft winding wheel fleet angle adjustment due to rope wear.
Teversal, Stanton Hill and Huthwaite … later LIDAR imaging to locate shaft positions of sough down to Hardwick (1666 -1774).

Parish boundary posting display notifications of proposed working.

RICS visits, London HQ of RICS and Planetarium.
RICS evening Course, old Mansfield Tech College, Chesterfield Road, closed.

Railways, permission from BR to carry out surveys and periodic checks for emergency boring for collieries in the event of a serious underground cave in trapping men for example.

Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station, I stood on an exhibition stall.

Rufford, No3 winding tower and friction winder visit.
Rufford, defunct No1 shaft fill … water problem, stayed till solved, Meeting minutes.
Rufford, Area Coal stocking site, I did a check survey of the various heaps and I reported a large amount of coal missing !!!
It would appear coal was being loaded then transported off the site in big lorries on the night shift and not weighed or documented. It lead to several people being sacked and one high official resigning.

School visits.

Selby, Surface drifts development, Wistow mine RICS visit.

Sherwood, surface for Surveyors’ practical exam.

Shipley, Opencast site visit and collected Waterloo coal samples.

Shirebrook Survey office, meeting re pros and cons of shaft deepening or drifting.

Silverhill, tip surveys and piezometer readings in the slurry lagoon banks.
Silverhill Cooper’s pumping shaft, measures.
Silverhill tip … Monument of miner and my list of Notts pits on plate, (checked by DW Clarke) unveiling date ceremony 2005.

South Normanton … Radiac Officer’s course …. Opisometer readings re nuclear war.
South Normanton … Shotfirer’s oral and practical examination and certificate.

Special sites of specific interest (SSSIs) various areas, to check.

Surveys to numerous old shafts in the Meden Valley. Plumbed water levels. Later the shafts were filled with limestone chippings and capped.

Sutton tip survey, assisted.

Teversal tip surveys. Several exercises for HMI who held numerous meetings in Teversal Conference room re input for M & Q Tips Act & Regulations 1970.
Teversal closed July 1980, water reached Pleasley pit bottom October 1986.

University of Nottingham, gyro base checks 1972 and with several teams 1987-1989.
University of Nottingham, have agreed in 2024 to preserve the healeyhero site.

Valuation of mines visits Underground & surface … As Senior Surveyor I accompanied a Mineral Valuer and the Surveyor and one of the mining officials. Visited a coal face and a heading generally. On the surface pit top buildings, some offices and workshops etc.

Bilsthorpe 14, 15 June 1989. Clipstone. 21,22 June 1989. Sherwood 28, 29 June 1989. Mansfield surface only 5 July 1989. Rufford 12, 13 July 1989. Calverton 26, 27 July 1989. Gedling 28 July, 2, 3 Aug 1989. Cotgrave 9, 10 Aug 1989. Partway through his talk the manager Reg Fitzpatrick was arrested by the police. Thoresby 15, 23 Aug 1989. Harworth 16, 17 Aug 1989. Mansfield surface 21 Aug 1989. Bevercotes 30, 31 Aug 1989. Annesley surface 7 Jan 1990. Meetings at each pit on third day to finalise results.

Warsop, Survey office meeting re Clipstone connection etc and boundary.

Water report for all collieries in Notts.

Welbeck, Survey office … stippled all Top Hard plans, none had been done.
Welbeck, evening Public meeting, proposed Tip extension, to answer questions.

West Burton Power Station … I was on an exhibition stall.
West Burton Power Station, collected samples of Russian coal.

Worksop Golf club, RICS annual dinner and I made a speech.
York, RICS visit Surveying Instrument firm and National Railway museum.

I measured up or assisted with 4 fatal accidents at Teversal plus around a dozen reportable accidents (not many over 17 years).

Whereas at Ollerton in 15 years I measured up many reportable accidents as well as 5 out of 7 fatals.

I accompanied the manager to several different Coroner’s courts for the 7 fatalities at Ollerton, such as Mansfield Police station, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Nottingham.
Nottingham Crown Court for Ollerton accident dispute … K Cross NACODS v NCB.