Hello

I’m trying to find people that may have known my Granddad Ken Ashcroft who worked at Cronton Pit from 1946 until it closed, any pictures, stories or memories would be so much appreciated.

Sharon

Hi!
Do you know of a list that covers mining fatalities at Cronton Colliery (North West Lancs)? If not, how would I gather such information?

Any info appreciated.

We are a small group of ex-miners looking at the possibility of erecting a memorial to those miners who lost their lives at Cronton.

Thanks,
John Fletcher

Hi
trying to find information on Cronton Colliery but seem to come to a dead end.

I was brought up only a few miles from Cronton so had a few neighbours and friends that worked in the mine.

I always remember the sound of the heavy clogs they all seem to wear.

My sisters father-in-law was killed in an accident and my friend Kevin, an apprentice Electrition, was also killed there but trying to find inforomation is proving impossible.

Any ideas much appreciated

Regards
Frank

From:      Gary Kenyon Sent:       23 Mar 2014 Subject   Cronton Colliery

Gary

In reply to Frank Boxs questions my name is Gary Kenyon and I worked at Cronton for 14 yrs. I knew Kevin and your sister-in-laws father who was Teddy Beasly, I think, so if he wants to phone me I can give him more information.

Cronton is historically a part of Lancashire, it is an ancient village and was once a centre for the makers of watch parts and movements.

Cronton Colliery, ceased production in March 1984, shortly before the Great UK miners' strike (1984–1985). Although Cronton 'pit' was a twentieth century enterprise, the surrounding area had supported a coal mining industry throughout the previous century.

Cronton Coliery, originally called the Hulton Colliery Co., was begun in 1913, the colliers mined the pit's first coal during the Great War in April 1915. Cronton thrived and the pit was one of 65 Lancashire collieries at the time of nationalisation. Mainly because of the exhaustion of economically viable reserves, the number of Lancashire collieries had been reduced to 41 by 1962. Five years later this had fallen to 21. By the time Cronton colliery finally closed in 1984 it had been making heavy financial losses for many years and the remaining coal reserves were both limited and difficult to mine. Local coal miners were offered alternative jobs at one of the seven remaining Lancashire collieries. (The last Lancashire deep-pit to close was Parkside Colliery in 1993).

The 43 hectare colliery site lay completely derelict for years until it was acquired by English Partnerships, the government's national regeneration agency, as part of the National Coalfield Programme. In 1995 the site was partially restored by removing both the colliery infrastructure and major earthworks, and then reclaiming colliery spoil by mixing it with paper mill crumb (provided by Brigewater newsprint mill in Ellesmere Port) and sewage cake to create soils for successful woodland planting.

The colliery site's ownership was transferred to the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 1999 but it passed to the Land Reclamation Trust in the autumn of 2007. The site has a future as public access land, probably as a new country park.

CRONTON. Widnes, Lancashire. 11th December 1917.

Explosion in the Pasture Seam. 8 killed.

Ball, Albert, aged 30, Collier
Foulkes, Samuel, aged 63, Waydrawer
Harrison, John, aged 36, Collier
Jones, George Richard, aged 23, Jigger
Lowton, Joseph, aged 32, Fireman
O'Neil, James, aged 40, Collier
Pye, Walter, aged 42, Collier
Travis, John W., aged 24, Haulage Hand

Injured Cummings, James, aged 18, Haulage Hand