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Forest of Dean Local History Society
Location: Gloucestershire
The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the former miners and mining heritage of the Forest of Dean and their contribution to the industrial and cultural heritage of the area in particularly recording the history and stories behind those that lost their lives in a dangerous occupation.
The information produced will also contribute to archaeological investigation by Gloucestershire County Council.
The grant will enable the Forest of Dean Local History Society to produce a Roll of Honour to the miners and quarrymen who lost their lives whilst working in the Forest of Dean. The information will form the major part of a professionally produced CD ROM, which will be available from the beginning of 2005. The database of around 600 mining fatalities has been compiled over several years by Dave Tuffley, Ian Winstanley, Ron Beard and Averil Kear together with additional entries from members of the public. The earliest fatality we have recorded is 1797 and details of all the miners’ names, circumstances of their accident and the mine involved will be included. The CD will also include photographs of the mines where the fatalities took place with a brief history of each.
A further database of around 4,500 freeminers will also feature on the CD. We shall be giving details of applications from their start in 1838 to around 1960. The index comprises name, residence, age and date of registration.
The index was transcribed by volunteers at the Gloucestershire Record Office from original registers of Freeminers received from the Gavellers Office in Coleford, and gives a unique number for each entry which will enable the public to view copies of the original certificates held at the Record Office. The original certificates give extra details about the freeminers such as date of birth and mine where worked, together with a signature or mark.
The grant we have received will also go towards equipment to help the Society record this information both photographically and in the design of the CD. For those without computers we also intend to produce four leather bound volumes containing the same information, which will be housed in the local libraries.
We shall also be using some of the money to mount an Art Exhibition to be staged at the Dean Heritage Museum in the autumn of 2004 and we hope to liase with the Ramblers Association to provide a way marked route and leaflet covering some of the sites where fatalities occurred.
Finally but by no means least we shall be commissioning a permanent memorial to these miners and at this stage would welcome all sculptors, woodcarvers and metal workers residing in the Forest of Dean who might be interested in submitting designs to contact Averil Kear (01594 563165) for further information.
You can keep up to date with our progress in the production of this long overdue Roll of Honour to our Forest of Dean miners by logging on to the Forest of Dean Local History Society website:
Forest of Dean Local History Society website
Group Name |
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Forest of Dean Local History Society |
| Project Contact |
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Mr Ron Beard |
| Address |
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5 Poolway Rise, Coleford, Glos |
| Project Postcode |
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GL16 8DG |
| Finishing Date |
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31 Oct 2006 |
| Grants: |
Heritage Lottery Fund: £11737
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