Miners Memorial Meadows: Lesley Silvera (Groundwork)

www.groundwork.org.uk/northeast

GROUNDWORKCHANGING PLACES CHANGING LIVES

Miners’ Memorial MeadowsLesley SilveraSenior Project Officer

Miners’ Memorial Meadows

This project will focus on two aspects – historical investigation into Northumbrian miners and their families in WW1 and the creation of beautiful wildflower places to reflect and remember miners in WW1.

Miners’ Memorial Meadows – WW1 commemoration of Northumbrian miners

Miners’ Memorial Meadows – commemoration of WW1 miners

Quote from Lieutenant Nixon, N’land Fuseliers War Diaries 1915

At 7a.m. on the 1st July …..two and a half platoons of “B” company, noted diggers, all of them Northumberland and Durham colliery men, detailed to dig a communication trench across No Man’s Land to the Boche lines as soon as the attacking force had passed over. It was a lovely morning, bright sun and very little wind. The guns kept up an incessant roar, but above us hovered a lark quite undisturbed.

Mining, tunnelling and WW1

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Norton-Griffiths

In early December 1914, John Norton-Griffiths wrote to the War Office , to offer tunnelling assistance but his letter was not acted upon.On 20 December 1914, German sappers placed eight mines beneath the positions of an Indian Brigade in Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée. The detonation and follow up attack wiped out the entire company of 800 men.Following further attacks, it was evident by January 1915 that the Germans were mining to a planned system. Lord Kitchener, contacted Norton-Griffiths on Friday, 12 February 1915, and by the end of the February 1915, eighteen "Manchester Moles" sewer men were in France as founding members of 170 (Tunnelling) Company, Royal Engineers.

But I will delve one yard below their mines, And blow them at the moon

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4

Tunnelling Strategy 1915-188 tunnelling companies createdBy mid 1916, the British Army had around 25,000 trained tunnellersMost were volunteers from coal mining communities50,000 acted as ‘attached infantry’, moving the earth out of the tunnels

TasksDigging tunnels and subwaysSaps (narrow trenches to approach enemy trenches)Cable trenchesUnderground chambers for signalsChambers for medical servicesIt was offensive and defensive activity

Tunnelling deeper gave an advantage

Memorial to officers

Linda Shepherd’s storyLinda’s grandfather was a miner in Wylam and then signed up as a volunteer in WW1.He survived the war and went back to mining. His leaving certificate pays tribute to 52 years of loyal service to the country and coal mining industry.Linda has kindly loaned her grandfather’s medals and WW1 papers to the project to be copied.

Mark Hudson’s story

Karen Blore’s storiesKaren’s grandfather was captured and, in the POW camp in Limburg, met an Australian who then wrote as he was leaving for Australia.Her grandfather’s cousin was killed in action on 20 Oct 2918.

Part 2: The MeadowsThis part of our project is designed to make beautiful spaces by increasing pollen plants within three grassland areas, adjacent to old mine sites.

Step 1 - Locations of proposed meadows

How does it work?3 meadow sites were chosen with NCC’s permission We want to increase the native species for each particular site ie. a woodland glade, a reclaimed coal site and woodland clearingWe have involved local schools and volunteersYear 1 surveys have been doneSeed collection and propagation is underway, planting out is due in autumn 2017Mowing, management and interpretation is underway

Seed collecting, drying and storage

Planting out

Important meadow visitors - bees, hoverflies and butterflies…

…and moths

Sharing the storiesInterpretive panelsSchools loans boxesWalks leafletsDisplaysOn-line albumMore artefacts archived

Thank you for listening, are there any questions?

Lesley SilveraUNIUN DEPOT

Front StPegswoodNE61 6RG

01670514876

Miners Memorial Meadows: Lesley Silvera (Groundwork)

Environment

Quieres un cabello perfecto.pptx alejandra monica silvera

Crusades Groundwork

Surface Miners can replace drilling, Surface Miners

Infografia de Bil clinton silvera cruz (2)

Cómo disimular piernas arqueadas alejandra monica silvera

GO MINERS GO FIGHT MINERS FIGHT GO!...MINERS!...WIN! The University of Texas at El Paso

CHAPTERS Groundwork

LISA CEVALLOS SILVERA - UCSG

Miners Ranchers Farmers chapter 7, section 3. Miners

Groundwork Present

637123main silvera presentation

Groundwork 2011

Groundwork profile 2015

Escultura de alambre - Navila Silvera

Astelio Silvera Sarmiento**, Albert Corredor Bustamante

Groundwork in London

El limón edwin noe silvera - bar basico

Dan Groundwork

QF. GABY Y. SILVERA ROMERO - ict.plataformavirtual.net.pe

Stephanie Silvera - Portfolio