Thread: Chatterley Whitfield Open Day 2010

Locker numbers




Towel hook in the showers?




Canteen

good pics B- Nice to see nothings changed

It is a bit different to when it was working! I went underground one Saturday about 35 years ago while it was working and I still admire the men who work in those conditions.

Forgot to say B- yes they are towel hooks in the showers, where else would you hang your towel whilst showering

Did you see a soap dish? Think I posted a pic earlier, they hung on slots next to the shower tap (which you wouldn't have seen as they have gone

No, didn't see any soap dishes

Such a shame that it was allowed to close after becoming a museum. Another victim of Stoke-on-Trent trying to purge itself of its past?

Originally Posted by BereniceUK

Such a shame that it was allowed to close after becoming a museum. Another victim of Stoke-on-Trent trying to purge itself of its past?

don't get me started

This place looks cool, shutting it down as a museum seems a bit mental to me!

Originally Posted by Jester.F.H.

This place looks cool, shutting it down as a museum seems a bit mental to me!

Basically all down to money, plus a distinct lack of interest by the local authority (which still continues to this day )

This was the first coal mining museum which allowed the public to actually go underground, but this was stopped with the closure of nearby Wolstanton colliery in the early 1980's (the 2 pits were connected underground & closure of Wolstanton meant pumping stopped). An "underground experience" was constructed on the surface (this survived until couple of years ago, but demolished due to H&S ) Visitor numbers dropped, with the final nail in the coffin being the demise of British Coal & the site being handed over to Stoke City Council- result being the liquidators being brought in, the debt then increased & lots of artefacts were sold off