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Missing Images and Information

We do our best to research the history of Swannington, record it in the archive and publishing it in print and digital formats.  Despite our best efforts we have gaps in both images and information.  Can you help by sharing:

  • photographs – a scan of your printed photograph will be fine,
  • drawings and paintings – can you bring your memories to life for others by drawing or painting scenes from your youth, people who are no longer with us and buildings that have been demolished,
  • memories – your memories of life in Swannington.

 

Some examples are listed below (but you may have other memories that are not listed).  If you can help please contact the Trust via the History and Archives option.

Trust Sites

Hough Mill

  • Cart House – in 1995 all that was left of the cart house was a pile of bricks.
  • Restoration – memories of people who worked on the restoration in 1999.

 

Gorse Field

  • Gorse Field – Photos from any time since WW2 until the smartphone era (where we have lots).
  • Work parties – Were you a member of a work party in the 1980s, 1990s or early 2000s?
  • Children playing – Children playing during the 1950s, 1960s etc would be different to today.

 

Califat Spinney

  • Califat Cottages – the cottages were demolished around 1958.
  • Charlie Hyde – Charles Newton Hyde lived in the cottages from 1911 (possibly earlier) until his death in 1949.
  • Ada Hyde – Charlie’s widow moved to Spring Lane and died in 1956.
  • Hen House – on the site of the engine house.

 

Swannington Incline

  • Coal trucks going down – trucks going down the Incline or being pulled by horses along the spur to the Calcutta pumping station (last trucks descended 1947).
  • Engines and equipment – at the bottom of the Incline.
  • Engine and boiler houses at top of Incline – it is believed the website photos are 1920s / 1930s, so use during last days in 1940s especially if anyone can remember what the boiler looked like.
  • Winding engine being removed – the engine house roof was removed and the engine was lifted out with a crane.
  • Operation of the Incline – stoker shovelling coal into the boiler, operator pulling engine leaver to engage cable drum, railway man attaching cable hook to truck, railway man levering empty coal trucks over top of Incline
  • Incline cottages – what they looked like – front, back, inside, garden, the last people to live there.
  • Living in Incline cottages – family life such as meal times in cramped 2 up 2 down cottages
  • Walking up the Incline – people walking up the Incline while the track was still in place.
  • Spring Lane gates – the gates opened across Spring Lane and coal trucks being delivered to the engine house, Spring Lane with the track going across the road to the gates when not in use.
  • Changes after closure – the Incline during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s.
  • MSC / YTS projects – When unemployment was high during the 1980s the government set up the Manpower Services Commission to provide employment schemes.  The newly formed Swannington Heritage Trust used a Leicestershire County Council run Youth Training Scheme project to clear the Incline of detritus, excavate the buildings and lay the outline of the buildings that can be seen today.  Memories, photos or artwork would be fantastic.

 

Snibston No 3 Colliery Site, Spring Lane

  • Colliery House – house, pony sheds, garden, people.
  • Mining Buildings – the buildings and chimney were demolished in 1950, see Challoner family memories on Snibston No 3 page.  Photos of the buildings would be great, also an artist’s impression of the demolition of the chimneys with the red dust and the 120ft chimney hitting the 40ft chimney would be amazing.
  • Coal stacking yard – people remember a coal stacking yard in the area between the Trust’s site and Stephensons Way.
  • Mining Memorial – were you involved in the erection of the large or small mining wheels at Snibston No 3?

Buildings That Have Disappeared Or Changed

Did you work there?  Have you photographs of the buildings in use?  Did you go there?

Hough Hill

  • Clink Pit – did you play there as a child?
  • Station Inn – photos and memories 1940-2000.
  • Original Co-op Shop – the left side of the Station Inn was the co-op shop until 1908.

 

Main Street

  • Centre Farm – when still a working farm.
  • Fountain Inn – photos and memories 1940-2000.
  • Holmes Butchers – when was it a co-op shop, butchers etc – what did you buy, what was it like?
  • Manor Farm – when still a working farm.
  • Primitive Methodist Chapel – services, weddings, other events, Sunday School outings.
  • Quaker Smithy – when used as a blacksmiths.
  • Railway Inn – inside when an inn, as a house before its 1958 demolition.
  • School – photos, memories, events, trips 1940-2000.
  • Swannington House – front, inside, garden, Lady Beaumont, demolition.
  • Tap – when in use.
  • Village Hall – appearance, events1940-2000 such as VE Day, coronation .
  • Wesleyan Methodist Chapel – services, weddings, other events, Sunday School outings.
  • Willow Farm – when still a working farm.

 

St George’s Hill

  • Coleorton Railway Tunnel – have you been inside?
  • Demolition – demolition of some of the houses and building of Windmill View.

 

Station Hill

  • Elm Farm – when still a working farm.
  • Holly Farm – when still a working farm.
  • Railway Station – did you catch a train there?  What were the railway workers like?  Inside the station.

 

Talbot Lane

  • Calcutta pumping station – when in operation.

Swannington Life

Life in Swannington before the luxuries of modern day living.  Memories, photographs and artwork of everyday village life, such as:

  • Bath time – the tin bath in front of the fire.
  • Bus – catching a bus to Coalville and beyond, 50 years ago.
  • Christmas – a 1950s or 1960s Christmas.
  • Cooking on coal – cooking meals on the coal fire.
  • Cycling – children or family cycling in 1950s or 1960s.
  • Drying washing – drying washing in front of the fire or on a rack suspended from the ceiling.
  • Family evening – the whole family in one room reading, playing, wireless, black and white television.
  • Family meals – different 50 years ago.
  • Mobile shops – milk delivered by horse and cart, groceries delivered by boy on a bike, grocery vans.
  • Shopping – a family walking home with their shopping bags 50 years ago.
  • Water – getting water from a pump, well or cistern.