Blackwell
From Alfreton Town Wiki
[edit] Blackwell
Introduction - A small ex- mining village (A Winning Colliery) approx 3 miles NE of Alfreton Town, situated between Newton Village and Westhouses.
History - Coal mining on a small scale had been carried on since medieval times.
Rows of houses were built for the workers and the Blackwell Colliery Company also built a school at Primrose Hill in 1873, supplementing the earlier endowed school. It had to be enlarged several times before a new school was built in the 1890's.
Around 1900, a coke oven and a coke by product plant were built next to the colliery producing tar, coke and various chemicals. 'The fumes and smoke from the plant were horrendous, destroying hedgerows, grass and crops in the vicinity. It was impossible to have doors open or windows open when the wind blew the fumes in the direction of the houses.' The plants were closed down in around 1960.
In the churchyard of St Werburgh's Church sits the remains of an anglo saxon cross. The church itself was built in 1827-28 and rebuilt except for the tower in 1878-79. It probably stands on the site of some pre christian enclosure.
One former miner from Blackwell colliery was Percy Topliss who had been called to the forces during WW1. He turned up at the colliery wearing a Captains uniform and inspected a parade of Territorials, but after he had left it was discovered that he had been involved in a mutiny, and was shot whilst being pursued by the police.
Location, Directions, Map -
References -
Groups and Organisations of note -
Famous People - Percy Topliss
Internal Links - St Werburgh's Church
External Links -
Misc -
