Snibston Colliery Park displays toys of Christmas past as special festive event in Coalville this weekend
By Coalville Nub News Reporter
11th Dec 2024 10:00 am | Local News
Remember Christmas morning? Dandy or Bunty Annuals, a tangerine, a new skipping rope, or a bow and arrow set, Action Man, a new doll, card or board game…toys that didn't have 'batteries not included'.
Even if you do not remember those days, you can experience them at Snibston Colliery Park on Sunday, December 15, when the Snibston Heritage Trust volunteers and colliery guides will tell you stories of the Miners' Christmas.
On the colliery tours former miners will take visitors around the colliery buildings and tell of their lives working in the local coal mines.
They will also share stories of Christmas at the 'pits' and the 'parties' underground.
To accompany these stories there will be a display of toys from Christmas past which can be played with.
Volunteers will tell personal stories of being the child of a miner at Christmas in the 1950s and 60s.
The toy display will be in the Grounds Colliery Café, with warming refreshments on sale to keep the cold of December at bay.
The colliery tours will be at 11.00am and 1.30pm and can be booked through Eventbrite or telephone 01530 833521.
Colliery tours are £5.00 per adult and free for children under 15. The toys of Christmas past display is free and open from 10.30am to 3.30pm.
Snibston Colliery Park also features the children's adventure play area, mountain bike trails and country park walks which are all free.
There is a charge at the Colliery Park to park your car and there are charging points for electric vehicles.
Colliery guide Bryan Hallam said: "It's hard to believe that we would have a party underground - safely of course - like other places of work to celebrate the start of the Christmas holidays when the mines were closed.
"But not all mine workers got the time off at Christmas as Deputies had to check the mine daily for gas build up or flooding issues.
"A coal mine never really 'closed' for any holiday.
"At Christmas miners always made sure that their families were provided for over the Christmas with plenty to eat and drink as well as new toys, games and books for the children. This special event at Snibston Colliery Café and Colliery buildings will bring back to life those past Christmases'".
For further information about A Miner's Christmas, colliery tours or volunteering at Snibston, contact Stuart Warburton, Secretary Snibston Heritage Trust at [email protected] or 01530 833521.
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