18 Gazette, F r i d a y,July 4,2014 THE WAY WE WERE THG-EO1-S2 thanetgazette.co.uk Students lay Ypres wreath

B ROA D S TA I R S students took part in Rapid rise and fall the historic wreath- laying Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres last month. The 35-strong party from The Charles of k i n g coal in Dickens School made the trip to the By Richard West battlefields of Belgium Founder, Chaucer Education Project and Northern France as v l e . t c e p . o rg . u k part of the school’s contribution to ONE-HUNDRED years ago, in commemorate the May 1914, construction of centenary of the start of Chislet Colliery commenced. the First World War. Coal mining was to become Teacher Simon East Kent’s only heavy Crabtree said: “N ow i n d u s t r y. that the last British The honour of discovering C E N T E N A RY: Charles Dickens students at the the Kent Coalfield went to veteran from World War Menin Gate in Ypres One has died, it has Francis Brady, chief engineer become even more 100 years ago. Head teacher Andrew of the South Eastern Railway, important for new “The trip allowed Olsson said: “We are in February 1890, when he was generations to be made students the very proud of our seconded to the Channel aware of, and continue opportunity to see first- students –they were Tunnel Company established to celebrate, the huge hand the environment excellent ambassadors by the railway company. contribution made by and conditions that for our school and for Between 1896 and 1919, 40 British men and women soldiers had to endure.” their generation.” boreholes were sunk to locate coal in Kent. Twenty-nine of those showed the existence of coal. AT THE COALFACE: A Kentish Fourteen collieries in Kent miner in the 1920s subsequently progressed Photo: Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery beyond the planning stage; most were located within a Syndicate Limited leased land Government during the First were made from Chislet Halt triangle bounded by from the Ecclesiastical World War. Sinking of the two to Ramsgate on miners’t r a i n s. , Dover and Deal, Commissioners at Chislet 16 foot diameter shafts In 1924, Chislet Colliery in an area which became Park, commencing January 1, resumed in early 1915. North Housing Limited was established as the Kent 1912. The leases for the land shaft was completed in July established, to build a village, Coalfield. were of various lengths, with 1918 and reached 1,470 feet later named , of 300 the shortest being 60 years. deep. South shaft was houses close to the colliery. Vi a bl e The report by E.M. Hann, completed in August 1919 and Chislet Colliery had an Only four of those collieries general manager of the Powell reached 1,480 feet but still important role during the were to prove viable in the Duffyn Steam Coal Company awaited essential equipment. Second World War as a longer term: Tilmanstone, Limited, dated September 19, The estimated quantity of training pit for what became begun 1906, raising first coal 1913, confirmed the coal to be workable coal was 75 million known as the “Bevin Boys”. to the surface in 1912; of good quality and suitable t o n s. From December 1943 onward, Snowdown, begun 1908, for gas making, coke In 1920, 2,300 tons of coal one in ten young boys and raising first coal in 1912; manufacture and steam were raised to the surface at men selected by ballot on Chislet, begun 1914, raising generation. The Anglo- Chislet Colliery. However, conscription for war service first coal in 1918 and Westphalian (Chislet, Kent) strikes and lack of money for did not go into the armed Betteshanger, begun in 1924, Colliery Limited company was repairs are blamed for parts of services but worked in the raising first coal in 1927. incorporated on November 6, the mine collapsing during its coal mines. Ten collieries either failed 1913. early years, causing Between March 1945 and to open or closed within a few Construction of Chislet subsidence of the ground 1952, pit ponies worked at years of the fledgeling Kent Colliery’s first shaft began in above. In 1929, the colliery was Chislet Colliery, with Coalfield being established. May 1914. Work on sinking re-organised and relations comfortable stables provided Coal was found during test both shafts stopped at 30 feet between the company and staff below ground. bores at a further three sites depth, due to water bearing were improved, resulting in On January 1, 1947, Chislet but no additional work was sand. A German contractor increased output and profits, Colliery, along with all other carried out. was employed to bore 11 holes together with better social collieries in Great Britain, Each of the proposed Kent around each shaft, into which lives for the miners. was nationalised and brought collieries were situated in cement was then forced at a As the local community had under the control of the rural areas. The problem from pressure of 600 pounds per no experience of mining, the National Coal Board by the the outset was how to square inch to harden the workforce derived from provisions of the Coal transport coal from the mines sand layer. traditional mining areas, Industry Nationalisation Act to the customers and where to Three months later, Great especially South Wales where 1946. house the miners and their Britain declared war with coal companies held shares in Chislet Colliery closed f amilies. Ger many. the company developing completely on July 25, 1969. German industrialists took At an Extraordinary Annual Chislet Colliery. an interest in the Kent General Meeting held in Chislet Colliery Halt on the GLORY DAYS ON Coalfield’s potential. Test London on October 29, 1914, Canterbury and Ramsgate THE ISLE bores were drilled at: Hoades The Anglo-Westphalian branch of the South Eastern Wood, near ; , (Chislet, Kent) Colliery and Chatham Railway opened ICatch up with occasional near ; and Chitty Limited changed its name to in 1920. Before Chislet Colliery columnist Dan Weller’s tales and Chislet Park, near The Chislet Colliery Limited. opened, the local population of growing up in Thanet at C a n t e r bu r y. Construction of the colliery was around 1,000. In 1936, t h a n etg a zette .co.u k /n osta l g i a The Anglo-Westphalian Coal was stopped by the 390,000 passenger journeys Talk on church’s role in conflict Group in GRIEVING families, troops billeted far from home, war tribute Belgian refugees, wounded soldiers, hastily rearranged YESTERYEAR Theatre Company weddings, baptisms of babies, present We Will Remember, a whose fathers had died in programme of material from war a few weeks before they 1914-18, war songs, films, poetry were born, serving on and letters. committees to bring relief to The production will be on those in financial distress, August 2 at The Theatre Royal, fighting for a “dug-out”(air Margate, 7.30pm. Tickets £10, raid shelter) for the children concessions £8. of the school of which he was All profits donated to Help for chairman of managers –these WAR WORK: St Saviour’s Church in Westgate on Sea Heroes. Call the box office on were but some of the tasks of 01843 29611. the Reverend Charles The subject of the monthly archival material and will Jean Selfe, the director is Pendock Banks, vicar of St talk at the Westgate Heritage include references to the particularly proud of the cast. S av i o u r ’s Church Westgate on Centre, which is in St work of Christ Church She said: “They are young and Sea in the First World War. S av i o u r ’s Church, tomorrow Congregational (URC) strongly patriotic, feeling deeply They were in addition, of (Saturday) at 10.30am is The ch u rch . the emotions contained in the course, to his “usual work”in Role Of The Church In There is a display of m at e r i a l . ” the conducting of services in Wartime. It is based on the material relating to Westgate IFor details call Jean Selfe on the parish church. church records and other in the First World War. 01843 304189.