The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Closure of Snibston Colliery
A bleak Christmas for the men of Snibston Colliery as mining in Coalville comes to an end in the last days of 1983.
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Overview
Coal gave the Leicestershire town of Coalville its name and way of life so there is sadness in the air as the National Coal Board announces the closure of Snibston Colliery. Miner Sam Kirk is emotional but the men are generally resigned to the end and even the NUM can see no future for a pit where the reserves are exhausted. Could a move from the region's west Leicestershire stronghold to the Vale of Belvoir in the east of the county provide salvation?
The Vale of Belvoir 'super pit' at Ashfordby, which is referred to in the film as the future of coal mining in Leicestershire, turned out to be a white elephant. It closed in 1997 after less than ten years in operation.
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