# Parkgate Miner's Institute, Rotherham, South Yorks, June 2020



## HughieD (Nov 6, 2020)

*1. The History*
Very little info out there about this lovely little building. What we do know is that the Miners Institute, Parkgate was built in 1914 to provide a range of vital services for local coal miners and their families. After the closing of the local pits, the building appears to have been repurposed as a community centre, before closing and coming to be in its current state of abandonment. Old pictures indicate that it has been empty for at least 10 years hence.

Inside the institute on the back wall is a marble commemorative plaque in memory of the seven men who lost their lives on 23rd February, 1904 at the Parkgate pit, Aldwarke. No.2 Parkgate shaft was used for raising and lowering men to the Parkgate inset. At about 5.20 am that morning eight men were being lowered in the top deck of the cage and when the winding rope snapped at a point six yards below the surface. The cage fell 400 yards to the bottom of the shaft. Only Arthur Ramsden survived. Four colliers (miners); Martin Marsh (46), Mark Dyson (41), Peter Rockett (54) and Thomas Ramsden (55) and three trammers; Henry Wright (36), William Downing (30) and Albert Kent (24). The subsequent inquest found sufficient evidence to prove the cause of the rope breaking.

*2, The Explore*
Think this is the first time this place has come up on here. It’s not massive but there’s enough to hold your interest for half-an-hour. Externally it’s quite an easy-on-the-eye building. The main function room is lovely, and the decaying ceiling make it quite photogenic. The main focus is the miner’s mural and aforementioned plaque on the back wall. Downstairs there is evidence of it being used as a community centre in recent years. The women’s toilets absolutely stunk and those four masks on the table outside were a bit weird. Overall though an enjoyable little mooch.

What lays in store for it is uncertain. It doesn’t appear to be listed nor on the market. Let’s hope it finds another usage.

*3. The Pictures*

A few externals to kick-off with:


Parkgate 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6493bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

Upstairs we go. Looking towards the street end:


Parkgate 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Looking away from the street:


img6470 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The ceiling would have been very nice in its day:


img6479 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6477 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The mural and the plaque:


Parkgate 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6480 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And back downstairs:


img6472 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Memories of happy times here:


img6487 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Parkgate 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6486 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6485 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6484 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img6482 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And finally, those masques:


img6483 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## verdigris (Nov 8, 2020)

I believe there is a coal mining museum nearby, in Wakefield, surely they would be interested in preserving and displaying the mural and plaque.


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## Rothers (Jan 16, 2021)

I've been looking at this place for years as I pass. I live in Rawmarsh and it's within two miles of our house. Never seen a way in within without causing damage though. That said, I've never been around the back so I'm assuming there's something round there. Any hints?


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## HughieD (Jan 16, 2021)

Rothers said:


> I've been looking at this place for years as I pass. I live in Rawmarsh and it's within two miles of our house. Never seen a way in within without causing damage though. That said, I've never been around the back so I'm assuming there's something round there. Any hints?



Go and have a look. It's the best way. Thinks may well of changed since I went over six months ago...


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## Rothers (Jan 17, 2021)

HughieD said:


> Go and have a look. It's the best way. Thinks may well of changed since I went over six months ago...


Will do. Just got back from the Redmires Water treatment works that you recently visited. That's a great little explore so thanks for posting it.


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## HughieD (Jan 18, 2021)

Rothers said:


> Will do. Just got back from the Redmires Water treatment works that you recently visited. That's a great little explore so thanks for posting it.


It's a little corker innit? Which one by the way as there's two. The old one or the newer one?


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## Rothers (Jan 18, 2021)

HughieD said:


> It's a little corker innit? Which one by the way as there's two. The old one or the newer one?


We went in the newer one with the plastic toy cars in. Got about 45 photo's in there but they're quite low grade compared to yours. If I'm honest we were a bit unprepared because we'd seen your photos and thought the place was well lit and didn't bother taking torches .
After that we walked down the driveway and followed the footpath around to the reservoir and saw the other one on the left hand side and so my lads nipped over the wall and explored that one too. I didn't go with them to that one as thought it looked a bit bare but when they caught up with me half way round the Res they showed me the photos and I could have locked myself. Lesson learned


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## Rothers (Jan 18, 2021)

Rothers said:


> We went in the newer one with the plastic toy cars in. Got about 45 photo's in there but they're quite low grade compared to yours. If I'm honest we were a bit unprepared because we'd seen your photos and thought the place was well lit and didn't bother taking torches .
> After that we walked down the driveway and followed the footpath around to the reservoir and saw the other one on the left hand side and so my lads nipped over the wall and explored that one too. I didn't go with them to that one as thought it looked a bit bare but when they caught up with me half way round the Res they showed me the photos and I could have locked myself. Lesson learned


Kicked myself** bloody autocorrect on my phone ...


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## motionlessmike (Jan 18, 2021)

Like this one, wish I'd looked back in the summer!


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