Annesley Colliery
by Crashmatt
Annesley Colliery was sunk between 1865 and 1867 by the Worswick family from Leicestershire. The Top Hard seam was reached in 1867 and like all other pits in the Leen Valley, this seam was the basis for the mines operations for the next 50 years or so. The shafts were sunk to the Deep Hard seam in 1914 and the Deep Hard seem was worked until 1950 together with the Deep Soft seam. The Deep Soft seam continued until 1983. In 1924 the colliery was bought by the New Hucknall Colliery Company who invested much needed capital into the mine.
On January 1st 1947 Annesley became part of the National Coal Board, (East Midlands Division Area No 4), and in 1967 became part of the South Nottinghamshire area of the N.C.B. The pit featured in two T.V. documentaries in the early 1970’s, namely Panorama and World in Action.
The Tupton seam was reached in 1978 and worked until 1980 when the whole seam was closed due to geological conditions.
By 1981 coal turning up the Annesley shafts ceased with all the coal being diverted underground to the surface at Bentinck Colliery.
Annesley became part of the Annesley, Bentinck, Newstead Complex in 1985, and in the same year part of the newly formed Nottinghamshire area of British Coal.
Major reconstruction took place in 1986 with all the working in the Tupton and Deep Hard seams abandoned, with all future mining operations based in the Thick Black Shale.
In 1988 the Colliery officially became the Annesley/Bentinck Mine. When Linby ceased production in March 1988 it left Annesley the last pit in the Leen Valley having produced coal for over 120 years.
The last shift was completed Friday 28/01/2000.
