Colliery Banners by Jamielea and Aneysa

Every pit had its own banner. Banners were made from silk.  Words and pictures were painted on.

Some things you would see on a banner are

• the words NATIONAL UNION OF MINE WORKERS.
• you would see a picture of a coalminer or safety lamps
• you would see dark colours like red and black

• you would see swirls and decorations
• you would see the name of the colliery
• you would a motto or prayer

Banners showed how proud miners were of their important job. Miners would march behind their banner to brass band music they did this very year at DURHAM BIG MEETING.

Miss Metcalfe's class is having a competition to design a Colliery banner.  We will make up the winning design and have our own Durham Big Meeting!

Easington Pit Disaster of 1951 by Ellie Johnson and Millie

On the 29th of  May there was an explosion at Easington Colliery pit. It happened at 4.30 in the morning.  81 miners and 2 rescuers died.

The families waited around the pit for news of their loved ones. They waited for 40 hours then they heard the terrible news that no one had survived. They ware very sad.  

Rescuers went down the mine and they tried to save the miners' lives, but they couldn't because there were fallen rocks blocking their path. Even King George VI sent a message that he was sorry about the news.

People from all over the world sent money to help the miners' families.  A total of £180,000 was raised. A memorial was built in Easington Colliery so the miners will never be forgotten.

Our Visit to Woodhorn Mining Museum by Erin

This is Jennifer on a pit pony.

Here we are, waiting to go down the mine!

 Alysha and Ellie are in the Working Man's Club!

 Lloyd is holding a tally token.  Miners wore these round their neck.

 Ellie is holding some knee pads.  Miners often had to crawl through the mine so their knees would get sore.

 Rica is carrying a bait box (called a snap tin), a flask of water and her Davy lamp.

Shay is ready to start his shift!

We are standing next to the pit wheel.

This is Ellie in the bottom of pit.

This is ellie holding a bait box and token.

 

Nathan is wearing a miner's helmet.  Abbie and Codie are looking at a miner's boot.

These are the original buildings of Woodhorn Pit.

Mrs Carolan enjoyed the trip, but she needed a little nap!

These are the tokens the miners would take down the mine.  After their shift the miner would hang his token up on this board.  If the token was missing then a miner was trapped down the mine.

These are the tubs that the coal was carried away in.

It took lots of us working together to be strong enough to push a tub!

This is a memorial to the miners who died in the Woodhorn mining disaster of 1922.  There was an explosion underground and 13 men were killed. 

Our trip to the parade by Abbie and Demi

On Friday we went to Mowbray Park to watch the parade of the Third Rifles Regiment. We got there early and we got right to the front.  We had great fun.    The soldiers came right past us and we waved our flags. An old soldier showed us his medals. They were from World War 2.  His medals came from  Italy and  Tunisia. 

One of the soldiers was  from Pallion Primary School.  He  was called Ryan.  Then we went to the museum and played in the park.

Diary of a Coalminer (part 1) by Mollie and Aneysa

I start my shift at 12 o'clock at night. I collect my token and hang it around my neck this is in case there is accident. I also carry my safty lamp down the mine. I have a buzzer to tell me when to go down the mine. We get carried to the seam in tubs. I have to crouch down because the roof is too small to stand up in. I use a windy pick drill to get the coal out. I give the coal to the putter and the putter pulls it away with his pony. I have my bait which is water, bread and jam. I finish my shift at 8 o' clock in the morning.  I am very tired!

Coalmining, Shipbuilding and Glassmaking by Jamielea and Millie

This term we will be learning about Sunderland's industrial history.  We are studying coalmining, shipbuilding and glass making.

In the past Sunderland became rich and famous due to those three industries. Under the ground and sea there was lots of valuable coal. Coal was used in factories, homes, ships and trains.

Sunderland was the perfect place to build ships.They could be built on the River Wear and sailed straight out to sea.

Coal and sand was used to make glass. This glass was then sent on ships all around the world.

Our New Class Rules by Mollie and Codi

Yesterday we thought about our class rules. We have rules to help us make the right choices and make our classroom happy and friendly. 


These are our class rules.


1.We listen carefully to the speaker.
2. We look after our classroom and everything in it.
3.We put our hand up before we speak.
4.We are kind to each other.
5.We always do our best work.
6.We have lovely manners.
7.We ask questions if we don't understand.
8.We help each other.
9.We tell the truth.

10.We follow instructons.