NAMHO News
NAMHO CONFERENCE 2025 - NORTH WALES
The 2025 Conference is now being planned and talks and trips are being sought from cavers and miners interested in the area. The Conference venue is in the Conwy Valley so is close to some metal mines and not too far from slate mines/quarries as well. Organisation of the conference is in the hands of the NAMHO officers with help from the Hidden Earth team and cavers based in the region. The theme has not yet been fixed but will certainly involve "Mining in North Wales" ("Mwyngloddio yng Ngogledd Cymru") in some form or other.
The conference will be held over the weekend 28th-29th June 2025 with field trips over the weekend as well as before and after the conference.
Anyone interested in helping can contact the organising team at conforg@namho.org. Further details about the venue will be released when they have been confirmed. At this stage, it can be added that the venue has camping on-site together with "proper" toilets and showers, and a bar!
Finally, the webmaster has been rightly criticised for the quality of his English to Welsh translation. If someone can offer to help with translation or checking Google translations, that would be appreciated.
NAMHO CONFERENCE 2024 - CORNWALL
Oct 18, 2024, 13:59
The 2024 Conference has passed now. Over 100 delegates and a number of speakers and trip guides took part. There will be no report this year but abstracts from some of the talks will be available on this website. The organisation of the Conference was on the shoulders of NAMHO officers with help from Cornish residents and some of the BCRA Hidden Earth team. NAMHO is particularly grateful for this help which made the conference (and the bar) so successful.
The theme was: "Tin, copper, gold and ...." which was meant to show how extensive Cornish mining is. For a change, the talks included future prospects as well as mining history. The conference ran from Thursday 27th June to Wednesday 3rd July including some field trips outside the weekend. The main venue was in Redruth, Cornwall. Camping was available within a mile of the venue.
NAMHO CONFERENCE 2024 - CORNWALL
Jun 28, 2024, 20:41
The Conference is underway. Over 100 delegates and a number of speakers and trip guides are taking part. A fuller report will appear in due course.
The theme looks a bit vague but is: "in, copper, gold and ...." which is meant to show how extensive Cornish mining is
The conference lasts from Thursday 27th June to Wednesday 3rd July including some field trips outside the weekend.
Main venue: Kernow Resilience Hub, Redruth, Cornwall.
Camping: 1 mile from the venue.
Organising team: NAMHO
The conference was intended to study Cornish mineral wealth but has been expanded to include mining elsewhere in the UK, Europe and the World - hence the rather vague title!
NEW FORUM: BUDDLEPIT
A new forum has been developed to replace Aditnow and Mine Explorer. The forum is trying to develop itself into a self-sustaining trust. For more detail, go to www.buddlepit.co.uk.
NAMHO CONFERENCE 2024 - CORNWALL
Booking will close around 22 June so please get in soon if you want to attend. There is a full programme of talks as well as a number of field trips. Details are:
When: weekend of 29-30 JUNE 2024 plus days either side.
Theme: "in, copper, gold and ....".
Full duration: Thursday 27th June to Wednesday 3rd July including some field trips outside the weekend.
Main venue: Kernow Resilience Hub, Redruth, Cornwall.
Camping: 1 mile from the venue.
Organising team: NAMHO
The conference was intended to study Cornish mineral wealth but has been expanded to include mining elsewhere in the UK, Europe and the World - hence the rather vague title!
Enquiries can be sent to confenq@namho.org.
WEBSITE UPDATING
The website is currently being updated to make it more Smartphone-friendly. This process takes time so please accept that some pages may appear slightly differently on a Smartphone for now. Reading the site on a conventional browser should be unaffected. If you have any ideas for further improvemenmts, please contact the webmaster@namho.org.
NAMHO CONFERENCE 2021
The Shropshire Caving and Mining Club hosted the Conference in South Shropshire (2nd to 5th July 2021) with an excellent programme of talks and mine trips. All of this was achieved despite Covid by taking particular care with seating in the lecture hall, use of on-line lecturing and attendance and (sadly) loss of social gathering events. The Conference website is still open but booking has closed so the site will only help you by showing what you have missed if you did not come to Shropshire.
NEW DATA SOURCE FOR MINING HISTORIANS
The Northern Mine Research Society has been pleased to announce the release of a database of international mining information compiled by the late Alasdair Neill (Ali). The original 6,000 pages plus of text were converted into a database format to give over 76,000 fully searchable entries.
The database can be accessed at https://www.nmrs.org.uk/mining-database/.
The NMRS is also updating its on-line mapping of mines in the British Isles and has added a new map showing the distribution of many accidents in coal and miscellaneous mines.
Information provided to the Mining History web list by Mike Gill.
NAMHO ON FACEBOOK
Oct 22, 2016, 19:34
NAMHO is now on Facebook where you can read news and leave comments. The link to Facebook is on the home page and forum page. If you are reading this on our news page, you can click HERE.
NORTH PENNINES MINE WATER TREATMENT SCHEMES
Oct 21, 2016, 14:47
The Environment Agency have updated the documents about mine water treatment schemes and proposals specifically for Nentsberry Haggs Mine. Two public meetings are planned.Link here
NAMHO handbook on-line
Mar 09, 2016, 14:41
The facility has been available for some time to print a copy of the handbook from the website. As this appears to be little used, I have uploaded a PDF copy of the handbook to the library (available under the research tab). This version can be read or downloaded and will be updated periodically.
Nellie Kirkham archive
Dec 31, 2015, 10:36
In the last 3 months PDMHS has taken in the mining history archives (courtesy of Jenny Potts and Mary Wilde at the British Caving Library) belonging to Doug Nash of Op. Mole and Eyam.
Doug was the literary executor of Nellie Kirkham and came into possession of some 60 boxes of Nellie's field notes and other archive material. It was immediately obvious that this material was unique and needed to be lodged in the County Record Office at Matlock to ensure its survival in a proper environment.
Accordingly, David Williams has, over the last few weeks, been transferring this material to Matlock, and the last part of the collection was delivered just before Christmas. This has been celebrated in a blog from Mark Smith at the Record Office -
https://recordoffice.wordpress.com/2015/12/30/nellie-kirkham-archives-of-busy-local-historian/
As mentioned in the blog a catalogue can be found at - http://calmview.derbyshire.gov.uk/calmview/overview.aspx?src=calmview.catalog&q=refno:D5675*
Some of the material had previously been scanned and this can be seen at - http://www.pdmhs.com/resources/kirkham
As Mark says in the blog this material is roughly sorted but needs a great deal of work to make it more understandable. It has to be said that Nellie's handwriting does not make this easy. David is hoping to make this a project for Winter 2016/17!
Tributes paid to Clearwell Caves Founder
Sep 28, 2015, 21:30
Tributes have been paid to Ray Wright who passed away in August 2015 aged 85. The visitor attraction near to Coleford in the Forest of Dean was reopened as a working museum in 1968 after being closed as a working mine in 1945. A report on the BBC news can be read here (available when accessed: 28/9/2015).
NAMHO and the CRoW review
Aug 19, 2014, 17:56
NAMHO Officers are reviewing the situation with regard to CRoW (The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000) following a meeting of the British Caving Association Conservation & Access Committee. The meeting discussed at length the impact of CRoW on cave and mine exploration. The draft minutes can be read on the BCA website by following {this link}. Member organisations are welcome to send comments to the NAMHO Secretary by 30 September 2014.
NAMHO AGM
Mar 18, 2014, 12:59
The AGM was held on 15th March. Additional time was allowed for useful discussion of future conferences and other topics. The only change in the committee is that Peter Jackson has taken over the role of Secretary from Nigel Dibben.
New Bulk Minerals research assessment
Aug 28, 2013, 15:44
A new version of the 81-page assessment is now available on the {Research page} on this website.
Nenthead Bunk House reopened
Aug 13, 2013, 16:16
In order to raise funds for conservation work Nenthead Mines Conservation Society has reopened the Assay House Bunkhouse on the Nenthead mine site to BCA members and their guests. The bunk house sleeps 12 people in 2 rooms, it has central heating and all usual amenities.
Cost £5 per person per night (plus a group donation towards central heating cost in winter).Bring your own sleeping bag, pillows provided.
To book contact: Sheila Barker sheila.barker@cybermoor.org.uk or 01434 381903
Historical Metallurgy Society - Research in Progress Meeting
Jul 27, 2013, 15:26
Thursday the 10th October, 2013 :: Department of Archaeology, University of Exeter.
This meeting is aimed at a wide variety of contributors, from historical and archaeological metallurgists to excavators, historians and economists. If you are working, or have just finished working, on a project related to archaeological or historical metallurgy, we would like to hear from you. We are particularly interested in bringing together contract and public sector archaeologists with academic researchers, and in fostering links between the different disciplines studying metallurgy and related activities. Whether you are a student, a researcher, an interested non-specialist, or a professional excavator, we invite you to meet others working in this field and present your research to an interested community.
Proposals for 10-15 minute oral papers are welcomed from anyone undertaking work in any area of ancient, historical, or industrial metallurgy, and from other researchers whose focus is of relevance to this subject.
The Historical Metallurgy Society offers a prize for the best student research presented at this meeting, all students or recent graduate within12 months of graduation are eligible.Â
General enquiries and abstracts can be directed to hms.rip2013@hotmail.com
23000 Coal Mines on Google Maps
Jul 17, 2013, 10:20
Mike Gill has recently informed us that:
"The Northern Mine Research Society is pleased to announce this major advance in the research tools available on its website. Mike Gill has prepared extensive databases giving the locations and historical details of coal and metalliferous mines in the British Isles.Starting with coal, these are now being made available on the website by superimposing the data on Google Earth mapping. Some 23,000 mines will be covered, and basic information such as the opening and closing dates, the mineral worked, and the ownership history (all where known) is given.
"To find the 'Collieries of the British Isles' go to the 'Mining in the British Isles' section of the main website ({http://www.nmrs.org.uk}) click on 'Information' (penultimate entry on the option bar) and select 'Mines Information'. Click on Coal, and at the foot of the map choose the 'Online Mapping' option."
Forgotten State of Industry - Irish Industrial Landscapes in a Global Context
18/19 October 2013
Jun 14, 2013, 17:41
Featuring a presentation keynote speech by leading industrial archaeologist, Professor Marilyn Palmer, this exciting two day international conference brings together an exceptional group of speakers from across Ireland, Europe and beyond, providing an opportunity to share experiences of conserving, managing and presenting our historical industrial landscapes, many of which in Ireland are poorly understood and vulnerable. Largely funded with the support of the InterReg 4A (Ireland-Wales) Metal Links: Forging Communities Together project, with additional support from the Heritage Council, Wicklow County Council and the Gathering Fund, the conference is being organised by community group, Glens of Lead, a partner in the Metal Links project.
This conference represents exceptional value for money. There is no fee for attending, only a charge to cover refreshments, lunches and dinner. Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment! All bookings via http://glensoflead.eventbrite.ie/.
The venue is the Glendalough Hotel in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland, one hour south of Dublin.
The conference runs from Friday 18th October through Saturday 19th October 2013. {Further details of the programme are available here}.
International Mining History Conference, Queensland, 2014
Jun 03, 2013, 14:33
The web-site for the International Mining History Congress 2014 in Charters Towers, Australia, is NOW up and running. As yet it is fairly basic but keep checking for updates. The link is: {http://www.ct2014miningcongress.com/index.html}
NAMHO Bibliography now on-line
Apr 19, 2013, 15:35
A bibliography of mining-related articles, books and theses has now been made available from the Research page on this site. The bibliography contains nearly 8000 items and can be sorted or searched by various criteria. Further search options can be added on request. To use the bibliography, go to the Research page and select NAMHO bibliogrpahy from the menu line or click {here}.
Guidelines
Nov 25, 2011, 17:52
See our Guidelines page for NAMHO's recommendations for 'best practice' in mine exploration, mineral collecting, and archival research