Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, met with residents, Parish Councillors and District Councillors in Huntington last week to discuss the relocation of one of the pit wheels from the Colliery site in order to create a monument and war memorial garden.
The two pit wheels that were once on the former Littleton Colliery site, were saved by the local community. Huntington Parish Council has now decided to create a monument to remember the coalmining history of the village, which began with the sinking of deep mine shafts at the end of the nineteenth century until the closure of Littleton Colliery and the last deep mine in the Cannock Chase coalfield, in December 1993. At its peak in 1980 the mine employed 2,000 men and produced a million tonnes of coal.
Following negotiations with The Coal Authority, successors of the National Coal Board; Huntington Parish Council obtained the 26 acre former colliery spoil mound in Cocksparrow Lane and developed it into Littleton Leisure Park, with two of the former colliery headgear wheels mounted on special brackets moved and displayed on the park.
The wheels are currently obscured by trees and Gavin has plans to talk to the army and other organisations to see if there would be any possibility of moving the pit wheel to the memorial garden location.
Resident Alan Beech said: “It was wonderful to have Gavin visit our village to support us in moving a pit head wheel to the village green. It is our hope that we will be creating a monument and memorial garden for the miners who worked at the pit and for those who gave their lives in the two world wars. It is hoped by doing this it will show the heritage of Huntington.”
Councillor for Huntington and Hatherton David Williams added: “I feel that this project would honour both service and pit workers alike who gave so much for our future. I have been honoured to be asked to join the working party and I am looking forward to helping this project through to the end, involving local groups and residents, so that they can ensure the sustainability of this project for future generations”
Gavin also commented: “It is only right that we celebrate the wonderful mining heritage that we have here in Huntington. Over the past century, this site has provided much prosperity to the local area and now we welcome any discussions to ensure that we preserve this land for future generations.
“I will be talking with a number of organisations including the army to see if we could get the pit wheel moved to the memorial garden location to honour those who worked at the pit and other residents of Huntington who gave their lives, fighting for our country.”