1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Facts, Stories and Features

Silverwood Welfare Club

Doncaster Road
Dalton
Rotherham
South Yorkshire. S65 3ES
Tel: 01709 854074
Email: silverwoodminers@btconect.com

The men who were in a large part responsible for the establishment of the Club were Tommy D'Arcy, Bernard Hemmingway, Harry Carver, and Fred Kelly [ More names needed please send them in on link below ]

Benny Aylward who served on the committee was one of the great characters I remember, I was in Moorgate Hospital just recovering from an appendix operation back in the late 1960's, when in walked Benny. He was visiting the miners when he spotted me " Nah then young Doxey what Tha' doin' in here?" he said with a big grin. He had a few words and as he turned to leave he reached into the bag he was carrying and tossed a couple of packets of cigarettes on the bed " Here, they'll make thee feel better " he said. I don't know that the cigarettes did me much good but Benny's visit certainly did.
Peter Smith writes According to my Dad "THE BAGGIN" was short for "The Gun and Bagging", a miner's nickname for the club in the same way as you might call a pub "The Plough" or "The Hare and Hounds" in a farming community. The gun was the nickname of the drill used at the coal face to drill holes for packing with explosive for blasting through hard rock and the bagging was some sort of packing material that went into the hole after the explosive. In other words Miner's tools. He also told me that the British Legion Club at the top of Whinney Hill used to be known as "The Blood and Bandage" but this one obviously didn't stick.
Peter Lawery writes As you know, The Silverwood Miners Welfare Club is known throughout Rotherham & well beyond, as you stated mainly from its heydays of booking top acts. What I have found more surprising is that a lot of people think it is called "The Bagin". Some even think it is a pub called "The Bag Inn". Question ! Why " The bagin". Years ago I asked my dad, his answer was that when the club was first opened it was frequented by more Officials than colliers & the officials were always talking about work. In other words they were " Gunning & Baggin ". This sounded ok. thirty years ago & I have told many people since but for the sake of authenticity I emailed my brother in Australia & he has just replied." The correct term is Gunning & Bagging & refers to the local term for an air pick & its supply hose. There are many other terms used in the mining industry in my experience including Jigger pick & Jack pick. I suppose the use of the term Gun is explained by the fact that it sounds a bit like a machine gun when operated. Silverwood was not allowed to use electricity on the coalface in the main seam which was the Barnsley seam because it was very gassy & also subject to spontaneous  combustion. Consequently all machinery was driven by compressed air & the supply hoses were widely known as bags or baggings". A lot of the old timers called it The Gun & Bagin but for many years it has been "The  Bagin. Sounds ok to me & no one else has come up with another answer. 
Mick Carver writes:- My grandfather Harry was one of the founder members of the Silverwood welfare club along with Fred, Bernard and Tommy. I think there were six founders but I'm not sure. My father was also into 'clubland' and was the secretary of Thornhill w. m. club for over 25 years, ( this club was known locally as brown street club) when it came round to the annual elections I can remember him saying on more than one occasion, that it was ok for your granddad because as a founder he was on the committee for life. My grandfather died in 1955 aged 55.(he also used to m/c some of the dances locally) Speaking about the baggin I can remember going on a club day trip on the train (late 1950s ) and the trains embarked from Whinney hill . They made a hole in the fence and built a tempory wooden platform .
Situated in Dalton the Miners Welfare Club provides a great service not only to the Miners but the rest of the community too, it provides a sporting venue for , Football, Lawn Bowling, and also indoor activities as well. The club is also a great social meeting place and provides top entertainment for one and all. The Club has been recently refurbished and I am informed " It looks really posh!"

The main entrance area is named "THE STREET "

Today the club facilities include two football pitches complete with changing rooms,  A top class Bowling Green plus pavilion.
  A main function room large enough for 230 people, with stage and patio area

A TV room that seats around 15 people

The I.T. Suite which is a computer room for hire with 15 computers available
The Lounge caters for one and all who simply want to relax, or have a game of snooker, pool, or try your luck on the gaming machines. Don't worry there is also a Juke box and t/v here too.
 

Staff Members

Ivy Carver worked behind the bar pre 1960.