Coal miners - New Zealand - West Coast Region

Date: [Circa 1880s to 1912]

By: Divis, Joseph, 1885-1967

Reference: PA1-o-531

Description: Very clear views of West Coast gold and coal mines (mainly in the Reefton subdivision), and mining towns, taken by unidentified photographers, except for one of "Wondrous Waiuta New Zealand" Jos. Divis Photo (p 27). Views on various roads include the Reefton to Blackspoint Road, Reefton to Westport Road, the Buller Gorge, the Maruia Road alongside the Inangahua River, Progress Road, and fording a river near Progress Mill. Images relating to mines include a winter picture of the old Wealth (of Nations) waterwheel covered in icicles; and gold batteries at various stages of development. Gold mines include the Progress Mine, Wealth of Nations Mine, Welcome Mine, the Mountain Battery at Boatman's Creek, the Blackwater Mine and the Globe Mine. Coal mines include views of Lanky's Creek Coal Mine, and the Lanky's Creek to Energetic coal tramway showing new bridges and coal miners. One photograph (p 9) shows several men "beach combing" for gold on the West Coast. There are a number of articles in The West Coast Times, Otago Witness and Otago Daily Times talking about the success or otherwise of seeking gold by this method in the 1860s to 1880s (see Papers Past paperspast.natlib.govt.nz, search under "beach combing" "west coast") Inscriptions: Album page - "To Messrs E & A Spencer with best wishes from D Turnbull, Reefton, N.Z., 13/10/1911, 2/6/1912" Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with dark grey cover, entitled "Photographs" in gold lettering; 19.0 x 27.5 cm

Date: 1967

By: Patterson, John Kenneth, 1914-2005

Reference: MapColl-834.1gbc/1967/Acc.31194

Description: Plans from the Strongman Mine Committee of Inquiry, 1967, from the chairman, lawyer and senior magistrate Mr Patterson. Index of miners' working places at the time of the accident. List names of those on day shift and night shift. Identifies position of persons killed in the mine on the plan, their names and the injuries they died from. Identifies structural elements of the mine, for example stoppings, air crossings, goaf areas, elevations, falls. Plan shows where at least nineteen people died. Removed from donor's study after the sale of his house Quantity: 2 map(s). 1.90 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Diazo photoprint, scale indeterminable, 56.8 x 77.5 cm Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - Plans of Strongman Mine, 1967.

Date: [1900s-1960s]

From: Quinn, Joseph, d 1998: Negatives and prints from photographic studio operated by James Ring, L A Inkster, and Joseph Quinn

Reference: PAColl-9543-31

Description: Collection comprises street scenes; shipping and shipwrecks at Greymouth and other places; railway bridges; visits of parliamentarians Richard Seddon and Michael Joseph Savage; croquet; schoolboy rugby; fancy dress; waterfall; floods; Lyell: and pancake rocks, Punakiaki. Photographs taken 1900s-1960s by James Ring and L A Inkster, Greymouth. Quantity: 89 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 1940-1947

From: West Coast Miners' Unions : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-1071-017

Description: Quantity: 1 volume(s).

Date: ca1940

From: Lewers, Neville Robert, 1913- :Photographic negatives, transparencies and prints

Reference: PAColl-6180-03

Description: Quantity: 77 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 2010

From: [Ephemera of quarto size relating to miners and mining in New Zealand]

By: New Zealand. Parliament

Reference: Eph-B-MINING-2010-01

Description: Booklet for the memorial service to the 29 miners who died as a result of explosions in the Pike River Mine, on or after 19 November 2010. Shows a page of photographic portraits of the miners, of the Pike Stream and of the area near the mine. The order of service included songs by the Greymouth District Combined Primary School Choir, and Nga Kura o Te Tai Poutini, with speakers Reverend Canon Mere Wallace, Reverend Tim Mora, Mine chief executive Peter Whittall, Greymouth Mayor Tony Kokshoorn, Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, Prime Minister John Key, singing led by Carolyn Williams, prayers led by Father John Morrison. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Booklet of 8 pages, 300 x 212 mm. Provenance: Donated by Margaret Hurst, Wellington, in 2011.

Date: [1880s-1960s]

From: Quinn, Joseph, d 1998: Negatives and prints from photographic studio operated by James Ring, L A Inkster, and Joseph Quinn

Reference: PAColl-9543-30

Description: Collection comprises street scenes; shipping and shipwrecks at Greymouth and other places; HMNZS Pukaki; railway locomotives, railcars, bridges and accidents; visits of parliamentarians Peter Fraser and Sir Eruera Tirikatene, and Governor at Brunnerton coal mine; croquet; schoolboy rugby; fancy dress; opening of Catholic church building; waterfall; fires; floods; and state house. Photographs taken 1880s-1960s by James Ring and L A Inkster, Greymouth. Quantity: 23 b&w original photographic print(s). 1 colour original photographic print(s).

Date: 1967

By: Patterson, John Kenneth, 1914-2005

Reference: MapColl-834.1gbc/1967/Acc.31199

Description: Plans from the Strongman Mine Committee of Inquiry, 1967, from the chairman, lawyer and senior magistrate Mr Patterson. Shows scene of explosion, position of persons killed, path and direction of explosion waves, stoppings, air crossings, goaf areas, elevations and falls. Shows index of miners working places. Annotated highlight (from manuscript map) of path of explosion waves. Removed from donor's study after the sale of his house Quantity: 1 map(s). 1.90 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Diazo photoprint, scale [1:792], 57 x 77.5 cm Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS Group 0940, Plans of Strongman Mine, 1967.

Date: Jun 1960

From: West Coast Miners' Unions : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-1071-011

Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1972 - 1979

From: Price, Nina, 1953- :[Lino cuts, biro drawings and a painted cardboard model of a house, relating to Denniston, West Coast. 1972-1979]

Reference: A-460-014

Description: A scene showing a mine worker wearing a hard-hat, watching on as a line of coal wagons head down from the top of the Dennsiston mine Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s). Physical Description: Linocut, 170 x 235 mm on paper 291 x 363 mm

Date: [1920s-1960s]

From: Quinn, Joseph, d 1998: Negatives and prints from photographic studio operated by James Ring, L A Inkster, and Joseph Quinn

Reference: PAColl-9543-29

Description: Collection comprises parades of soldiers; school sports day (races and novelty games); winners of fire brigade competitions; railcars, railway excursion and railway accident; organiser of croquet tournament; fancy dress; elderly men in carriage; Angus McLagan addressing miners; waterfall; trout fishing; and Rewanui railway station. Photographs taken 1920s-1960s by L A Inkster, Greymouth. Quantity: 23 b&w original photographic print(s). 1 colour original photographic print(s).

Date: [between 1949-1957]

By: Murray, Charles Preston, 1912-1988

Reference: PAColl-8662

Description: Photographs taken during a protest march against the closure of Webb coal mine, Westport, taken when Sid Holland was Prime Minister (1949-1957). The closure of the mine would put 200 men out of work. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Arrangement: Negatives at 1/2-057606 to 057609 Quantity: 4 b&w copy negative(s). Physical Description: Film negatives

Date: [ca 1938]

By: Stephenson, Joan, active 1983

Reference: PAColl-8362

Description: Photographs relating to Denniston coal miners, taken circa 1938. Photographer(s) unidentified. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Arrangement: Negatives at 1/2-146950 to 146952 Quantity: 3 b&w copy negative(s). Physical Description: Film negatives

Date: 1967

By: Patterson, John Kenneth, 1914-2005

Reference: MapColl-834.1gbc/1967/Acc.31198

Description: Plans from the Strongman Mine Committee of Inquiry, 1967, from the chairman, lawyer and senior magistrate Mr Patterson. Plan drawn from measurements by F.W.J. Munden. Shows floor to roof plan, where shots blown through, shot wires, shot near rib, cavity in face, hole full of stonedust and drill holes. Removed from donor's study after the sale of his house Second copy at 834.1gbc/1967/Acc.31195 Quantity: 1 map(s). 1.90 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Diazo photoprint, scale [ca. 1:792], 37.5 x 52 cm Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS Group no. 0940, Plans of Strongman Mine, 1967.

Date: 1927

From: New Zealand. Department of Mines : Mining manuscripts

Reference: MSY-4517

Description: Includes evidence given by witnesses with index Quantity: 1 volume(s) (468 pages). Physical Description: Typescript

Date: 1967

By: Patterson, John Kenneth, 1914-2005

Reference: MapColl-834.1gbc/1967/Acc.31197

Description: Plans from the Strongman Mine Committee of Inquiry, 1967, from the chairman, lawyer and senior magistrate Mr Patterson. Shows wider section of plan; Green's 1 and 2 section, Kinsey's section (the C seam middle and lower sections), and also parts of Scott's section. The Green's No. 2 section, the lower split of C seam, has been highlighted on the legend and in the plan. Removed from donor's study after the sale of his house Quantity: 1 map(s). 1.90 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Diazo photoprint, scale [1:792], 56.8 x 77.5 cm Transfers: From Manuscripts & Archives - MS Group 0940, Plans of Strongman Mine, 1967.

Date: [after ca 1903]

By: Suggate, Richard Patrick, 1922-2016

Reference: PAColl-5218

Description: Arrangement: Negatives at 1/4-015590 to 015599, 1/4-015629 to 015634, 1/4-015638 to 015640, 1/1-007745 to 007748 and 1/1-007751 to 007752. Quantity: 25 b&w original negative(s).

Date: [ca 1910s]

Reference: PAColl-6827

Description: 13 images of the Globe coal mine above Reefton, West Coast region. They show miners at work in the shafts and resting in the bush; the mine buildings; and the mine railroad. Photographer unidentified. Arrangement: Negatives housed at 1/4-029748 to 029760 Quantity: 13 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negatives

Date: 27 August 1993 - 27 Aug 1993

By: Smith, Keith, 1923-2010

Reference: OHColl-0066/1

Description: Keith Smith born Denniston, north of Westport but moved around the area as father, originally a miner, became mine manager. Gives a detailed account of an adventurous childhood spent playing outdoors and gives a history of his friendship with the interviewer, Harvey Hammersley. Recalls school days with reference to Mr Lambert, a school teacher at Aran School. Describes education at that time and compares class sizes then and now. Other aspects of childhood discussed include: whitebaiting at Cape Farewell Spit; illnesses and cures e.g. `brown paper and goose fat on chest'; diet - dried figs instead of sweets; travelling store; Ruamanga Movie Theatre and method of paying; father's serious accident and move to Christchurch where Keith attended Technical College at the age of 12 years. Describes World War II experiences in detail: joined Territorials, ending up in B Company First Canterbury Regiment, finishing April 1941. Reference to Captain Sleuth. Entered Air Force and after 4 months of night school was sent on navigation course to Rotorua and then to Canada on the `Matsonia'. Mentions presence of Armed Radar in the Pacific; more navigational training at Winnipeg; bombing course 1942 at Leftbridge near Calgary and shipping course 'bombing ships'; sailing from Canada to England on the `Louis Pasteur', a French ship which he describes. Recalls being at Bournemouth (England) with Australians and New Zealanders ca June 1943 when Cathedral was bombed, killing 38 men, with reference to Fok Fold Wolff? (Focke Wulf?) planes. Gives detail of aircraft, locations of bombing operations and loss of aircraft over a five month period. Refers to citation and receiving decoration. Talks about his own aeroplane, a Halifax, which had done `128 trips and had 128 holes'. Describes how it was on show in London. Compares Halifax aeroplanes and Lancasters. Explains how plane remained with him. Discusses post war occupations and the problems of finding work. Compares his job as a linesman with the Air Force. Venue - Christchurch Abstracted by - Gabrielle McLaughlin (Oral History Centre) Interviewer(s) - Harvey Hammersley Venue - Buttervield Avenue Christchurch Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-005208 - OHC-005210 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 Interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - other AB-1062 (consists of a printout from Kiwinet).

Date: 1994, 1999

From: Farrell, Damer, 1943-: Photographs of the West Coast

Reference: PAColl-10788-44

Description: Colour group portraits by Damer Farrell of miners outside the Mount Davy Mine, taken at last shift on 8 July 1994 and Strongman Mine at last shift on 17 September 1999, with titles and names of subjects on mounts. Title supplied by Library. Quantity: 7 colour original photographic print(s).