I received the photographs from Ian Worthington from Thornley he obtained them from Leanora and Jack Mawson of Thornley, (the lady that organises the Thornley Brass Band Concerts) and Ian scanned them. Ian's philosophy is "Nothing Lost You Give A Friend" so some of the following are courtesy of a friend. I have also added other photographs from different people that I have received and I'm not sure who sent them. To show them I have broken them down into photographs of the Village  the Colliery and the People.

A little history of the coal mine and the pit banner recently received from Roy Lambeth.

Sunk in 1834-35 by John Gully and Partners to work the Harvey seam. Fire broke out underground in June 1858 and the area was drowned to stop it. Some work continued till the Harvey was laid in in 1861. It then passed London Steam Colliery and Coal Co. in 1865.  The company was re-named The Original Hartlepool Collieries Co. in 1868 and in 1870-72 sank Thornley New Winning to the five-quarter. The surface operations were destroyed by fire on 8th May 1875. and the company went bankrupt in 1877. They recovered but finally collapsed in 1884. The shaft was then filled in but was re-opened in 1888 by the Weardale Iron & Coal Co Ltd,. The No.2 shaft was sunk in 1904 and from 1914 became the main drawing shaft. In 1949 3 men were drowned when water broke in from old Cassop Vale workings. Following a re-organisation in 1956 a new Baum washery and dry-cleaning plant were constructed. Production ceased on 9th January 1970 and the pit officially closed on Jan 31st.

Thornley's banner was set above the platform at the FIRST GALA in 1871 though no descriptive details were recorded.

The banner at the 1872 and 1873 Galas showed an arbitration scene and the message 'Blessed is the day when strikes die away. The reverse showed a widow and orphans 'Compensation we demand when life is sacrificed' It was produced by W. Whaite of Manchester.

At the 1927 Gala The Thornley banner carried the motto ' A fair days work for a fair days pay'. A banner possibly this one was destroyed by fire in 1943.

The subsequent banner, present at the 1947 Gala shows the aged miner's homes named after Arthur Greenwood on one side and a scene of children playing in a park on the other. with the title Peace and Prosperity. The banner is red with a yellow border and measures 8ft4in x 7ft10in. This was damaged in the 1950s but subsequently repaired and given to Arthur Greenwood

Location: Thornley Community Centre

The 1953 banner produced by Tutill at Chesham repeated the previous designs. It was unfurled by Arthur Greenwood at Thornley Welfare Hall on 17th July. It is red with a yellow border and measures 8ft0in x 7ft10in

Location Thornley Community Centre.

Thornley History from a manuscript given to me by Allan Fulcher. His wife has a friend, also a teacher had a pupil that was given the assignment of researching the history of the village where he was from. Unfortunately no name is available to give some kind of credit to all his efforts. At present I haven't checked my typing yet but if there are any changes I'll add them next month.