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Old Images of Fishburn Colliery Village, County Durham

Explore the local heritage of Fishburn Colliery, a former hub of the coal and coke industry in County Durham, through these archival records and films. While the village is now a peaceful residential area, these videos capture its industrial peak and the enduring spirit of its community organizations.

US Ambassador Visit (1957)

In 1957, US Ambassador John Hay Whitney visited the Fishburn Colliery and its associated coke works. At this time, the site was managed by the National Coal Board (NCB). This archival footage provides a rare look at the industrial infrastructure of the era, including the various colliery buildings and the coke processing facilities in operation.





Us Ambassador Visits Coal Mine (1957) - British Pathé on YouTube


The Tidiest Village In County Durham (1960s)

During the 1960s, Fishburn earned the title of the "Tidiest Village in County Durham." While the clip has been removed from YouTube, it remains accessible via the Huntley Film Archives website. The footage features local resident Frank Gibson and prominently displays the commemorative sign celebrating the village's achievement.

The Coke Works Project: Fishburn Primary School (1970s)

This digital collection was created from slides rediscovered by Brian Steeper, who trained at Fishburn Primary in the early 1970s. The images capture school children—now in their mid-50s—visiting the local coke ovens under the guidance of teacher Chris Wheeler. It serves as a poignant record of how the industry was woven into the fabric of daily education.




Published to YouTube on 14 Jul 2016 by Fishburn Primary. 


Mr. Eason received the following email:

Dear Mr. Eason,

I worked briefly at the school during my training in the early 70s. Having recently retired I have been having a good sort out. During this, I rediscovered two sets of slides taken whilst I was at the school. These have languished in my garage for many years.

In the main, these consist of slides taken on visits to the now-closed coke ovens. A few are of work in the classroom and a couple are of pupils in the group. These “pupils” will now be about 54 or 55 and unfortunately, I have no idea of their names, though at the time their teacher was a gentleman called Chris Wheeler. It is quite possible that some of these families are still in the area.

I have digitised the slides and cleaned them up to improve them where possible. I have attached a couple. Should there be any interest I will gladly post a DVD to the school with a full set of the slides. 

Yours, Brian Steeper.

Fishburn Band Performance: Durham Miners’ Gala Concert (1991)

The Fishburn Band has long been a centerpiece of the community's cultural life. This two-hour home movie records a 1991 concert featuring a wide variety of music, from traditional marches to contemporary pop covers.




















Published to YouTube on 8 Nov 2018 by Michael Franey.


This is a two hour home movie showing the Fishburn Band performing to an appreciative audience.

The tunes performed are:

1. Knight Templar

2. Oklahoma

3. Flying Scot (Cornet Solo)

4. Strawberry Fayre

5. Here Comes the Rainy Day

6. Laughter in the Rain (Horn solo)

7. Blue Rondo A La Turk

8. Serenate

9. Ticket to Ride

10. Any Dream Will Do

11. Finale from William Tell

12. Trumpeters Holiday (Cornet Trio)

13. Keep Smiling Through

14. Serenade (Euphonium Solo)

15. Tango for Band

16. Whispering Brass

17. Mornings at Seven

18. Manhattan Skyline

19. Arnhem

20. Harton Lea & Deep Harmony

21. Cherry Pink & Aplle Blossom White

22. Hawiaan War Chant

23. Hootenanny

24. One Voice


National Brass Band Championships (1992)

In October 1992, the band traveled to the Royal Albert Hall in London to compete in the National Brass Band Championships. Conducted by Ian Robinson, this video documents the group (then associated with Coal Products Ltd) performing on one of the world's most prestigious stages.




Uploaded to YouTube on 18 December 2018 by Michael Franey.


Durham Miners’ Gala (1992)

This short video captures the atmosphere of the 108th Durham Miners' Gala. The Fishburn Band is seen leading the Fishburn Lodge and Fenhall Drift (Thrislington) banners onto the Racecourse Ground, playing the "Holyrood" march. The event featured notable political figures of the era, including Arthur Scargill and Tony Benn.




Labels:
Location: Fishburn, Stockton-on-Tees TS21, UK

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