The countryside between the lower reaches of the River Severn and the River Wye is known as the Forest of Dean. It's a very special place that I enjoy exploring, and is an area with a unique history and heritage. My good friend - free miner Dave Harvey wouldn't live anywhere else. But there is more than natural beauty in this land between two rivers, it was very much a working forest as conversations with Dave reveals..
Dave was the model for the sculpture in Cinderford, pictured on the right. Life was tough and dangerous working underground extracting coal from the seams under the plateau on which the centre of the Forest stands and many accidents occurred.
Dave himself narrowly escaped death when the rocky roof of a coal seam that was being worked in the Northern United Colliery collapsed. As everyone tried to escape, he was half buried by falling rubble and timber pit props. A fellow miner turned to see Dave trapped. With rock from the roof still crashing down into the mine shaft, a giant of a man known as 'big Phil' - with super-human effort grabbed his colleague under the arms and pulled. He got Dave out just as the rest of the roof came down. Dave's narrow escape left him with deep cuts and bruises but no bones broken. The scars from that dreadful day will never ever disappear
On the left is a picture of Dave standing beside a chainsaw carving of that fateful day in 1963 with 'big Phil' pulling him out of the rubble. It has been carved by Clayton Ryder and is on display in the grounds of the Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley in the Forest of Dean. Dave has written a poem which is displayed alongside.
Dave was the model for the sculpture in Cinderford, pictured on the right. Life was tough and dangerous working underground extracting coal from the seams under the plateau on which the centre of the Forest stands and many accidents occurred. Dave himself narrowly escaped death when the rocky roof of a coal seam that was being worked in the Northern United Colliery collapsed. As everyone tried to escape, he was half buried by falling rubble and timber pit props. A fellow miner turned to see Dave trapped. With rock from the roof still crashing down into the mine shaft, a giant of a man known as 'big Phil' - with super-human effort grabbed his colleague under the arms and pulled. He got Dave out just as the rest of the roof came down. Dave's narrow escape left him with deep cuts and bruises but no bones broken. The scars from that dreadful day will never ever disappear
Despite the horrific accident (coal face twenty three was totally destroyed and no longer workable) Dave returned to his job within weeks joining the other miners who all began working on another coal face. He said that he was very nervous but continue working underground for a further two years. Then, the unthinkable happened! The Northern United Colliery was closed down - on Christmas Day 1965! It was sudden and unexpected. Over night everyone was out of work.
The mine buildings are still there today but the pit has been filled in and capped. Below is the sign outside the colliery gates which is still there today.
Today Dave is a great Ambassador for the Forest, a place he loves. He describes his life and life in the Forest in his amazing poems. His collection of poetry and songs are published on three CD's and are for sale at the Dean Heritage Centre.
Dave has been booked for an evening show with the Forest Male Voice Choir on Friday 21st October 2011 which will be filmed for ITV. We look forward to seeing him on National TV later in the year.
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