PEAK DISTRICT MINES HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Preserving our mining heritage

Magpie lead mine, Sheldon, which is managed by the Peak District Mines Historical Society

Volunteering

Not only can you join us on occasional guided walks and underground trips around the lead mining areas of the Peak District, but also there are opportunities to learn new skills or share your skills with others.

Getting involved is a great way to meet other people with interests in industrial archaeology, geology, social history and many other areas of relevance to the mining industry in particular, and the Peak District in general.
There are a wide range of projects and activities that you might like to help out with:
COMMITTEE WORK

The is run a team of volunteers meeting 6 times per year to coordinate and discuss the society`s work.

We are always eager to hear from you with new ideas, if you have any special expertise you think we could benefit from or are willing to get involved in any way to further the aims of the society and ensure its future success. New committee members are welcome.

Contact -  chairman@pdmhs.com
MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATIONS
The editors of the prestigious twice yearly bulletin Mining History and the quarterly newsletter are always happy to receive more contributions. We welcome short articles and news items for the newsletter and website, and more detailed and authoritative articles for Mining History.
The editor of Mining History, will consider all manuscripts for publication that fall in the broad mining field, especially those on the Peak District and surrounding area. He can be contacted at editor@pdmhs.com. Guidelines for submissions to Mining History can be found here.
The newsletter editor can be contacted at newsletter@pdmhs.com

CONTENT FOR THE WEBSITE
 As part of our efforts to keep the PDMHS website fresh and up-to-date, we are always looking to include relevant content from our members. We do have to exercise "editorial control" so your submissions are not automatically added and we may edit them.

Photos
Pictures that include people work best, adding scale and a human dimension. Suitable subjects include PDMHS projects, heritage walks, underground trips or general views of regional mining scenery.
Any photos we choose to add will be credited.  Please provide caption information (date, locations, people, description as appropriate). The preferred format is JPEG. This is a photo a member submitted after joining one of our heritage walks. This was in Lathkill Dale. We are happy to select from a small gallery of your photos but please don't swamp us with dozens.
Please send photos to meets@pdmhs.com

Text
Writing for the web is a very different undertaking than for other media.
We will make appropriate editorial changes to your submission.
Items for consideration should be sent to webmaster@pdmhs.com.

HERITAGE WALKS

These are a good introduction to the Society for new members, and we need knowledgeable guides who are able to lead walks to sites of historical, archaeological or geological interest. Walks are held on weekday evenings in summer, and longer walks take place at weekends throughout the year.
If you have specialist knowledge of some part of the area you are most welcome to lead a walk.

Contact the meets coordinator at meets@pdmhs.com

UNDERGROUND MINE TRIPS

Underground mine trip in the Peak District © Martin Long
For reasons of safety and insurance these are members only events. Trips vary in difficulty and the equipment required. Members with caving or climbing experience (as well as knowledge of the mines to be visited) are needed to lead visits.

MAGPIE MINE

Magpie lead mine, Sheldon, Peak District. Photo © Ian Kirkland
This large site is iconic of the Peak District Lead Mining industry, and you can't have failed to see photos of it. Magpie is a popular visitor attraction and is classified as a Scheduled Monument.
There are numerous tasks - many of which demand no special skills - and any help you are able to offer is gratefully accepted.  If you have particular skills, that's great but "willing hands" are most welcome too, there's always plenty to do.
Heritage Open Day is an annual September event that we need to spruce the place up for beforehand. We also need car park attendants, tour guides, refreshments servers and people to help tidy up afterwards.
At other times during the year when we are on site, we try to chat with visitors .
Want to help?  contact  magpiebookings@pdmhs.com
New storage space for archive material at Peak District Mining Museum
The Museum is in the Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath. Routine work is required to maintain, repair and improve displays.
ARCHIVE WORK
The society acquired the collections of Doug Nash and the late Nellie Kirkham (industrial archaeologists) which had to be put into storage at short notice. Thousands of documents, photographs and plans now need sorting and cataloguing.
Contact -  recorder@pdmhs.com
The mine is just across the road from the Mining Museum in Matlock Bath.
There are occasional "gardening" days to cut back undergrowth and trees which encroach on the old quarry at the mine entrance.
Contact -  editor@pdmhs.com
There is a small mining display along the vintage tram route in Crich Tramway Village.  We occasionally need help maintaining the displays.
THE CONSERVATION TEAM
A team has been working on the Long Rake Mine winder engine now housed at Temple Mine. The engine now has shelter from the elements and is in the process of being restored (although it will never be used to lift mine-cages again!)
The winding engine from Long Rake Mine in the Peak District