Shirebrook Mining Memorial

Location: Shirebrook Market Square

Unveiled: 30th April 2023

The Shirebrook Colliery memorial is a statue to represent the mining community and heritage of Shirebrook.  A group of Shirebrook Colliery ex-miners planned to erect the Monument in the centre of the Shirebrook Market Place in memory of all the people who have ever worked either underground or on the surface at anytime during the history of the Colliery’s Life from 1896 until April 30 1993.

About the Statue:

The sculpture depicts a traditional mining family.  There is a miner at work at the coal pit face.  Above ground, looking out proudly stand the figures of a mother and child. 

The concept of the piece shows the miner as though he is carving from the rock face, as if sculpting out the future of his family. The mother and child are emerging above the coal face as though the family are at one with the land and the coal.   The piece is created to show the miner below ground with the future above ground, as the mother and child look out into the distance beyond.  

The model (maquette) on display is a small scale version of the final statue.  The final statue was cast into Bronze and enlarged to approximately 15 ft tall.  The miniature version of the real monument is now permanently on display at the Shirebrook welfare in the lounge bar.

Click on an image below for a larger version: