Ivor Brown Day, 27th Oct. 2018
SCMC President David Adams welcoming people to the event.
The Friends of The Ironbridge Gorge Museums and the Shropshire Caving & Mining Club held a successful a day of talks and films in memory of Dr Ivor Brown on Saturday 27th October 2018 in the Glass Classroom, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale.
Ivor Brown was a leading light in many local history organisations and was well known for his talks and the visits that he organised to many fascinating locations. As a way of commemorating his life speakers from several organisations that he was involved with contributed to the day.
The auction of two mining plates, one featuring the NCB Barnsley Area pits (donated by Iris Brown) and the other a Granville Colliery plate - the last deep mine in Shropshire (from the estate of the late Jack Smart) during the Ivor Brown Day raised £60 for the Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation.
A big "Thank You" to Iris Brown (Ivor's wife), his daughters and their families, all the organisers, speakers and delegates who attended the event and made it an enjoyable day of memories.
Ivor Brown in the Forest Glen (Blists Hill) talking to retired miners commemorating 30 years since the closure of Granville Colliery, 2009.
Ivor talking about the site of Barnyard Colliery during his walk around around Granville Country Park, Telford in 2009.
09:00 Registration
09:30 Dave Adams (Shropshire Caving and Mining Club - President and founder member) to welcome everyone.
09:40 Kelvin Lake presentation on Ivor's life.
10:25 Neil Clarke – Ivor and the Coalport Dodger.
11.00 David Poyner – God and the Miners (Methodist influence on mining communities).
11.30 Tea Break.
11.45 Sam Wood - Ivor Brown and the St Aidan's Opencast Site. Saving of the dragline.
12:20 National Coalmining Museum – David Cross and Jill Clapham including a sound recording of Ivor talking to the curator about the opening of the Museum.
12:50 Buffet Lunch (with a showing of the Draglines DVD).
13:40 John Challen – The Great Rock Sandwich (geology of the local area).
14:20 David Hardwick – South Gloucs Celestine Mineral.
15:00 Tea and Coffee.
15:20 Rob Vernon - The adventures of a Coal Mining Geologist - Lea Hall, Rugeley, and Yorkshire.
16:00 Eddie Downes - Yorkshire Coalfield.
16:40 Andrew Wood – SCMC / Shropshire Mines Trust and Nigel Dibben Ivor's involvement in NAHMO.
17:20 Summary of the day, and Thank you - Neal Rushton Chairman SCMC and David De Haan Chairman of Friends of IGMT.
Two very informative and interesting guided walks were offered to delegates on Sunday 28th October:
David De Haan, Chair of the Friends of the IGMT during the Sunday Coalbrookdale walk.
