St Hilda’s Pit head Blue plaque unveiled
Blue Plaque to commemorate the world famous St Hilda’s Colliery Band to be unveiled at iconic St Hilda’s Pit Head Community Open Day
Deputy Mayor of South Tyneside Councillor Norman Dick, accompanied by Westoe Brass Band, unveiled the Blue Plaque at a community open day on Thursday 23 August at St Hilda’s Pit Head.
The open day also celebrated the building’s National Lottery funded restoration which will bring new life to this landmark of industrial heritage in South Shields.
The open day saw workshops, music and arts activities to show the scope for community involvement in this building.
St Hilda’s Colliery Band won the World Band Championships five times in 1912, 1920, 1921, 1924 & 1926.
This is a feat never equalled by any other brass band and now this local history, made by local miners for the good of all working class members of the community was celebrated at a community open day on Thursday 23 August. Funding for the band involved an agreed deduction from wages and collecting ‘points’ when playing in the parks. Their performances, including in the South Marine Park bandstand, brought great pleasure and civic pride to South Shields and fame across the world.
My own grandfather and father played in the Hilda Colliery Band and I am proud to actually own one of those world championship medals. There are many descendants of the band members still resident in the Borough and I know they would value such a tribute to their family members.
John taylor, who nominated St hilda’s for the plaque
The open day will also celebrate a key milestone of the National Lottery supported restoration of St Hilda’s Pit Head.
Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust, with funding from South Tyneside Council, the National Lottery through a £548,200 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and others*, will mark the completion of the first phase of the restoration project that will see this landmark building in South Shields brought back to life.
T+WBPT has embarked on a restoration project with Mawson Kerr Architects and Meldrum Construction, which has rescued the building from falling into further disrepair, and transformed it into a working building again.
This landmark building is an important part of the Borough’s rich industrial heritage, with its mining past continuing to be celebrated throughout the structure as well as with a blue plaque in tribute to the famous St Hilda’s Colliery Band. We are delighted to be able to commemorate the achievements of the pit’s highly talented musicians in this way. The renovation project has been very exciting for all involved. We are now looking forward to seeing opportunities for creative businesses to use the space and seeing more events and activities getting underway, ensuring a bright new future for this superb community space.
cOUNCILLOR ALAN kERR
This ‘at risk’ landmark building is Grade II listed and has been fully refurbished and transformed into a vibrant, accessible centre which will have a positive impact on the local economy and provide an asset to the local community.
It is wonderful to see St Hilda’s Pit Head given a new lease of life and transformed into what is now a vibrant new centre for the local community to enjoy.
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