31/03/2026
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For Immediate Release
Bedminster Coalminers Heritage Group (BCHG)
31st March 2026
Bedminster Community Celebrates Successful Miners’ Month and Unveiling of New Heritage Installation
The Bedminster Coalminers Heritage Group (BCHG) is delighted to announce the successful culmination of Bedminster Miners Month, marked by the unveiling of a 7-foot metal miner statue and a ceramic commemorative plaque on Saturday, 28 March, outside the Jolly Colliers Public House on West Street, Bedminster - the first of its kind in Bristol. The event drew strong community interest, making it a memorable and significant day for Bedminster and Bristol’s mining heritage.
Throughout March, BCHG delivered a programme of well attended activities, including two hands on community workshops and a special presentation on the Dean Lane Pit disaster of 1886. These events helped illuminate the long and often difficult history of mining in the Bedminster area and was gratefully supported by Bristol Libraries.
The project has been an overwhelming success in achieving its two central aims. Firstly, it has raised public awareness of the crucial role played by Bedminster’s coal mines and coalminers in powering industry and contributing to the growth of the city. Secondly, it has provided a platform to honour and remember more than 150 miners who lost their lives working in Bedminster’s pits – particularly those who perished in the major disasters at Malago Vale (1891) and Dean Lane (1886).
A defining strength of the initiative has been its deeply community rooted approach. The project brought together individuals and families from West Street, Bedminster, Bristol and beyond - many of whom discovered new insights into their own family mining history. This sense of shared heritage and local connection has been central to the project’s impact.
BCHG extends sincere thanks to the Somerset Miners Welfare Trust, whose generous donation of the metal miner sculpture ensures that Bedminster and Bristol will have a lasting, visible legacy to honour this important chapter of local history.
Looking ahead, BCHG is proud to announce the next phase of the project: the unveiling of a metal miner and commemorative plaque at Dame Emily Park, planned for summer 2026. Further details will be released nearer the time.
This entire initiative has been run solely by volunteers, some who are directly related to those who lost their lives in the pit disasters. They have dedicated their time, expertise and enthusiasm to bring the project to life. Funding was raised through a Crowdfunder campaign, with additional support from Punch Taverns, owners of the Jolly Colliers Pub, and the pub’s landlady, whose commitment to community heritage has been invaluable.
BCHG wishes to thank everyone who contributed, participated and supported this important work. Together, the community has helped shine a light on a rich and often overlooked part of Bedminster’s past - ensuring that the stories, lives and sacrifices of local coalminers are remembered for generations to come.
Garry Atterton, Tina Huckle & Stef Brammar
BCHG
