Coal mining in Cannock Chase was recognised as a vital industry by the middle of the nineteenth century and dominated the area for the next 150 years. In 1913 annual output of coal from local mines was 5.76 million tons, from a labour force of 20,400 men. However, with the closure of the collieries by the mid-1990s this proud history in in danger of being forgotten. This volume of nearly 300 photographs offers a pictorial history of the mining community of Cannock Chase - at work and at play, at school and at prayer, at moments of celebration and of tragedy.

These photographs have been collected from miners and their families, and great emphasis has been placed on naming the people and places depicted - maybe you will recognise a member of your extended family, or the pit in which they worked. This book records an important piece of history and will be a nostalgic journey for many people.