In its heyday, there were several major heavy industries within only a one mile radius of the Jacksdale war memorial.
James Oakes & Co’s Pye Hill Colliery, their clay pipe works and brickworks and also the Butterley Company’s Codnor Park forge and wagon-works.
Each providing work and in many cases housing for thousands of local men, women and children and exporting minerals, iron products and clay pipes to every corner of the Empire.
Here we celebrate the successes of these industries, tell stories of their employees, their working conditions and explain the reasons for their eventual industrial demise.
Pye Hill Colliery Workers 1985