The EHC officers are pleased to invite you to our next Coffee Chat where we will be discussing the history of pit ponies and their role, care, and management.
When: Monday September 4, 2023, 18.00 BST/13.00 ET/10.00 PT
Where: Online via Zoom
https://univienna.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 675 9866 8524
Passcode: 599063
About the event
Of all the working equids that have performed tasks for humans, those working in collieries have often received the greatest scrutiny. They have been pitied, admired, and mythologised. They have been viewed as victims, co-workers, working-class heroes, and exploited innocents. To gain a comprehensive view of the lives and treatment of the equids in mining, it is important to study the treatment of human miners and their families, and to understand the unique culture of colliery village life.
To talk about this interesting and important topic, we have invited three experts. Dr David Amos is a former miner who now works as a heritage specialist for a not-for-profit educational project, Mine2Minds. Janine Buckley MA has studied both elite and colliery stables in Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, and is Historic Environment Officer (Buildings) for Nottinghamshire County Council. Lisa Walker, whose ancestors worked as colliery horsemasters, is owner of Mini Pony Hire. Her ponies enjoy life as engagers at various historic sites in northeast England, including Beamish Museum’s own colliery village. Lisa’s Shetland pony Smurf, a rescue pony, won the Horse and Hound Pony of the year Award in 2019.
We do hope that you can enjoy us for a chat that will be very informative, and perhaps expose a few myths about pit ponies and their treatment.
