South Elmsall
Encyclopedia
South Elmsall pronounced "south em-sull" is a small town
and civil parish to the east of Hemsworth
in the City of Wakefield
in West Yorkshire
, England
. It is on the B6422 and B6474 (which leads to North Elmsall
and Upton
).
It neighbours South Kirkby, and the two towns are often grouped together as one town. It is difficult to know where one stops and the other begins. The town is close to the southern boundary of West Yorkshire, and is 1 miles (1.6 km) from the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
in South Yorkshire
. The A638
Doncaster to Wakefield road runs close to the north of the town, which leads to junction 38 of the A1(M) 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south-east. It now has its own bypass which links the A1 to the Hemsworth Bypass providing excellent transport links towards Barnsley and South Yorkshire. The town has a population of 6,107.
South Elmsall is served by rail, the nearest station being South Elmsall railway station
.
, which was one of the largest in the whole country and a key source of union radicalism. The colliery is named after the near-by village of Frickley in South Yorkshire which continues to be the home of the Warde-Aldham family who owned the coal reseves exploited by the pit. During the UK Miners' Strike (1984-1985), there were numerous disturbances in the area. It was one of the last pits to return to work after the strike, seeing as it was picketed by a group of hardliners from Kent
who continued to picket Frickley after the NUM had called off the strike. The Frickley miners refused to cross the hardliners' picket.
The colliery was closed on 26 November 1993 - following closures of nearby pits like Ferrymoor-Riddings (1985), Kinsley (1986), South Kirkby (1988) and Grimethorpe
(1992). The area around Hemsworth
was long one of the most depressed areas of the whole European Union
, although fortunes have improved recently.
The town hosts a number of key landmarks that have a place in the wider history of the labour movement
in the UK. In addition to the coal mine, the Miner's Institute served as a nerve centre during the strikes of the 1970s and 1980s. The Moorthorpe Empire WMC played a key role in the exchange of ideas, the maintenance of morale and the harnessing of community spirit during 1984. During this period, the Empire became a place for the celebration of unshackled unionism
, internationalism
, feminism
, and even a sympathy for non-violent Irish republicanism
.
Several clubs in the area still bear the colliery's name. There is Frickley Colliery Brass Band, a famous football team named Frickley Athletic
and a cricket club named "Frickley". Frickley Athletic F.C.
now play in the UniBond Premier Division and nearly gained promotion in 2006.
on the Wakefield line
. Towards South Kirkby is Moorthorpe railway station
on the line to Sheffield and Rotherham.
There is also the High Street
(Barnsley Road) which includes many common high street names such as The Post Office, Superdrug
, Hallmark Cards
, Boots Group, Blockbusters, Greggs
, Heron, Asda
, Sainsbury's Local
and also many other individual shops such as South Elmsall Travel, Pro Logic Computers,The Paint Pot, The Jewellery Centre, Les & June Price Carpets & Furnishings, Allstar Teamwear, Dennis Price carpets, Kidz schoolwear, Rhythm and Booze , Mode Clothing, Parade clothing among many others. The discount supermarket chain Netto
has its British headquarters on Elmsall Way in the village on the Dale Lane Industrial Estate.
Also present on the Dale Lane industrial estate are 4 Next Distribution warehouses (Stadium Way One, Stadium Way Two, Elmsall Way and Elmsall Drive), Superdrug, Del Monte and Finlays. The estate itself reflects the changing fortunes of the area being one of the key expansion areas since the closure of the local collieries.
which has a sixth-form and also covers South Kirkby and Upton. In 2008 Minsthorpe Community College
gained its best ever results at all levels - KS3/GCSE/A-Level, the college GCSE results are higher than the local and national averages. People who have an association with Minsthorpe include playwright John Godber, actors Adrian Hood and Chris Walker, comedy hypnotist John Caulton and footballer Martyn Woolford. There are also several primary schools in the South Elmsall area: Carlton, Moorthorpe, Ash Grove and St Joseph's. There are many more in the neighbouring towns of South Kirkby and Upton.
Non-Christian places of religious/spiritual interest:
and choristers regularly take part in training events held mostly at cathedrals up and down the country. Several members of the choir also sing with the RSCM's Northern Cathedral Singers. The choir sings Evensong at St Mary's every Sunday evening at 6.30pm. Dr Knowles was awarded an MBE in 2008 for his outstanding contribution to Church Music and community life. Tony Moore is assistant organist at St Mary's.
South Elmsall is also the home of Minsthorpe Marlins Swimming club which is affiliated to the Doncaster Darts.
Other sports clubs include The South Elmsall Social Cycling Club which was officially founded in 1934
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and civil parish to the east of Hemsworth
Hemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
in the City of Wakefield
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is on the B6422 and B6474 (which leads to North Elmsall
North Elmsall
North Elmsall is a village and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 4,093. Until 1974 it was part of Hemsworth Rural District.-External links:...
and Upton
Upton, West Yorkshire
Upton is a village and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 3,541.It is situated south of Badsworth and north of North Elmsall and is part of the SESKU area...
).
It neighbours South Kirkby, and the two towns are often grouped together as one town. It is difficult to know where one stops and the other begins. The town is close to the southern boundary of West Yorkshire, and is 1 miles (1.6 km) from the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley....
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
. The A638
A638 road
The A638 is a main road in England that runs between the A1 at Markham Moor in Nottinghamshire and Chain Bar Junction 26 of the M62 motorway south of Bradford in West Yorkshire....
Doncaster to Wakefield road runs close to the north of the town, which leads to junction 38 of the A1(M) 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south-east. It now has its own bypass which links the A1 to the Hemsworth Bypass providing excellent transport links towards Barnsley and South Yorkshire. The town has a population of 6,107.
South Elmsall is served by rail, the nearest station being South Elmsall railway station
South Elmsall railway station
South Elmsall railway station serves the village of South Elmsall near Pontefract in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Wakefield Line operated by Northern Rail.-Services:...
.
Coal mining
The town is most famous for its coal-mining past; it was the site of Frickley CollieryFrickley Colliery
Frickley & South Elmsall Colliery was opened by the Carlton Main Colliery Company Ltd in 1903 in South Elmsall, in Yorkshire, England.-Frickley & South Elmsall Colliery :...
, which was one of the largest in the whole country and a key source of union radicalism. The colliery is named after the near-by village of Frickley in South Yorkshire which continues to be the home of the Warde-Aldham family who owned the coal reseves exploited by the pit. During the UK Miners' Strike (1984-1985), there were numerous disturbances in the area. It was one of the last pits to return to work after the strike, seeing as it was picketed by a group of hardliners from Kent
Kent Miners' Association
The Kent Miners' Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom.Coal was discovered in Kent in the late nineteenth century, but extraction did not begin until 1912. The Kent Miners Association was established in 1915, and immediately affiliated to the Miners' Federation of Great Britain...
who continued to picket Frickley after the NUM had called off the strike. The Frickley miners refused to cross the hardliners' picket.
The colliery was closed on 26 November 1993 - following closures of nearby pits like Ferrymoor-Riddings (1985), Kinsley (1986), South Kirkby (1988) and Grimethorpe
Grimethorpe
Grimethorpe is a large village which is part of the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,873....
(1992). The area around Hemsworth
Hemsworth
Hemsworth is a small town and civil parish on the edge of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the City of Wakefield, and has a population of 13,311....
was long one of the most depressed areas of the whole European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, although fortunes have improved recently.
The town hosts a number of key landmarks that have a place in the wider history of the labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
in the UK. In addition to the coal mine, the Miner's Institute served as a nerve centre during the strikes of the 1970s and 1980s. The Moorthorpe Empire WMC played a key role in the exchange of ideas, the maintenance of morale and the harnessing of community spirit during 1984. During this period, the Empire became a place for the celebration of unshackled unionism
Unionism
-Trades:*Community Unionism, describes the various ways in which trade unions can work with communities and community organizations*Craft unionism, an approach to union organizing in the United States and elsewhere that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the...
, internationalism
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
, feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, and even a sympathy for non-violent Irish republicanism
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
.
Several clubs in the area still bear the colliery's name. There is Frickley Colliery Brass Band, a famous football team named Frickley Athletic
Frickley Athletic F.C.
Frickley Athletic F.C. are a football club based in South Elmsall, in West Yorkshire, England. They were established in 1910 as Frickley Colliery F.C., and changed to their present name in 1974.-History:...
and a cricket club named "Frickley". Frickley Athletic F.C.
Frickley Athletic F.C.
Frickley Athletic F.C. are a football club based in South Elmsall, in West Yorkshire, England. They were established in 1910 as Frickley Colliery F.C., and changed to their present name in 1974.-History:...
now play in the UniBond Premier Division and nearly gained promotion in 2006.
Frickley Country Park
Wakefield MDC in conjunction with local town councils have organized the landscaping of the former Frickley Colliery site into a country park. A large amount of money from the National Coalfield Proramme has enabled this work to go ahead. This park officially opened in September 2009, however changes had to be made to many of the entrances since the builders measured the gates wrong which meant a cyclist was not able to fit their cycle through, which was a bit of a let down after so much money had been ploughed into the scheme. The site will offer walks and play areas for local inhabitants as well as space for new housing developments when the current economic downturn begins to lift.Local economy
The market is a central feature of the village; it is currently undergoing renovations. The market plays host to approximately 105 trading stalls which is remarkable for a provincial market. South Elmsall has a railway stationSouth Elmsall railway station
South Elmsall railway station serves the village of South Elmsall near Pontefract in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Wakefield Line operated by Northern Rail.-Services:...
on the Wakefield line
Wakefield Line
The Wakefield line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro/South Yorkshire P.T.E. area of northern England. The service connects Leeds and Wakefield with Sheffield and Doncaster. The section of the line between Leeds and Doncaster forms part of the East Coast Main...
. Towards South Kirkby is Moorthorpe railway station
Moorthorpe railway station
Moorthorpe railway station serves Moorthorpe, near Pontefract, in the City of Wakefield district of West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Dearne Valley Line and the Wakefield Line both operated by Northern Rail....
on the line to Sheffield and Rotherham.
There is also the High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
(Barnsley Road) which includes many common high street names such as The Post Office, Superdrug
Superdrug
Superdrug Stores PLC is Britain's second-largest beauty and health retailer behind Boots. Superdrug - part of the AS Watson Group which in turn is part of the Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa - is a UK based company with over 890 stores, which since 2006, includes the Republic of Ireland...
, Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
, Boots Group, Blockbusters, Greggs
Greggs
Greggs plc is the largest specialist retail bakery chain in the United Kingdom. It was established in the 1930s as a single shop but has approximately 1,500 outlets....
, Heron, Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
, Sainsbury's Local
Sainsbury's Local
Sainsbury’s Convenience Stores Ltd is a chain of 343 convenience stores operated by the UK's third largest supermarket chain Sainsbury's. Sainsbury's Local stores have different branding and fascia to the company's supermarkets.-History:In 1998, Sainsbury’s piloted its first Local store in...
and also many other individual shops such as South Elmsall Travel, Pro Logic Computers,The Paint Pot, The Jewellery Centre, Les & June Price Carpets & Furnishings, Allstar Teamwear, Dennis Price carpets, Kidz schoolwear, Rhythm and Booze , Mode Clothing, Parade clothing among many others. The discount supermarket chain Netto
Netto (store)
Netto is a Danish discount supermarket operating in several European countries. Netto is owned by Dansk Supermarked Group, which in turn is partly owned by A.P. Møller-Mærsk Group.Netto also operates an express version of the store, known as Døgn Netto...
has its British headquarters on Elmsall Way in the village on the Dale Lane Industrial Estate.
Also present on the Dale Lane industrial estate are 4 Next Distribution warehouses (Stadium Way One, Stadium Way Two, Elmsall Way and Elmsall Drive), Superdrug, Del Monte and Finlays. The estate itself reflects the changing fortunes of the area being one of the key expansion areas since the closure of the local collieries.
Education
The local secondary school is Minsthorpe Community CollegeMinsthorpe Community College
Minsthorpe Community College is a secondary school in South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, England. It is specifically for students aged eleven to eighteen. It is situated on Minsthorpe Lane, in the Minsthorpe district north of the town...
which has a sixth-form and also covers South Kirkby and Upton. In 2008 Minsthorpe Community College
Minsthorpe Community College
Minsthorpe Community College is a secondary school in South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, England. It is specifically for students aged eleven to eighteen. It is situated on Minsthorpe Lane, in the Minsthorpe district north of the town...
gained its best ever results at all levels - KS3/GCSE/A-Level, the college GCSE results are higher than the local and national averages. People who have an association with Minsthorpe include playwright John Godber, actors Adrian Hood and Chris Walker, comedy hypnotist John Caulton and footballer Martyn Woolford. There are also several primary schools in the South Elmsall area: Carlton, Moorthorpe, Ash Grove and St Joseph's. There are many more in the neighbouring towns of South Kirkby and Upton.
Churches
The principal places of Christian worship include:- Barnsley Road Methodist Church* (Pontefract and Normanton Circuit/Leeds District),
- Trinity Methodist Church* (Pontefract and Normanton Circuit/Leeds District),
- St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church* (Diocese of Leeds)
- South Elmsall Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin* (liberal/catholic) (Diocese of Wakefield),
- St Luke's (Pentecostal),
- The Oasis (Pentecostal),
- New Jerusalem Christian fellowship (Independent Christian Fellowship).
- *Member of SESKUB Churches Together (SESKUB = South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Upton and Badsworth)
Non-Christian places of religious/spiritual interest:
- South Elmsall Spiritualist Church
Traditional church music
South Elmsall Parish Church (St Mary the Virgin) is home to one of the few remaining all-male parish church choirs in the north of England, which is directed by Dr Bernard Knowles. Dr Knowles has been organist and choirmaster at St Mary's since 1958. The Choir is affiliated to the Royal School of Church MusicRoyal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
and choristers regularly take part in training events held mostly at cathedrals up and down the country. Several members of the choir also sing with the RSCM's Northern Cathedral Singers. The choir sings Evensong at St Mary's every Sunday evening at 6.30pm. Dr Knowles was awarded an MBE in 2008 for his outstanding contribution to Church Music and community life. Tony Moore is assistant organist at St Mary's.
Sports
As well as being the home of the formentioned Frickley Athletic Football club, it is also the home of South Elmsall United Club and Empire Colts Football Club which develops youth football in the area. A recent game between these two local rivals saw the Empire Colts run out 3-1 comfortable winners.South Elmsall is also the home of Minsthorpe Marlins Swimming club which is affiliated to the Doncaster Darts.
Other sports clubs include The South Elmsall Social Cycling Club which was officially founded in 1934
Notable residents
- Actor, Chris WalkerChris Walker (actor)Chris Walker is an English actor most notable for playing Rob Hollins, in the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors.He won the award of Best On-screen partnership at The British Soap Awards 2010, for his role as Rob Hollins, with Actress, Jan Pearson who plays Karen Hollins.-Career:Always wanting to be...
was born in South Elmsall, he is best known for his role as Rob HollinsRob Hollins (Doctors)Rob Hollins is a fictional Character in the BBC daytime soap opera, Doctors. Played by Chris Walker Rob first entered the soap on the 24 July 2009.-Characters Background:...
in the BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
based soap opera, Doctors. He won an award at the British Soap Awards in 2010 for his role, with on-screen wife, actress Jan PearsonJan PearsonJan Pearson is an English actress currently known for playing Karen Hollins in the BBC's daytime soap Doctors which she joined in February 2009. In 2010, Jan won the award of Best On-Screen Partnership for her role as Karen Hollins alongside with Chris Walker.-Early life:Born and brought up in...
.