MORGANs at Foundry Pit, Cannop => Robin M at Hopewell ? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 16:57 (3938 days ago) @ Jefff

Hi again Bethan,
it seems like i've been telling you what you already know, sorry for that.
Shame my memory's not too good these days !
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=33948

Memo to self: always search forum for prior posts !
(trouble is when I do search I don't find any, so I occasionally don't look...and...)

George Albert Morgan also gets mentioned in this prior thread re Broadwell area colliery owners.
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=42663

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I always recommend general internet searches of names, I've found some interest things for my tree in this way.
eg searching say "Morgan colliery Dean" and suchlike produces several hits, often within the excellent Lightmoor site or maybe the old Trade Directories. The less words searched the better, as long as they're "key" words.

Doing this today has produced, not surprisingly and apologies for not mentioning him, lifelong miner now freeminer Robin Morgan who is still working the Hopewell Colliery near Cannop crossroads. He comes from a line of miners, perhaps related to you Bethan ?, altho I think he's from the Cinderford area so maybe not, but worth asking. I don't know if he is still taking visitors down his mine, but I recommend contacting him if you can, especially if you're visiting the Dean. I believe these contact details are still correct
Robin Morgan, Hopewell Colliery Museum, Cannop Hill, Speech House Road, Coleford, Gloucestershire, Tel: 01594-810706, outside opening hours 01594-832216.
As you can see Hopewell is in the same vicinity as Foundry Level, coincidence or ??

Here's just a few of the many web hits for Robin, including a nice film clip (he's been on tv a few times) and a separate sound talk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFE5WiMW7PA
http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/my-country-life-free-miner
http://wwwtourandexplore.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/coal-mining-in-forest-of-dean_24.html
http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/forum/read.php?4,37065
http://87.248.112.8/search/srpcache?ei=UTF-8&p=morgan+colliery+dean&type=61465&...
http://www.brh.org.uk/site/events/a-picnic-in-the-forest/
This last link includes a very interesting 31 minute sound recording by Robin.

UPDATE Oct 2017: Sad to belatedly report that Robin Morgan passed-away in 2016,aged 80, he was working his mine the day before. His Hopewell Colliery is still being worked by his fellow freeminer Rich Daniels.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jan/29/one-of-a-kind-tributes-to-uks-oldest-wo...
http://www.hopewellcolliery.com/