Thanks to everyone who has been in touch with answers to last week’s Mystery Photograph, which was of Greyfield Colliery, Clutton, thought to have been taken around 1905 or earlier.

Those with the correct answers were: Paul

Hancock, Chris Giles, Colin Button, Simon Chard, Lena Church, Ivor Davis, Jonathan Griffin, Christine Oatley and Ann Baker, Gilmour Jones, Debbie Beacham, Liam Bowring, Frankie Ford, Eric Brain, Richard Edwards, Julian Bown, Bonnie Lawrence, Valerie Rogers, Jeff Parsons, Judy Brixey, Peter Maggs, Nigel Gillard, Nick Thayer, Pam Dukes, Robert Padfield, Les Box and Hannah Selway, Marlene Croker, Henry and Barb Winter, Dave Curtis, Martin Horler, Andrew Thayer and Mike Turner.

Reader, Lena Church, tells us: “At the time of this photograph, Greyfield came within the Parish of Clutton and much of Clutton was part of the Warwick Estate.

“My late mother-in-law, Mrs Tony Church (nee Owen) of Clutton, lived in accommodation that was part of the pit buildings.”

Jonathan Griffin adds: “Greyfield Colliery is recognisable by its distinctive headgear and chimney.

“Regarding last week’s picture, Church Street Coleford, the building that dominates the left side of the photo is not a former Chapel, in fact it is two large semis, which I was informed by members of one of the families that lived there was originally built to accommodate senior staff of the team constructing the Dorset and Somerset Canal, relics of which are still present in the village.”

Eric Brain says: “Note the square chimney; most, if not all the mine chimneys in the northern part of the Somerset Coalfield seem to be square, the last remaining one, though an air-shaft flue and in a very delapitated and dangerous state, is in the wood behind Clutton Station and is built of Clutton bricks from the brickworks that was adjacent to, and part of Greyfield colliery.” (See picture).

Richard Edwards adds: “It closed in 1911. The Engine Winding House was converted to a still existing private property.”

Pam Dukes wonders if any readers have any futher information. She says: “My Grandfather, my Great Uncle and my Great Grandfather all worked at Greyfield.

“My Grandfather, Ernest Curtis, also worked as a rescue person when there were problems underground. My Great Grandfather, Jacob Curtis, later hauled coal from there, but he wasn’t successful, according to my late Gran, because he didn’t have the money to buy fit young horses and often they couldn’t cope – he had to unload the coal cart himself!

“Apparently there was a flood in the mine and a lot of the pit ponies drowned. They are buried together in Greyfield ‘as the road goes around the corner’ – I wonder if any of your readers know more about this story?”

This week’s Mystery Photograph is a little different as the Museum are looking for information. If you know who the people photographed were or when and why it was taken, please contact us at The Journal, email: [email protected].

Radstock Museum reopens on Wednesday, 2nd June for three days a week (Wednesday and Sunday

2 pm – 5 pm and Saturdays 11 am – 5 pm). The museum shop will be open but the tea room remains closed until the week commencing 5th July, when normal days and opening hours will resume.

There will be an admission holiday for three months with free entry for all visitors during June, July and August – any annual tickets disrupted due to lockdowns and closure will be valid from September and will have a new expiry date added to them.