Mining for Memories – new film opens at Winsford Cine Window
A new animated film ‘Mining for memories', is helping to celebrate salt mining history in Winsford. The film is being shown at Cine Window Winsford from 17 July until 9 August and will also be shared online.
The film has been created by Cheshire Archives, part of whose mission with ‘Cheshire’s archives: a story shared’ is to build on their collections with stories of people in communities across Cheshire.
Some of the most fascinating collections highlight the huge role of salt in shaping Cheshire’s history, like Winsford Rock Salt Mine that opened in 1844.
At pop-up displays in Winsford and Wharton Libraries local people and workers of the mine past and present were invited to share their memories and record their stories about the impact it has had on their lives. Conversations with ex workers and local people were recorded and added to the archive collections.
Working with artists, this new short film has been produced based on the recordings.
In the 1800s, workers were lowered into the mine in wooden buckets and did their work by candlelight. The salt was used to improve brine and make cattle licks.
The booming trade saw workers move to Winsford from across the country, increasing the town’s numbers, and transforming a rural area into an important industrial centre within a few years.
Fast forward to today and the salt industry uses advanced technology to produce rock salt for gritting roads, and the mine itself is partially used as a storage space for important documents.
The mine spreads out over 5km east to west, and 3km north to south. Custom-built machinery is used, that has been constructed within the mine itself. The mine has changed hands, changed methods, and changed purposes.
Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said:
Between them, Cheshire Archives and The Lion Salt Works in Northwich tell the story of salt, how it has transformed the lives of people and the major impact it has had on the landscape of the area. Mining for Memories provides a fascinating glimpse into what’s happening below our feet. One of the revealing comments captured during the pop-up sessions was ‘I think nowadays people don’t realise that mining still happens’. Important records of our history like this make up the Cheshire Archives that will be moving next year into two purpose built new buildings in Chester and Crewe helping to preserve them and let them be shared with future generations.
Quotes from the film:
“I think nowadays people don’t realise that mining still happens.”
“Young kids nowadays they don’t realise that there is a mine in Winsford.”
“This is one of the most significant and sophisticated mining operations in the country and people don’t realise that because when you drive past it looks very ordinary.”
“I think the one thing that strikes everybody when they go down- whatever you say, 130 miles of road, if you just describe how high it is, how wide the roads are- there is nothing that can prepare with going underground.”
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared service of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council. It looks after the county’s unique and irreplaceable written and pictorial history, which dates back more than 900 years.