Kent Collieries

Fire service historian and author

Roger Mardon

www.romar.org.uk

Preliminary ground investigations for the Channel tunnel proposed in 1891 proved the presence of coal in east Kent. However mining did not start until just before the First World War when the Tilmanstone and Snowdown mines were opened. Chislet followed in 1918 and Betteshanger about ten years after that.

Miners came with their families from far and wide to Kent and new settlements were established for them at Aylesham, Elvington and Hersden. All four mines were within a radius of about five miles and a central rescue station was built at Aylesham.

The colliery at Chislet had closed by 1974. Snowdown did not re-open after the miners’ strike of 1984/85 and Tilmanstone was closed in June 1985. Betteshanger survived for a few more years, eventually closing on 26 August 1989. The central rescue station remained in operation until then. The building survives and is now used by a private fire training and security company.

The former Aylesham central rescue station as it is today