Smithywood coking plant

[Basalt]

One of the chimneys had Izal in white letters on it. Some people also called the plant Duckhams. As mentioned in my 2011 post above the most remembered thing for those that lived in Ecclesfield was the strange smell when the wind blowed from that direction. What was it that caused that smell?

[manxbiker]

Heres a link to photo

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/3604021254/

[Manxdeedah]

Heres a link to photo

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37093581@N06/3604021254/

 

That's a great photo,takes me back. All coking plants were mucky oils,Orgreave,Brookhouse,Glasshoughton,Monckton,Worsborough and all the rest. I've been in practically every one in the UK,NCB,BSC and privately owned.Brookhouse was handy 'cos you weren't weighed,many a time overloaded to Staveley to save doing two loads.

[Nekatom]

Great photo. The shed in the foreground housed a steam engine. They had a restoration project going on. Many of the employees paid into it and many worked on it for free. I wonder what happened to it?

[Nigel Womersle]

One of the chimneys had Izal in white letters on it. Some people also called the plant Duckhams. As mentioned in my 2011 post above the most remembered thing for those that lived in Ecclesfield was the strange smell when the wind blowed from that direction. What was it that caused that smell?

 

I think the firm 'Woodhall Duckham' built the plant, or they took it over from Newton Chambers, who built it. I know it was one or the other. Thorpe Hesley got the worst of the smell.

[Nekatom]

Funnily enough it hardly smelt while you were at work, it was all above you.

[Sandy Steer]

does anyone still possess pictures or video of smithywood coking plant.

i know that a video was made of the last oven to be pushed but i dont know what became of it.

i worked as a trainee and then powerhouse attendant from 1975 -1978.

my dad brian (honeymonster) was there before me and was the last to leave as he worked on the screens and became security guard after the plant closed.

pm or text me. we both still have a lot of memories.

 

shane 0777 5533 578

I have a couple of pictures of Thorpe Hesley Pit but not of the coking plant. My dad was lamproom attendant and when that pit closed he went to Barley Hole and when this closed ended up at Dodworth. I remember the smells coming from Duckhams. My dad used to say when mum died he would put her in the wheel barrow and take her to the coking plant to sell her for 10 bob.

[heavysection]

Here we go again, right then Nigel Womersle the plant was National smokeless fuels and NCB owned the ovens were Woodhall Duckhams vertical furnaces as they were known, as i stated before i served my time at Smithywood so i know a little bit about the place, all the best.

[Nigel Womersle]

Here we go again, right then Nigel Womersle the plant was National smokeless fuels and NCB owned the ovens were Woodhall Duckhams vertical furnaces as they were known, as i stated before i served my time at Smithywood so i know a little bit about the place, all the best.

 

Thanks for the information. All I know is that my Dad left school at 14 and went to work at Newton Chambers. He was sent from Thorncliffe along with others, to Smithywood Coking Plant when it was being built, to assist its construction. This would be around 1929. He then stayed there until he retired at 65. That's all I know about who owned/built it. Of course NCB did not exist then. Neither did National Smokeless Fuels. Dad always said Woodhall had the brains but Duckham had the money. Of course I don't know if this was true but the plant must have been privately owned in those days. There must have been a connection with Newton Chambers, as one of the chimneys had 'Izal' written down it. You could see it from our kitchen window.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Nigel Womersle

[heavysection]

Hello again Nigel your Father would have been one of the men there when i started who knew the place like the back of their hands a real good set most of them grafters but a good laugh at the same time never a dull moment always someone playing a prank like i said before it was more like a family everyone seems to have grown up together and been through alot, one of the first times i saw real men in tears when we got the closure notice.