BIG CHIEF
Can you see the insects in the panelling in the director’s office? What do you think? Did the director watch the busy bees, just as he oversaw the pitmen? Or are they crickets which were used underground to track down methane gas? Or could they be ground digger wasps, thereby drawing a parallel with miners? The director’s office afforded him an excellent view of all the activity below. The shaft wheels weren’t turning? He knew instantly! The interior is a lovely example of the art-deco style which was very much in vogue when the main building was constructed. Several windows, the panelling, the timber cladding and the doors are original. Over the years, some parts were remo- ved, but fortunately everything was well preserved in the cellar. This meant that these authentic features could be put back in their original place.