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Community Gathers to Honour Miners and Salford’s Mining Heritage

Five people posing outdoors beside a tall blue and red Pendleton Colliery banner with a tower and wheel illustration.

A memorial service and plaque unveiling took place on Saturday 25th May in Salford to honour former miner Ivor Kelly, bringing together residents, community figures and local representatives to reflect on his life and legacy.

Held at the Miners monument, sited at the gates of the former Agecroft pit, the event paid tribute not only to Kelly’s contribution as a miner, but also to the wider history of the area’s connection to the mining industry and the lasting impact of past disasters on local families.

Rebecca Long-Bailey attended the ceremony and delivered a short but poignant speech, reflecting on the importance of remembering those who worked in dangerous industries and the communities shaped by them. She spoke of the enduring legacy of miners like Ivor Kelly and the need to ensure their stories are not forgotten.

Brick memorial wall with plaques and a purple-flowered bed; a garden setting honoring coal miners.
Three people stand beside a tall blue and red Pendleton Colliery banner outdoors, with a microphone, speaker, and a car nearby on a sunny day.
Large blue and red banner reading Pendleton Colliery (1828–1939) Whit Lane Salford, featuring a tower and wheel, held by three people outdoors in a park-like setting.
Smiling older couple posing together outdoors with trees in the background, sunlight on their faces.
Five people pose outdoors beside a large blue and red banner reading Pendleton Colliery, 1828–1939, with trees and parked cars in the background.
Five people posing outdoors beside a tall blue and red Pendleton Colliery banner with a tower and wheel illustration.

Paul Kelly also addressed those gathered, offering personal reflections that resonated strongly with attendees and as always added a deeply human dimension to the commemoration. Paul gave mention to the fact that many of the miners from local collieries never came home and remain buried deep under the soil of Salford.

A plaque was formally unveiled during the service, adding a permanent tribute to Ivor Kelly’s life and service. A surprise to all those attending was the unveiling of a new banner, depicting the beautiful Pendleton Church and highlighting its historical links to mining and miners families around the area, a visual reminder of the area’s shared heritage and resilience.

The event was marked by a strong sense of community, with those in attendance coming together not only to remember Ivor, but to recognise the broader history of mining in the region and its lasting significance in Salford.

Picture of Carl Davison

Carl Davison

Editor in Chief of Salford Media, won an award for something or other and has been banging on about it ever since. He also has type 1 diabetes but doesn't like to talk about it... much.