Quarries
How does one even begin to write about the enormous subject of Ackworth Stone Quarries?
Here are some images. If you have anything to add, please contact us admin@ackworthcommunityhub.co.uk
Parkers Quarry, Green Lane with Ackworth Transport buildings in background (now Strata housing)
Marked in red to show land and quarry owners, Parker's quarries can be seen centre top on either side of Green Lane.
I was privileged enough to experience the full kaleidoscope of quarrying from blasting to seeing stuff hand made by these craftsmen. This was part of our play ground, the acres of quarries the huge piles of discarded rock (sub standard stone)
We climbed the rock faces, went pot holing to scary depths in quarry bottoms, skated on the water quarries in winter and met very many oh so interesting men that worked in here. And when the quarries were closed the open tips for all, were a treasure trove for us kids. We could make anything from the junk from trolleys to push bikes, or a simple "Katty" catapult. No Toys r us then!
More like "tips are us" lol. We've even drained the oil tin dregs out of the new used oil tins and sold it back to them for pocket money (well it was new stuff !)
Fortunate indeed we were .
Ken Reeve 2017
Moortop / Bowmans Quarry, Wakefield Road (Where Rosslyn housing is, near Co-op)
All Saints Church spire can just be seen behind the traction engine chimney. Below picture shows Bowman's office. Many old Ackworthian's will remember the free tip full of everything from prams to old cars!
This old map has been written on to show land and quarry owners. Bowman's quarry can be seen on the left of the crossroads (now roundabout)
Below is one of the Camplin Brothers quarries.
(Photo from Harry Miles' collection)
Brackenhill Quarries, this was one of the machines used to cut grinding stones, now at Beamish ( but not on display!)
Stephen Carlile
For many of us Parker's Quarry is the only only one we will remember, but at one time there were many quarries in Ackworth, now filled in and built over.
I still remember the days when we would hear the saw going in the distance and would take a walk up the lane to watch it in action.
Stephen Carlile
My grandad, Geoffrey Camplin, at work in the quarries, looks like Heaton Street in the background?
Lindsay Ledger (Nee Camplin)
Memorial to all those who died at Ackworth Quarries being put in place in 2015
Photo by Robert Beamish