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Bookings can be made to hire the Piccadilly Community Centre (when we are able and the pandemic allows) by sending an email to piccadillycc1988@gmail.com
A grant from WCC enabled us to put this new bus shelter up in Piccadilly, to help stop the waiting passengers from getting wet and splashed by the traffic. (Nov 07)
Piccadilly Community Association, Mining Heritage 2006 have been awarded £40,300 from the Heritage Lottery to produce a book about the history of Kingsbury and Dexter Colliery and to research the village life, social and family, side of Piccadilly Village. There are 142 households in the village which were built in 1904 solely for miners and their families. Since Kingsbury Colliery closed in 1968 the village has changed considerably and apart from the miners houses there is little else to remind people of its industrial history of mining coal. Coinciding with the book "Piccadilly: A Village Built on Coal" written by the Mining Heritage Group have built a monument wall for the Miners of Kingsbury and Dexter Collieries. The bricks are for all the miners and workers male or female who worked anywhere at either collieries.
The bricks will have the miners or workers names on.
This wall will be funded from public donations and the sale of the printed bricks bearing the name of the person to whom it is dedicated. The wall was completed in August 2009.
NWBC Piccadilly play area will undergo a refurbishment in 2021 and in order to get opinions of local residents they have produced a short video showing the equipment that needs replacing and also suggesting what like for like replacements could be provided. Also included within the video are examples of older children’s play equipment which was a theme of the consultation they carried out in 2018 as part of the shaping of the Green Space Strategy. They would welcome any comments to the Community Development Officer on 01827 719270.
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Kingsbury Colliery opened in 1897 and in 1906, seventy-three terraced houses were constructed for the miners. They were of superior quality and boasted three bedrooms, two reception rooms and a kitchen. Each had a small back and front garden, an outside privy and a coal hole. After the colliery closed in 1968, some of the miners remained and now the houses are privately owned. The community once had its own shop and post office.
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The naming of Piccadilly was decided by one of the mine owners, Colonel Dibley who named the community after his London Club.
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In 1914 a serious fire broke out at the top of the wooden No 1 pithead, trapping several hundred miners underground. Fortunately the Tamworth Fire Brigade was soon in attendance and all the men were brought safely to the surface via the No 2 shaft.
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Colliery manager William Tate was an enthusiastic cricket supporter who encouraged the sport at Piccadilly. In 1936 the colliery's football team, which had won no less than six trophies, was worthy of inclusion in a set of Ardath cigarette cards.
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A Social Club was opened in 1908 and was essentially a male domain until 1949 when ladies were allowed in to play darts. Attached was a bowling green, tennis courts, cricket and football pitches and a sports pavilion. After the colliery closed the club's building was used a restaurant and pub until it was badly damaged by fire in 2011 and demolished. Private housing now occupies the site.
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After Kingsbury Colliery closed, the site was cleared from all surface buildings apart from the canteen and baths which were taken over by Spline Gauges who still operate from the site.
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Piccadilly Community Centre was opened in 1988 and has been used by senior citizens, playschool and toddler groups and various clubs and sports' teams. The annual Firework extravaganza organised by Piccadilly Community Association brings people flocking to the event every year.