Party for Life Members of Ripley Miner's Welfare Club

Miner's Welfare Clubs, also known as Institutes, were run by local groups of miners as a space for social recreation, sport and education. Subscriptions were taken out of their wages, known as the Miner's Welfare Fund, to help provide for the upkeep of these buildings and the services they offered. Some funding was also given by colliery companies.

This photograph shows a party held for the life members of the Ripley Miner's Welfare from 1954. Many of the men shown would have spent decades of their working lives at collieries in the Ripley area, most likely Ripley Colliery. As with many Miner's Welfare buildings, it has since been demolished. All that remains is the sports fields and soccer club that once formed the grounds.