Pleasley coal mine

This watercolor painting shows Pleasley Colliery, which is a former English coal mine, located to the north west of Pleasley village. It sits above the River Meden and is on the Nottinghamshire / Derbyshire border. The colliery was closed in 1986, with only the two headstocks, engine-houses, steam winders and one of the high brick chimneys remaining. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Maude Verney (nee Hay-Williams) was born on 7 Feb 1847 and married Frederick William Verney in London on 8 June 1870. Frederick Verney's father, Sir Harry Verney, was Lord of the Manor and a major landowner in Pleasley, and Frederick's stepmother was Frances Parthenope Nightingale, sister of Florence Nightingale. Maude and Frederick Verney had three children and despite living in London, the family continued its associations with the areas of Pleasley and Lea Hurst (the Derbyshire home of the Nightingale family). Maude and Frederick shared Florence Nightingale's political and religious views and she was godmother to one of their daughters.

Maude died on 28 Aug 1937 aged 90 and is buried at Middle Claydon Cemetery, Aylesbury Vale District, in Buckinghamshire.