Chesterfield photo exhibition revisits donkey derbies, knobbly knees and bulging biceps at Derbyshire Miners' Holiday Camp

Mr Eyre, from Danesmoor, is pictured far right in a donkey derby day at the holiday camp in the 1950s.

The camp, which opened at Winthorpe,near Skegness, in 1939 was the place to be for traditional entertainment such as treasure hunts, tug-o-war and knobbly knees competitions,

Stars such as Cannon and Ball and Bernie Winters entertained visitors at the holiday haven where attractions included open-air and indoor swimming pools and a sauna.

In later years an amusement arcade, disco and even a supermarket were added to the facilities.

Ormonde women's tug'o' war team in 1951. Pictured are Kath Hart (third from left) and to her right sister-in-law Doreen Hart and sister Barbara Hart. Urging them on is Kath's dad Harry Hart, who worked at Ormonde Colliery at Loscoe.

Beautiful barn conversion is a 'desirable family home' on a one-acre plot in ru...

Photographers were employed to capture families having fun at the camp, which operated until the 90s, and copies of their pictures are on show in Chesterfield Library.

Geoff Gration, author of the book The Best Summer Of Our Lives: A Photographic History of the Derbyshire Miners’ Holiday Camp, has contributed the images to the display which runs until the end of August.

Geoff said: “I originate from Ripley and my father, both grandfathers, and several of my uncles, worked down the pits. When my father died in 1999 I started to look through old family photographs and found that many of them were of our times at the camp in the 1950s. This inspired me to find out more about the camp and its importance to the mining community and so I contacted a number of local newspapers and local radio to launch an appeal for stories and information about the camp. It soon became clear that many people wanted to share their stories, and photographs, so much so that I decided to write the book.

Biggest biceps competition in the 1950s and among the male contenders is Harold Cope, third from left, a world champion strongman from Ripley who could break five six-inch nails with his bare hands in 68 seconds. Malcolm Bond and Charlie Hollis are pictured left and centre.

MORE NOSTALGIA: Archive photos show changing face of Elder Way and Chesterfield Co-op department store down the years

"As part of the research I interviewed one of the official camp photographers (Harvey Mellors) who allowed me to make digital copies of many of the photographs he had taken whilst employed there. I also interviewed many families who went to the camp and many of their reminiscences and camp photographs also appear in the book.”

As part of the photographic exhibition at Chesterfield Library, people are being invited to discuss their own memories of time spent at Derbyshire Miners’ Holiday Camp. The reminiscence event will take place in the Local Studies section of the library on Thursday, August 25, from 10am to 11.30am. Organisers hope to collect some of the memories for inclusion in the archives at Derbyshire Records Office.

Councillor Susan Hobson, cabinet support member for strategic leadership, culture, tourism and climate change, said: “Many people will have fond memories of happy times spent at the Derbyshire Miners’ Holiday Camp in Skegness. This exhibition should prove fascinating for them and anyone interested in the history of Derbyshire and coal mining. Chesterfield library is the perfect place for people to drop in and share their stories and memories, or just to get an intriguing glimpse of an institution that’s now gone.”