South Elmsall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Elmsall |
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 South Elmsall High street |
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 South Elmsall
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| Population | 6,519 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SE475114 |
| Civil parish |
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PONTEFRACT |
| Postcode district | WF9 |
| Dialling code | 01977 |
| Police | West Yorkshire |
| Fire | West Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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South Elmsall (pronounced EM-səl) is a town in West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the City of Wakefield. South Elmsall is located to the east of Hemsworth. In 2011, about 6,519 people lived in the town.
Contents
- A Look at South Elmsall's Past
- The Old Quarry Site
- South Elmsall's Coal Mining History
- Warde-Aldam Hospital
- Music in South Elmsall
- Frickley Country Park
- Local Economy and Shops
- Education in South Elmsall
- Media and News
- Getting Around South Elmsall
- Churches and Faiths
- Sports in South Elmsall
- Famous People from South Elmsall
- Town Twinning
- See also
A Look at South Elmsall's Past
South Elmsall was once a small farming village. During the Industrial Revolution, coal mines opened. This caused the town to grow quickly. Many new homes were built for the miners. Because of this, the town has a mix of old stone and newer brick buildings.
South Elmsall and its nearby areas were mentioned in the Domesday Book. This was a very old survey of England from 1086. Other industries also played a role in the town's history. These included quarrying for stone, farming, and making bricks. You can still see some of the old buildings from these times.
The Old Quarry Site
The old quarry in South Elmsall is very important. The government department Defra recognized it. It has a rare and complete section of an ancient coral reef. This makes it a special place for studying geology.
South Elmsall's Coal Mining History
South Elmsall is well known for its coal mining past. It was home to Frickley Colliery, a very large deep coal mine. The colliery helped the area by building things like the Warde Aldam Hospital. It also built swimming pools and sports fields for the community.
The miners at Frickley Colliery were very active in their union. This was the National Union of Mineworkers. During the UK miners' strike of 1984–1985, there were many protests here. Frickley was one of the last mines to start working again after the strike. Miners from Kent continued to protest there. The Frickley miners refused to cross their fellow miners' picket line.
Frickley Colliery closed on November 26, 1993. Other nearby mines had already closed. The closure caused many problems for the town. A government report in 1998 said the area faced serious social and economic issues. People also felt sad and discouraged because of the job losses.
Warde-Aldam Hospital
The Warde-Aldam Hospital was in South Elmsall. It was built in 1911 by a coal mining company. It was a general hospital until 1948. Then, the NHS took it over. It provided hospital care until 1978.
Music in South Elmsall
The town is home to the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. This is a very successful brass band. They have won championships in Britain and Europe.
Frickley Country Park
Frickley Country Park opened in September 2009. It was built on the land of the old Frickley Colliery. The land was cleaned up and landscaped for many years. The park now has walking paths and play areas. It also has space for new homes. Nearby is the Frickley Off-road Centre. This is a special place for motorsports.
Local Economy and Shops
South Elmsall has a large, traditional market. It has about 105 stalls. The main high street has many well-known shops. These include The Post Office, Hallmark Cards, Specsavers, Boots Group, and Greggs. There are also many local shops. They offer things like travel services, fashion, and sports gear.
On the edge of town is the Dale Lane Industrial Estate. Many large, international companies are located here. For example, there are several Next Distribution warehouses. This industrial area shows how the town's jobs have changed. It has grown a lot since the coal mines closed.
Education in South Elmsall
South Elmsall has several primary schools. These include Carlton, Moorthorpe, Northfield, and Ash Grove Academy. For older students, Minsthorpe Community College is the main school. It also serves students from South Kirkby and Upton. In 2008, Minsthorpe Community College had its best ever results. Their exam scores were higher than local and national averages.
The college also has many other facilities. It has a sports and fitness center. There are also all-weather sports pitches with lights. A public swimming pool is also being built. The school's science and sports facilities were improved. This was because it helped train athletes for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Some famous people have a connection to Minsthorpe. These include playwright John Godber. Actors Adrian Hood and Chris Walker also attended. Footballers Jamie and John McCombe are also former students.
Media and News
Local news and TV shows come from BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire. TV signals are received from the Emley Moor TV transmitter.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Leeds and Heart Yorkshire. There is also Capital Yorkshire, Hits Radio West Yorkshire, and Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire. 5 Towns FM is a community online radio station. It broadcasts from Castleford.
The town's local newspaper is the Wakefield Express.
Getting Around South Elmsall
South Elmsall has a train station. It is called South Elmsall railway station. The main bus station is also located next to the railway station.
Churches and Faiths
Here are some of the main Christian churches in South Elmsall:
- The Oasis Church (Charismatic)
- St Luke's Church (Evangelical)
- Trinity Methodist Church
- St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
- South Elmsall Parish Church of St Mary-the-Virgin (Church of England)
- New Jerusalem Christian fellowship (Independent Christian Fellowship)
Some of these churches are part of SESKUB Churches Together. SESKUB stands for South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Upton, and Badsworth.
There is also a non-Christian place of worship:
- South Elmsall Spiritualist Church
Sports in South Elmsall
Frickley Athletic is a football club based in South Elmsall. They play their home games at Westfield Lane Stadium.
Another sports club is the South Elmsall Social Cycling Club. It was started in 1934. The club was relaunched in 2015 as Elmsall Road Club and now has 90 members.
The Minsthorpe Marlins were a swimming club. They had no home when the public swimming baths closed. A new swimming facility has now opened.
Famous People from South Elmsall
- Actor Chris Walker was born here. He is known for playing Rob Hollins in the TV show Doctors.
- Boxer Thomas (Tom) Nicholls was born in South Elmsall. He won a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics.
- Footballer Peter Swan was born in South Elmsall. He played for the England national team 19 times.
- Footballer George Gibson played for Frickley Athletic. He was one of the first English footballers to play abroad.
- Footballer Ronnie Radford was born in South Elmsall. He scored a famous long-range goal in the F.A. Cup in 1972.
- Environmental activist Gail Bradbrook was born here. She helped start the group Extinction Rebellion. Her father was a coal miner from Frickley Colliery.
- Professional pool and snooker player Kelly Fisher was born in South Elmsall.
Town Twinning
South Elmsall is twinned with Wetter (Ruhr) in Germany. This means the two towns have a special friendship.
See also
In Spanish: South Elmsall para niños
