About this Event
The Pitmen Naturalists
Key Information
Speaker: Maureen Flisher
Event length: Tuesday 3 November, 6pm - 7:30pm (Doors open at 5:45pm)
Meet at: Clore Suite, Great North Museum: Hancock. (Enter by the Claremont Road entrance)
Event cost: £4 NHSN Members, £5 Non-members
Overview
Join us for a special afternoon celebrating the launch of a new booklet telling the stories of five extraordinary North East ‘Pitmen Naturalists’ — coal miners whose curiosity, determination and passion for the natural world led them to become respected experts in palaeontology, geology and microscopy.
About this Event
In 2025, NHSN volunteer Maureen Flisher began uncovering the stories of the Pitmen Naturalists through curator’s diaries, books, letters and other fascinating material held in NHSN’s North East Nature Archive (NENA). What began as a discovery in the archive has grown into an extensive piece of research into the lives and achievements of these remarkable men.
In the nineteenth century, the North East was a region shaped by coal. The coalfield powered industry, sustained communities and defined everyday life for thousands of families. Boys entered the pits young, and men worked long and dangerous shifts underground.
As they worked the seams, they encountered beautiful fossilised foliage and strange prehistoric creatures. For some, this sparked a thirst for knowledge that led them into the worlds of geology, palaeontology and microscopy.
This event marks the launch of a new NHSN publication celebrating five of these Pitmen Naturalists and their remarkable journeys from the coalface to scientific recognition.
During the evening, Maureen will share some of the stories she uncovered while researching the booklet, revealing the people, discoveries and archival treasures behind this fascinating history.
The booklet has been made possible with support from the Dickinson Memorial Fund, helping us to bring these largely overlooked stories to a wider audience and ensure that the achievements of these remarkable working-class naturalists are not forgotten.
About Maureen Flisher
Maureen Flisher is a dedicated NHSN volunteer who has spent the past year researching the lives and work of the Pitmen Naturalists through material held in NHSN’s North East Nature Archive (NENA). Her research has brought together information from curator’s diaries, books, letters, scientific publications and museum collections to uncover the stories behind these remarkable individuals.
Part of the Tuesdays @ 'The Hancock' series.
Join us on Tuesdays for talks and events exploring the stories behind natural history. View more events in this series here: Tuesdays @ 'The Hancock' by NHSN Events | Eventbrite
Event venue & nearby stays
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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