The Feast of Saint Barbara has been celebrated in the Hunter Valley every December 4th since 1981. In 1981, the General Superintendent of the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company, Stan Coffey, organised the first celebration with the assistance of four German mining equipment companies.
In 2003 Stan insisted on having the organisation incorporated as the "Friends of Saint Barbara" to perpetuate the values of those who attended the earlier celebrations in ever changing times.
Stan was awarded Life Membership of the Association in 2006 and after battling a severe illness, passed away on 24 October 2008. His memory will live on in the Friends of Saint Barbara.
Stan Coffey, wearing the Mine Directors uniform and holding the Saint Barbara plaque in the Pelton Administration Building 1981.
Stan Coffey holding the Plaque
An article appeared in the Newcastle Herald at the time and the accompanying photograph showed the group and Stan Coffey dressed in a German Mine Director's uniform, holding a plaque of Saint Barbara.
The uniform is that of a MIne Director in Germany, equivalent to that of our MIne Manager. Surveyors, Engineers etc had different uniforms for the ceremonial occasions in which they were worn.
Both the uniform and plaque were donated by German equipment manufacturers and brought in from Germany.
The plaque depicts Saint Barbara protecting an underground miner with a poppet head in the background.
A number of replicas of the plaque were made with the original displayed at the Pelton Administration building and replicas at the four Mine Rescue Stations in NSW
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Following the inaugural gathering at Pelton Colliery in 1981, the tradition of celebrating Saint Barbara's day has continued to the present time.
VENUES, SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS:
2023 Venue: De Iuliis Winery, Broke Road, Pokolbin
Presentation: Shaun McDonell "The Life of Sir Edgeworth David"
2022 Venue: Shiraz Room, Mercure Conference Centre, Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin
Presentation: Rob Yeates "Short History of Australian Mining - Rushes, Booms, Busts, Cycles & Bubbles - An Insider View
2021 Venue: Wallsend Diggers Club 5 Tyrell Street Wallsend
Presentation: Michael Barrett "NWCC and Its Town Wallsend"