The memorial holds a special place for many Ipswich families.
THE third St Barbara's Day Memorial Service was held this week at the Ipswich Rosewood Coalminers Memorial in Limestone Park, Ipswich.
This week's service was a fitting tribute to the 186 men and boys whose names are represented on the wall after having lost their lives to the coal-mining industry between the mid-1880s to 2000.
The service was chaired by Paul Casos, a previous trustee for the creation of the memorial, and performed by Eric Jones, a retired miner and lay preacher for the Welsh Church in Blackstone.
Many speakers talked about the Ipswich coal-mining industry and the need to preserve the history, heritage and culture this industry gave to this city.
The memorial holds a special place for many families whose members friends and loved ones formed part of an industry that commenced back in the mid-1800s and still operates today, albeit in a much-reduced amount.
The first service was held on December 4, 2015, just after the official opening of stage one of the memorial in October 2015.
The second memorial service was held on December 4 last year in conjunction with the opening of stage two and the illumination of the lights and columns that represent parts of the Ipswich and Rosewood coal measures.