To provide recreational facilities for the mining families of the village the Miner's Welfare Scheme Association purchased some land from Sir James Knott for the sum of £220.00, on the 2nd of May 1924.
(Click the images to see a larger version)
Swings and a roundabout were installed and a prefab building was erected in the south west corner for holding functions.
This old photograph also shows a bannana slide in the Welfare Field.
The closure of Heddon Colliery signalled the loss of income from the 1d per ton levy and therefore the facility became a financial liability. The Association agreed to transfer the facility to the Parish Council in 1937 and the building was dismantled and removed.
The lower end of the field was levelled with some of the surplace soil when the new housing estates were built in the village.
This photograph is taken looking South down the Welfare Field. It shows the field, after the Bainbridge Estate was built, but before the school was built. This would date the photograph at between 1960 and 1962.
