Yesterday, Today, Forever

The sculpture, located in the heart of Scotswood, is a poignant tribute to the mining heritage of the area. Unveiled in 2012, it stands as a memorial to a pit disaster that devastated the local community of Scotswood.

“Yesterday, Today, Forever” commemorates the 38 men and boys who tragically lost their lives in the Montagu View Pit Disaster on 30th March 1925. The disaster occurred when an inrush of water from the nearby abandoned Paradise Pit flooded the deep Brockwell Seam, claiming the lives of those working underground. Because of the sheer volume of water, some of the bodies were not recovered until January 1926. The miners were buried at St John's Cemetery, Elswick, where there is a more conventional memorial. The pit was finally closed on 13th November 1959.

The sculpture itself features life sized figures of a pitman, a pony, and two children, representing the past, present, and future of the community. The sculpture is made of steel and stands on the junction of Fowberry Road and Denton Road.

The sculpture was created by Xceptional Designs with involvement of the local community and school children. Some of the little additions to look out for are a frog, a tank and a house, each representing a different theme. The house symbolises the regeneration of the community, the tank, pitman and pony depict the past while the children represent the future. The frog represents Scotswood itself, indeed one of the schoolchildren involved in the design said, 'Scotswood is like a frog, it's not very pretty on the outside but it's beautiful on the inside'.

The Montagu View Pit Disaster highlighted the inherent dangers of mining and the need for stricter safety measures. The tragedy also exposed the vulnerability of mining communities, which were often reliant on a single industry for their livelihoods. In the aftermath of the disaster, there were calls for improved safety regulations and better working conditions.

Thanks to Fabulous North follower Adam Hall for the photographs.