Tales of the Urban Explorer: Miner's Institute
‘Miner’s Institute’ it claimed. I shuddered as I remembered past times from 1980 of those sticky carpets… and ‘Working Men’s Clubs’.
My friends had systematically gone from playing football in the fields to mindless alcoholics as they passed the magical age of eighteen, the legal age to get pissed every day.
I couldn’t fathom what the attraction was of entering these slop-filled holes where the only intention was to get legless, followed by passing out.
Was it just me who didn’t want to consume ‘Eight pints every day’ and have a massive hangover the next morning? Getting pissed on Cider at the age of seventeen was enough for me, and I haven’t touched the loopy juice since.
So… you can imagine looking up at this historic building didn’t hold any fond memories for me as I know, though experience that anything with the word ‘Miner’s’ means staggering blokes (no women allowed in these places), barf on the floor, pint glasses and compromised beer mixed with water.
Built in 1914, the Miners Institute in Parkgate was funded largely by miners themselves to serve as a social, educational, and welfare centre for the local coal mining community.
Over the past decade, it has been vacant and derelict, with reports dating back to 2020 noting deterioration, vandalism, and pigeon infestation in the large upper hall. – Source
The side street provided us a window of opportunity, literally, with the window being absent.
It was an awkward climb due to my non-flexible limbs as well as a motorist who pulled into the side street with me precariously half hanging out..., but he gave me some encouragement, ultimately deciding we were not mindless criminals intent on stealing the copious amounts of valuable dirt and cobwebs that were certain to be in abundance inside.
Inside was what I would have expected, and it did include some broken chairs and tables. Maybe there could be more to this than piles of shit?
I have little doubts ‘Miner’s Institute’ has been a Working Man’s club once, but these photographs plastered on a board tell me that more recently it’s been used for more family-oriented uses.
Quite a reasonable staircase, and even a bannister. I take care not to touch these as they tend to collapse like a bunch of matchsticks. We ascended...
Switching the light was a fruitless endeavour. This rust-encrusted former electronic switch could potentially kill if touched.
I am not confused about being ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’, but sound advice is available within the ‘Miner’s Institute’. All you must do is climb through the window to alleviate your fears and worries.
The ‘business desk’ has been given a new lease of life as a base to cook some hard drugs and lie down on the cold, hard floor to enjoy the subsequent ride.
Without the benefits of a ‘massive light’ such as the one I carry around, you can’t take in the eye-watering delights as the smack kicks in as you mindlessly drop to the floor in a stupor.
All will be dark, and the anaesthetic side effects will mask the hard, pigeon shit-encrusted floor that you are lying on.
A haven for those who delight in lightless heavy sessions, and with a temporarily limited sense of smell.
The posters stuck on the wall suggest an audience of teenagers…, with the scrawling created by the same teenagers? Can you see now why this type of propaganda is vital to our Generation-Z youths?
Whilst the ‘Miner’s Institute’ did contain some items, they were not particularly interesting.
Is this a guide to sex for novices, section 3 being… ‘you need to be 16 to read this stuff’?
Youth counselling and ‘sexwise’… I knew it. You come here for lessons in shagging and fornication. It was slowly all making sense in my mind.
For a practical example, a good, solid floor that is free of bacteria is essential.
… along with images of ‘Freddie Mercury’ lookalikes with bare chests holding weapons close to their genitals.
Some good advice, always wear a rubber and clear away those needles from the table before you drop your pants.
A holey roof: we can say goodbye to the interior of the ‘Miner’s Institute’ within a few years if that’s not dealt with.
Some nice, decadent tiling on the roof, in the parts where there is a roof.
@anidiotexplores descends and focuses intently on the ‘Twister’ bag with colourful circles. Such was the quality of offers thrown to us within the ‘Miner’s Institute’.
Escaping through the window proved more difficult than entering. There was a wheelie bin close by, but I know better than to trust those plastic deathtraps on wheels.
It’s always better to leave with your arse first poking out. That's the voice of experience talking.
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Fascinating yet gritty glimpse into urban decay—your humor and raw honesty really bring the place to life.
Why... thank you.
A clean for is definitely a just for the hanky panky!!
The clean parts were tough to find, almost non-existent in fact. Bird shit everywhere, not that it bothers the smackheads.
Kind of sad that all of these once nice looking buildings are turning into piles of crap... Interesting to look at this time-capsule inside...
I would be hard pushed to call it a capsule, but I have come across 'business' versions of them, so to speak.
You can certainly get into some weird places methinks.
It's a case of what we can get now. I have almost retired from exploring, due to nowhere to go unless you travel 200 miles. Many of the Facebook idiots do, just for fame and glory.
I don't blame you, as I also wouldn't travel such a distance for fame., as it is for suckers that chase the wind, and fame always evades them.
Btw. I have closed down FB and youtube, as scammers hijack the accounts and then they send funding appeals with sob stories to one's friends, pretending to be owners of the accounts. Such is life here.
FB.. I use it for messenger only and reading other peoples stuff... or boast I should say.
Hahaha, at least you are not scared to tell the truth, but I don't think you are the boasting kind. Rather the daring kind that always avoid capture by the cops when you enter all of the restricted places.
I have not had a single encounter with the law, so would be lying if I was to make those claims. I see plenty of YT'bers doing all this stuff.
So, have you thought about any new adventures now that the derelict properties are scarce?
It looks like a totally abandoned place.
It is, besides the local druggies.
That place doesn't look as bad from the outside as it does for all the madness inside, gee!... And you, my friend, are a very good photographer trapped in the body of an urban explorer!!! 😃📷👍...
I loved this photo by the way!
!discovery shots
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When I was young.. I mean 17 or so.., I had an Olympus SLR, with a manual override. I am.. was accustomed to shutter speeds and apertures.., so it's not new to me. That of course, doesn't make anyone good, being familiar with legacy hardware.
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Nice building on the first photo that shows when scrolling
This place feels like a tragic comedy, once full of purpose, now just echoes of chaos and decay.
Powerful shots and raw storytelling—urban decay with a punch.
Nine of the photos came through for me on Ecency. What the heck! Over here you can't drink until you are 21.
21.. is too old. I would have thought they'd have revised it by now. News here is that school children will be able to vote (16 and up).
Canada is just across the border and that is 18. My nieces both have fake ID's. Actually, in some states if your parent gives you a drink it isn't illegal to drink it no matter what age you are.
In the USA, fake ID's.., is there a ID maker or something?
There are people all over I guess. The good ones cost a pretty penny. Somehow they have a connection.
Imagine crashing out here, hitting rock bottom in one of those rooms, and stumbling out to find a picture of your childhood self on the wall.
Great photos and thank you for taking your life in your hands so we don't have to!
These old buildings are being lost to us now and it's a shame. They were built to last back then. The cost of building something equally well would be astronomical in comparison to fixing it up and making it useable.
One day I will have none left to post. This year I have barely been out, such are the scant offerings now. I am almost retired!
It’s scary and beautiful at the same time. Great photos as always!
That looks one weird place
Tricky access, but only because I'm inflexible limbs wise.., other that than it was a little unremarkable inside.
The state of this institution, which was surely beautiful in its heyday, is lamentable.
The picture showing the ceiling, which in 1914 probably looked fantastic, is both beautiful and eerie, because of the part of the sky that can be seen through the ceiling.
The posters, pictures and graphitti always catch my eye!