Sinking Annesley Colliery commenced in January 1865 with two 13ft diameter shafts reaching the Top Hard seam at a depth of 420 yards in 1867. During the First World War the shafts were deepened to the Deep Soft/Deep Hard seams at 580 yards. It became part of the Annesley-Bentinck complex in April 1988 and the early 1990s saw record output from the Blackshale seam. Despite being highly profitable it was put on care and maintenance in 1994 and was restarted having passed to Coal Investments in 1995. That company went into liquidation in 1996 and from then until closure it was operated by Midlands Mining Limited. Demolition was well underway when I photographed the No.2 headstocks over the upcast shaft in 2008.