Grieving family pay tribute to dearly loved father who was a leading figure in Mansfield's mining heritage

Peter Chambers died on September 2, 2023 and is survived by wife Meryl, his three children – Helen, Marcus, and Anna – and five grandchildren.

Peter, who developed Alzheimer’s Disease, was cared for at home by Meryl until his final months spent in Berry Hill Park Care Home.

Peter’s daughter, Helen Chambers, said: “Dad was a quiet and unassuming man, who was modest about his many achievements.

“Friends were drawn to his generous nature and wry sense of humour, and we in his family all loved him dearly.”

Peter was born on February 18, 1936 in Holbrook, Derbyshire, to miner Stanley and housewife Phyllis.

He was the first of seven children, and spent much of his childhood exploring the Derbyshire countryside.

Peter’s family praised his “natural intelligence” which won him a place at the Herbert Strutt Grammar School.

He also proved a fine sportsman and represented his school in football and running.

But as the son of a miner, Peter was destined for life in the pit.

His family said it was Peter’s “hard work” that earned him a coal board scholarship to university.

The Derbyshire-born man left home to study mining engineering at Birmingham University in 1955.

There he met Meryl, a music student from Bristol and the ‘love of his life’.

On graduating, the couple married in 1959 and moved to Mansfield where Peter began a career at the coal board.

Peter took up his first post as deputy at Silverhill Colliery in 1961, going on to work at Newstead, Rufford, Selston, Thoresby and Bevercotes.

He returned to Silverhill as manager from 1975 to 1984, and went on to be Manager at Mansfield Colliery from 1984 to 1986.

Peter had four children, Christopher in 1961, Helen in 1963, Marcus in 1965 and later Anna in 1984.

He was a keen family man, enjoying holidays around the world and loved visiting his son Marcus as he moved to Singapore, the US and Switzerland, starting his own family abroad.

Peter was an avid golfer and was a member of Sherwood Forest Golf Club for many years, and loved walking the Derbyshire hills with a close group of friends.

With the closure of the pits and early retirement, Peter continued to follow new opportunities and hobbies.

From 1986, Peter took up regional and national posts as a mining engineer, visiting mines in America, Germany and India.

He remained curious, taking courses in computing and helping children read at St John’s School in Mansfield.

Sadly, Peter lost his eldest son Chris, who had qualified as a doctor and was working in Leeds, to leukaemia in 1988.

Peter was “immensely proud” of Chris and this loss affected him deeply.

Peter also loved gardening, travelling, walking in the countryside, and spending time with family and friends.

In 2019, Peter and Meryl marked their 60th wedding anniversary and received a telegram from the Queen.

Peter’s family remember his “kindness, modesty and the sparkle of wit and humour” that everyone knew him for.