Conclusion

Arley was, before the colliery, an agricultural community. Expansion really began when the Arley Colliery Company Ltd. began its life. Immediately the community grew and strengthened, as pubs, clubs and schools were built. Arley became a completely self-contained village with few external ancillary businesses (though a cobblers and drapery did exist). This meant that almost everyone in the village was well known to each other and most of the village's founding families were inter-related. A good public transport system also developed because of the village's isolation and peoples' need to travel to nearby towns and villages.

Arley Colliery was not just a part of Arley rather it was Arley and after the colliery's closure, though only for a short time, the village did struggle. The village quickly 'picked itself up', however, and its inhabitants found work in factories in the area. Industrial estates are now providing work in the village, with more and more companies settling and growing in the area and helping Arley to continue.

There can be no doubt that the opening of Arley Colliery had a dramatic effect on the village, without it Arley would probably have disappeared. The closure was considered a disaster at the time but is considered in a more positive light by many still living in Arley today as, without the closure of the pit, new industry in the area may not have been encouraged. Had Arley Colliery closed later the village may not have been allowed to continue to grow in the way it has.

Arley's future, I hope, will be a successful one. The future of the village is, I believe, one involving light industry (particularly new technologies) and as a home for many newcomers to the area, I hope that they will be happy there.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the researching and writing of this project and hope that it is an interesting and enjoyable study to read.

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