The Duke Goes Coal Mining The Duke of Edinburgh with Mr. C. H. Richards, The pit manager, about to descend in A "Hoppit" at Mosley common Collery to-day. To-Day his Royal highness the Duke of Edinburgh is making an eight hour visit to the Lancashire coal field. This morning he descended some 1500 feet at Mosley common Colliery, near boothstown. He was wearing overalls and a miner's white helmet. He carried a safety lamp. On entering the mine he was asked like every other miner whether he was carrying contraband and he was "Frisked" for matches, lighters, and other smoking material.. At the bottom of the Pit will walk more than a mile to see a mechanical coal Plough, of German Design, at work on the Binn Seam. April 3, 1952. (Photo by Paul Popper).