William Ivory – Bin there, done that

William (Billy) Ivory worked as a dustbin man for nearly three years, before starting his own theatre company.

Hatfield Colliery – Pit of despair but the band played on.

Faith is the second drama to be filmed using Hatfield Main Colliery as a location.

In 1996, Film Four used the pit as a scene for their wonderful film, “Brassed Off”, starring Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald & Ewan McGregor. On that occasion, the film was set in 1992 and Hatfield Colliery became Grimley Colliery. Grimley was under threat of closure, and the colliery’s brass band was on the verge of being broken up, shortly before competing in the National Final at the Royal Albert Hall.

Ironically, this story was to come true on the 22 nd September 2003, when Hatfield “Coal Power” Brass Band won First Prize at the National Finals held in Dundee . In an uncanny similarity to the story in “Brassed Off”, the band lost one of its most important members shortly before the final, and a stand-in had to be called upon at the last minute!

http://www.stainforthonline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49&highlight=hatfield+band

Hatfield Colliery was closed for the third time in April 2004. Under the control of Richard Budge’s “Coal Power” the pit failed to attract the investment necessary to access the vast resource of coal that could still be mined. In the same year, as British Gas announced huge price increases due to lack of energy resources, the modernistic headgear at nearby Thorne Colliery, which was adjoined to Hatfield Colliery via underground workings, was blown up and the shafts filled with debris and concrete.
According to a report available from the DTI website, Hatfield & Thorne Collieries have a combined total of more than 100 million tonnes of coal reserves.

David Thacker – Patrick Stewart – Life as we know it

Patrick Stewart (Jon Luc Picard) made his debut in a leading American classic role as the embittered 'George' in Edward Albee's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' at the Young Vic in London in 1986. Stewart was chosen at the last minute for the role by Billie Whitelaw - who played Martha, and director David Thacker.
The production received great critical acclaim and Patrick was awarded Best Actor by the London Fringe Awards. Following this success it was hoped to transfer the production to London's West End but when Billie Whitelaw decided not to continue in the role of Martha, negotiations slowed and meanwhile Patrick was offered a role in an American television series that would change his life as he knew it....

http://members.tripod.com/~nicky_smith/theatre.html

Christine Tremarco – On screen admirers

On 7 th July 1980, Christine Tremarco, playing Lucy Johnson, walked into the most famous public bar in the world - the Rovers Return on Coronation Street.
She was there as a Guest of “Spider” Nugent, (remember the crusty green warrior?).
Curly Watts (the educated binman) and Les Battersby (actor Bruce Jones, who plays Les, visited Stainforth in 2004 to open the new premises of the Credit Union - http://www.stainforthonline.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=473&highlight=battersby )
Both of the Street’s local lotharios fancied their chances, but Lucy was there with boyfriend Andy.

Earlier this year (January 2005) Christine appeared in the ITV drama “Uncle Adolf” as Eva Braun, the girlfriend of history’s most infamous megalomaniac, Adolph Hitler. In an interview on the TV Today website Christine says, “Everyone has a different opinion on Eva Braun and I hope Uncle Adolf will enlighten her in a positive way. She had courage and believed in Hitler and she accepted this as her life. She wasn’t stupid, but she was vulnerable. She would do anything for him because she was desperate for love.”

TV Today website - http://www.tvtoday.co.uk/article.php?p=296&more=1

Jamie Draven – Two strikes

Jamie Draven has been through the 1984-85 strike twice!
In Faith, Jamie plays striking miner Gary Andrews. In 2000 Jamie played Tony Elliot, the son of a striking miner, in Stephen Daldry’s excellent film “Billy Elliot.”
http://www.billyelliot.com/

Jason Flemyng – Dad and the Daleks

In the same year as Jason Flemyng was born, England won the World Cup and his dad was introducing "Dr Who & the Daleks" to the big screen. Based on the weekly BBC drama, the movie version “Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2050” was directed by Gordon Flemyng. Starring Peter Cushing and Bernard Cribbins, the film brought the time travelling Doctor and his arch enemies to Earth in the 21st century.

Mark Whiteley – Burglary and laughter in your living room

Mark Whitely, who plays the part of Addy in Faith, has confessed to being of dubious character before finding his feet as an actor. The self proclaimed reformed burglar has shown how the straight and narrow is the path to fulfilment, after he recently sold an entire stage show on eBay. “Thick as Thieves”, written and performed by Mark and his colleagues from the “Hard Graft” theatre company, is unique in that it is performed in living rooms around the country. On one occasion, the 70 minute play was performed on a canal narrow boat.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6510817884

www.hardgraft.co.uk