There have been major conflicts in the nineteenth and twentieth century, which impacted on the villages of Kiveton Park and Wales in different ways. Many men paid the ultimate price and lost their lives, particularly during the two world wars. Other survived and came back to work at the pits, but their experiences were to stay with them for the rest of their lives, as many of the accounts here demonstrate. What we hope to do with this website is to remember all these men and to bring their experiences together in one place for future generations to learn from. What also shines through from this material is the effects which the wars had here in Kiveton. On the following pages you can learn what rationing meant for the villages, how German airships and bombers flew over on their way to Sheffield and how the pits worked at full capacity to turn out the coal needed for the country’s war effort.

• Boer War
  

  The Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902, between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic). A number of men connected with Kiveton served during that war.

  
  
• First World War
  

  The First World War had a decisive impact on the history of the 20th century. Many Kiveton men served during the First World War, in many theatres, from the Western Front and Gallipoli to the lesser known conflicts in the Middle East and the Baltic.

  
  
• Second World War
  

  On 3 September 1939 Britain and France found themselves at war with Germany. This section provides insights into what the war meant in Kiveton and Wales, for both those who went to fight and the men and women who fought on the 'home front'.