Edward Eric Cleaver was born in 1912 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, the son of Harry Cleaver – then a colliery clerk, but later Secretary and then a director of the local Griff Colliery Co.
Edward Leaver attended Rugby School and then served an apprenticeship with F.H.Harper, Managing Director of Griff Colliery Co and Measham Collieries. Cleaver gained his First Class Managers Certificate in 1937 and in the following year became Under Manager at Gin Pit near Manchester and then Assistant Manager at the associated Nook St George. In 1941 he became Manager at Griff Colliery’s Clara Pit in Nuneaton and the following year became Agent and Manager with Inghams Thornhill Collieries, Dewsbury.
At nationalisation he was a North East Division Area Assistant Agent and later in Co. Durham was an Area Group Agent, Area Production Manager, Area Chief Mining Engineer and Area Deputy Director (Operations). He also spent a period as Acting Director of the South Durham Area.
He was NEIMME president in 1968-69.
Away from work he was closely involved with local church activities – including as Chair of Durham Diocesan Union – and in the 1990 New Year’s Honours List was awarded the OBE for services to the community in Durham.
Cleaver died in 1998.
Publications:
Cleaver, E.E. Retreat mining Mining Engineer 126 1966-67, 739-954
Cleaver, E.E. The profession – effects of changes and the future [Presidential address – NEIMME] Mining Engineer 128 1968-69, 435-438
