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E L O W !B

Quarterly Journal of the Shropshire Caving & Mining Club Autumn Issue No: 2003.3

Library AdditionsNorth Wales Caving Club:Newsletter 285, June/July 2003 -includes items on Glyn Ceiriog,MInera, Ogof Llyn Par & OHA.Newsletter 286, August/September2003 - trips reports from Slovenia,Aber Sychnant, Bar Pot & Pool Park.Subterranea: July 2003, Issue 2,Newsletter of Subterranea Britannica& the Cold War Research StudyGroup - has a major story onWiltshire Stone Quarry Railways inWWII and one on bunkers andunderground features along theMaginot Line in France.Norfolk Mineral & LapidarySociety: Stone Chat, Vol.243, No.1,Autumn 2003.Britsh Cave Rescue Council:Newsletter 18, July 2003.

Good Mining NewsThe winding engine at theWashington F Pit Museum was backin action again over the weekend ofthe 6th-7th September, for the firsttime since the museum was closed tothe public three years ago. The sitewas opened as a museum in 1976 andclosed in 2000 as a cost-cuttingmeasure. The winding engine wasmade by the Grange Iron Company ofGilesgate, Durham City, in 1888 andwas bought second-hand by theWashington Coal Company andinstalled at Washington when the Fpit was modernised in 1903.

In order to operate the windingengine for demonstration purposesan electric motor was fitted to turnthe winding drum.

The F pit won English Heritagestatus as a monument of nationalimportance in 1998 - two years beforeit was closed and mothballed. Thebuilding is Grade II listed.

Alan VickersSee page 17 for more details of theWashington F Pit.

SpeleoArt 2003 - A Journey into Darknessmodern pictures were nicelycomplemented by paintings ofDudley caverns from the museumsarchives (some over 200 years old)along with mineral specimens - manyfrom Steve’s personal collection.

A very successful exhibition ofpaintings and drawings of caves andcaverns was held at the DudleyMuseum & Art Gallery between the19th July and 30th August.

Speleoart (artistic studies associatedwith caves) has been establishedsince 1994 and has had a number ofsuccessful exhibitions in severalcountries. This was the firstmajor show of Speleo art inthe UK.

It’s success was largely dueto club member StevePowell. The Powell family(Steve, his dad and wife)had a very strong presencein the show with somesuperb pictures, using amixture of media. The

Below: Steve Powell (right) beingcongratulated by the DudleyBorough Geologist at the opening ofthe exhibition.

Nine Madeley MenRestoration of the grave of the 9miners buried the common grave inMadeley Churchyard was recentlycompleted by contractors working forthe Madeley Living History Project.

A short service of rededication washeld at the graveside at 2.30 p.m. onWednesday 1st October - the 139thanniversary of the funeral. Theservice was followed by tea andbiscuits in St. Michael’s Church.

NAMHO 2004The National Association of MiningHistory Organisations (Britain andIreland) annual conference in 2004will be held at Coniston, in theEnglish Lake District, 23-25 July.

Papers are invited on “The ExtractiveIndustries of Cumbria”.

Contact Sheila Barker: sheila.barker@cybermoor.org

Booking forms should be available inJanuary 2004. Accomodation can beproblematic in summer in the LakeDistrict - book early - accomodationlists will be found on the CumbriaAmenities Trust Mining HistorySociety web site

www.catmhs.co.uk

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News Round-Up 1by Ivor Brown

Reynolds ConferenceThe Conference on ‘WilliamReynolds’ (constructor of mines,tunnels and canals) held inCoalbrookdale 14th-15th June 2003proved to be a great success (seeBelow 2003.2), much ‘new’information and some plans havebeen located. Contact has been madewith David Anstice of Perth (of theReynolds/Anstice families ofMadeley) who has been able tosupply a ‘family tree’ and otherinformation. Two other contacts havealso given information relating to late18th Century maps of Reynoldsunderground workings.

Trench Engine HouseSome recently located papers of thelate W.H.Williams give more detailsof the engine house at Trench Inclinewhich some members of the Clubassisted to demolish in December1964. The house and its CornishEngine were built in 1858 to drain a2,000 acre area of undergroundworkings around Ketley andWombridge in a co-operative basis(each mine owner supplying aproportion of coal and cashaccording to his production). Itpumped 3,380 gallons per minute atthe rate of 3 strokes, 9ft. long.The engine was named “Queen of theField” and was built by the LilleshallCompany. It was dismantled in 1885(see also East Shropshire Coalfields,Tempus, 1999, page 84).

Quarry ExtensionPlanning permission has been givento extend Tern Hill Quarry (RMCAggregates) in a westerly direction.The 1.9 ha area will allow the workingof 225,000 tonnes of sand giving lifeto the quarry to 2011 at present rateof 28,000 tonnes per annum.

Subways filled inNine pedestrian subways under thehighways of Telford have been filledin by contractors Forkers Ltd. using arotary drill rig with worm feedattachment. Pre-mixed quarry stoneand cement is then pumped inthrough the worm feed and a high

speed spinner throws the material atthe subway walls. The company arelooking for other tunnels and mineworkings to fill in.

From MQR Vol.34, No.4 July 2003

Query 1There is a discussion in The CollieryGuardian, Feb. 11, 1870 about thepossibility of coal and ironstonebeing found in the vicinity of MarketDrayton, particularly thecontinuation of the ironstone seamsof North Staffordshire, The Top RedMine, the Red Shag and the BatteryMines (the word mine and seam weresynonymous in North Staffs). A Mr.Corbett of Adderley was also drillingfor mineral at Childs Ercall. Wasanything found?

Query 2Was coal ‘rationed’ in Shropshireduring the 1939-45 War? Theenquirer would like to know how itaffected the non-mining family. IJBbelieves that Madeley Miners - whohad received about 1 ton per month‘free coal’ since the 1916 Agreement‘voluntarily’ reduced the amount to16 cwt. (?) per month - confirmation isneeded.

Second Mine OpensA second large underground coalmine is now in production inSpitsbergen Island, Norway; it isEurope’s most northern coaloperation. The coal seam averagesabout 3.5m thickness and bothlongwall and pillar and stall methodsare used. The longwall face alone hasproduced up to 115,000 tonnes perweek with only 90 men employed atthe mine. A good Shropshire pitproduced 5,000 tonnes per week from900 men in the 1950’s. For full details:Coal International May/June 2003.

Oldest ForkliftShropshire has been credited asbeing the home of probably theoldest Matbro Forklift Truck still inuse on an industrial site. Which site?Built in the 1960’s it has a mast thatcan pivot through 90o controlled by ahydraulic ram acting on a crank.

Colliery for SaleIn June 2003 several mining journalscarried an advert “New Colliery forSale, 2 million tonnes reserve - tel01685 841259 for information” - thisnumber was, in 1997, Ffynonan DuonMines Ltd. Bargoed, Mid Glam.which owned Blaentillery No.2,Ffynonau Duon Nos 3 and 4 andJohnson Collieries.

New Major TunnelA major tunnelling project isunderway at Cliffe Hill Quarry, Leicsto connect an old quarry with thepresent quarry. The tunnel is 712mlong, 9m wide and 6m high and hasan average grade of 1 in 45. Thetunnel is about 45-50m below surface.

World Tunnelling, April 2003

Narrow Gauge RailwayA new mine narrow gauge railwayopened on August 6th, 2003 at theNational Mining Museum , CaphouseColliery, Yorkshire. The first 400 yardsection of the 30 inch gauge railwayruns approximately along the formerroute of the 1850’s-1940’s standardgauge mineral line. The next 400yards of track, will include the old 100yard tunnel. At present a 50 hpClayton electric battery loco is in usehauling a ‘paddy’ made by QualterHall. The loco and other parts of therailway are from the recently closedPrince of Wales Colliery, Wakefield.

Mining Take-oversRapid changes are taking place in themining industry publications field,‘Mining Journal’ (founded 1835) hasbeen taken over by a new company,but its equivalent in the USA‘Engineering & Mining Journal’(founded 1866) has ceasedpublication. The UK’s ‘CollieryGuardian’ later ‘Coal International’(founded 1858) is changing to aquarterly called ‘Mining andQuarrying World’, but the USAequivalent ‘Coal Age’ (founded 1911)has been “mothballed”.

Watch this space!

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Otter Hole RescueTuesday 22nd July 2003

A film crew and group of caversinvolved in a documentary, for HTV,on “out of the way places”, triggereda major rescue call out when one oftheir group fell about 7 feet injuringher back.

About 4pm on Tuesday, 22nd July,Laura Trowbridge a member ofWessex Caving Club and secretary ofAberystwyth University caving clubfell when they were about 750 metresinto Otter Hole near to choke 2.

Four members of the party crawledback to the entrance to raise thealarm - this alone took 2 hours, whilethe other 4 (which included a doctor)stayed with Laura, and gave her firstaid. Luckily ResCon03 was takingplace just “up the road” so some ofthe countries top cave rescue peoplewere on the scene very quickly.

Eleven rescuers entered the cave andmanaged to get past the tidal sumpbefore it sealed for the night. Theythen spent the night moving Lauraon a stretcher very carefully throughthe very tight, muddy passages, sothat they were waiting at 6am by thesump - when the tide was due to turnand re-open it..

Mean while ... back in Shropshire,some of us were having a pleasanttime at The Bog measuring up theropeway terminus remains, when wegot a call to say we had been put onstand-by, but probably wouldn’t beneeded. Half-an-hour later anotherphone call came through to say yeswe were wanted, but not until 9am.We had only just settled down with apint at the Stiperstones when a thirdphone call from Steve Holdingarrived informing us that we werewanted for 5am !!!

In all 8 club members: Alan & VickyRobinson, Mike Worsfold, EileenBowen, Ian Cooper, Steve Holding,Peter Eggleston and Kelvin Lake setoff at 3am to reach Otter Hole for thescheduled 5am slot. Six other MCROteam members from Dudley got therejust before us.

When we arrived a second team of 25rescuers were already in position on

the out-bye side ofthe sump waiting for itto open. We weredelegated as the thirdteam to take over fromthem once they hadgot the stretcher pastthe sump. Howeverwhen the first teamcame out at 7.30am, ittranspired that theyhad moved thestretcher much furtherthan the controllersrealised, so in the endthe Dudley team wereused for rigging atelephone in theentrance crawls andwe were not calledupon.

Laura was eventuallybrought to surface at4.20pm onWednesday, andferried by the localSAR team on one oftheir lifeboats to ahelicopter waiting in afield down river of thecave entrance.

One thing that reallystruck home whilewaiting by the controlpoint was how hardPaul Taylor (Glos.Cave Rescue) had towork with the amazingnumbers of press,radio and TVreporters. From about7.30am onwards theystarted arriving thickand fast, but withoutPaul briefing them andarranging for them tobe guided to theentrance I suspect thescene would veryquickly have becomechaotic. It alsoallowed the othercontrollers from WestBrecon to coordinatethe rescue withoutbeing distracted.

Above: The Gloucestershire & West Brecon CaveRescue Ambulances. (Kelvin Lake-I.A.Recordings)

Above: Food for the rescuers was donated by thelocal (Chepstow) branch of Tesco’s. (Ian Cooper)

Below: The ‘before and after’. Keith Edwards fromDudley in his clean oversuit (left) and Vince Awkins,one of the first team rescuers chatting to SteveHolding after completing his over night mud bath (itworks much better in colour!). (Kelvin Lake-I.A.Recordings)

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The search for pylon bases carriedon north of Snailbeach onsucceeding Tuesday evenings Thecountry is rather more intensivelyfarmed and hopes were not as highas previously, but we need not haveworried. The bases found pushedinto the dingle just to the south ofthe Plox Green Snailbeach road wererevisited in better light and it provedto contain 13 bases, 7 for timberposts and the remained for a steelpylon and (presumably) its struts. Atthis stage the line of the ropewaywas still unclear and as none of thesebases were in their original positiontheir evidence was doubtful.

Ultimately we established that thesteel pylon bases were more or lesson the line and had formed an anglestation where the route changed byabout 165 degrees and headed forMalehurst. The seven timber postfoundations no doubt did not comefrom far away.

A further set of “steel” bases wasfound in another dingle, againproving to be not far from theiroriginal position. Inspection thenmoved to Minsterley football field. Aset of “timber” bases was found justto the north, 2 in the hedge and 2 insitu. A further short distance northand a set of four timber bases wasfound in the hedge where CallowLane was crossed. A local historybook revealed that there was a set ofbases straddling the rear boundary ofnumber 7 Little Minsterley. This wasinitially unlocatable due to the cropin the field but on the last evening’svisit, after harvest it was found. Therelevant parts of the site at Malehurstare somewhat overgrown and need awinter visit. The final act was tomeasure up the terminus at Bog Mineimmediately following the completionof which the assembled multitudewas summoned to the Otter Holerescue.

Since writing the piece in Below!2003.2 some of the questions I askedthere have been answered, almost byaccident. George Evans articles'Recalling the Past' written for, I

presume the Snailbeach Newspaper,have been on my reading list since“Never on a Sunday” appeared andthey have now been published as abook “A Voice from the Hills” whichI acquired on a visit to theStiperstones Inn. This book includesa substantial amount of informationon the ropeways not least that therewas a line from Ventnor Mine uponto Beach Hill to the transferstation. It was not a great success.The line is described as going fromwhat is called Tabertail (from chattingto locals in the Stiperstones Inn, we

have located this spot) and had a 90’pylon at the foot of Beach Hill. Anunsigned and undated note on theback of a plan by Mr Bligh c1920(SRRC 2499/1) notes that theropeway was built 1919-20 and wasworked by a traction engine. A visitto Perkins Beach revealed a possiblesite for the terminus, the evidencebeing the remains of two bolts,projecting up from some masonry,which were very similar in diameterand thread to the bolts found at otherbases and termini.

The book also implies thatShropshire Mines Ltd had the site atMalehurst before commencing workon the ropeway though it statesincorrectly that the mill existed beforethe ropeway. Certainly SM Ltdoccupied the site well before the millwas built and probably before it wasthought of. A private sidingagreement exists with the GWRentered in July 1919, though whetherthe siding was in place and in usebefore that date is moot. In December1919 the company were stillannouncing improvements whichwere to be made at Hanwood Mill.

There have very clearly been manymore bases than we have found,some as at the reservoir and in theone dingle have been grubbed outand moved, others may still remain tobe found but apart from Malehurstand Perkins Beach little seems to begained by further searching.

Assuming pylons in cultivated partsto be at around 100m centres theremay have been between 60 and 75 ofthem. George Evans' book says thathe thinks that there were 127 buckets(half a ton of barytes down and 5 cwtof coal back) in all. These figuresmake me wonder if there wereperhaps 60 pylons each with onebucket between them and a fewbuckets over as all would never beon the line at one time.

This suggested spacing issupported by a lease for 2/3 mile ofland at Hogstow which specifies thatthere were to be no more than 8

Bog Ropeway - The story somewhat furtherby Mike Shaw

Above: The blocks that oncesupported timber pylons near toMinsterley football field - one stillcontains fragments of the post!

Below: The overgrown steel pylonblock behind No.7 Little Minsterley.

(Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings, 2003)

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trestles of timber or steel each tobe not more than 15’ square with10’ clearance to the rope overfields and 15’ over road. Thetrestles were to be as near thehedges as possible. Theaccompanying plan (it is not clearwhether it was a survey or aproposal; as it was preparedalmost a year after the leasebecame valid it could well be asurvey) shews 7, with thedistance between pylonsbetween 100 and 200 yards.

It is hoped to include somelocation maps and plans in thenext issue of Below!

Pete Eggleston (above) and Kelvin Lake (left)recording the possible remains of theropeway terminus at The Bog. The Bog Centreis in the background behind Pete.

(Ian Cooper, 2003)

Bog Ropeway - The story somewhat furthercontinued .....

The Bog Mine Ropeway - Some thoughts by Ivor BrownHaving recently located production figures for Bog Mine after those given in the Home Office Returns (see Burtsbook on Shropshire Mineral Statistics) in a report published by a Government Committee in 1920 (1), it is nowpossible to consider the usefulness of the “Bog-Minsterley” Ropeway.

The figures given are;for Bog Mine “including New Bog Mining Co., Nipstone Rock, Nipstone and Nipstone-Bog Mines”

tons 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918barytes 1032 892 355 493 2904 1988 5342 7046 2315 3260

lead 12 - - 103 252 128 61 29 15 27zinc 45 - - 338 438 421 153 116 86 165

and from elsewhere - manpower:

1914 1917 1918 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928surface 65 58 50 18 33 27 31 10 - - 13

underground 56 51 53 13 41 37 47 8 - - 8

From this and other information twothings are apparent:

1. the ropeway probably onlyoperated between 1917 and 1925

2. the high number of personsemployed on surface confirms theview that all processing of mineralexcept barytes milling took place atBog Mine.

In addition ‘Never on a Sunday’quotes Henry Jones as saying (page110) “There were 4 or 5 hundredbuckets on the 14 mile rope (thereand back!) moving all the time. Atany time there would be 20 - 30 tonson each 7 mile stretch with 4 - 5 cwt.

6 “Below” 2003.3

in each bucket. A steam engine at theBog used to turn the rope which was1½ in dia.” (2)

Now taking 1918, which wasprobably the first full year of use, itwould seem that 3260 + 27 + 165 tons= 3452 tons was carried per year of3452 / 52 = 67 tons per week, whichwould fill (67 tons at 4 cwt. perbucket) = 335 buckets per week - or67 buckets per day.

So just over half the buckets wouldbe filled once per week - why somany buckets?

If 20 - 30 tons, say 25 tons, would beon each 7 mile stretch at a time, therope need only rotate 67 / 25 time perweek, giving at most only half a full

side per day in order to cope with1918 production.

Allowing 7 hours per day and half afull side (about 3.5 miles rope) therope speed would be 3.5 / 7 = 0.5miles per hour. This is much too lowfor a normal ropeway (usually about4 miles per hour).

Even allowing that there may be oneor two feeder ropes (Buxton Quarryand Perkins Beach Mine) the amountlikely to have been produced wouldnot have affected the above verymuch.

In the circumstances the ropeway,with that number of buckets, doesseem to have been “a whiteelephant”. Can anyone find an errorin the above reasoning?

Notes1. The report of the Department

Committee appointed by the Boardof Trade to investigate the non-ferrous mining industry 1920.

2. George Evans (1908-1993) in hisbook “A Voice from the Hills” saysthat he understood there to be 127buckets, all numbered, eachcapable of carrying ½ ton of barytedoan and 5 cwt of coal up. Evenwith these figures the rope wouldhave been necessary for only ashort time each day, although Mr.Evans does add “Some time laterBuxton Stone Quarry started up ina big way” implying that the stonewas carried on the ropeway too.

The Bog Mine Ropeway -Some thoughts by Ivor Brown, continued ..

Ropeway illustrations from Trade literature:Wrights Ropeways, Birmingham, 1898

- probably as used on the Stiperstones in the 1920’s

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NAMHO 2003Brief Report part 1

Over the course of the mainconference weekend a number ofmines in the Avoca area were visited.On the Saturday morning most of theShropshire members went on theAvoca Farmers Shaft and 850 levelthrough trip - it was actually billed as2 trips, so after the abseil in we optedto stay in the mine for lunch and giveourselves a more in-depth tour. Onthe afternoon trip a miner who hadworked at the mine just before itclosed in the 80’s came along, andpointed out various features that hehad installed and explained how theyworked the mine.

Sunday, again saw most of theShropshire members on the same trip(with Steve Holding wishing he hadbrought a few more car seats!), thistime to Glendalough in the morning.Mathew Parkes lead the long walk upthe valley of Glendalough, followedby a steep climb up first to the middlelevel, then on to the upper level. Bothlevels had some interesting features,plus some potential for digs.

Personally I found the upper level themost interesting, in addition to theevidence of rails on the level floor,there were marks on one of the wallsfrom the axles and sides of the minetubs (most people seemed to missthese), plus a fragment of a hand-windlass.

In the afternoon we visitedGlendasan, the highlight of whichwas wading through waist deepwater along a lower adit to reach1950’s workings into which theMHTI members had only broken intothe previous weekend.

1

2

3

4 Avoca

5

6

7

Glendalough5. Fragment of wire rope outside middle level

- possibly a haulage rope6. View out of the middle level, Glendalough.7. Eileen in the upper level stope.

Glendasan8. Wading in along the bottom level9. One of several ore chutes that fed ore

down to the bottom level.

1. Linda Heidkamp a new MHTI member abseiling into Farmers shaft.2. Calcite formation covered ore chute on the Avoca 850 level.3. View out along the main 850 tramming level.4. Shropshire & Kent ‘teams’ taking lunch by the canteen on the 850 level.

8

9

8 “Below” 2003.3

DEATH FOLLOWS ACCIDENTAT ST. GEORGE’S.

Mr. Coroner Lander held an inquest at the Hospital, St.George’s, near Oakengates, on Tuesday, on the body of JohnEdward. Morgan (47), who died in the hospital on Sunday.Mr. Garner (Messrs. Wilcock and Taylor) appeared on behalfof the widow and family, Mr. Beech represented the LilleshallCompany, and Mr. Wynne (Assistant Inspector of Mines)was also present.

Sarah Morgan, the widow, said on July 19th deceased met withan accident at his work. He told her that Harry Vickers hadbeen working with him, and while knocking some of the rockpart of it fell on deceased, but he did not think anyone was toblame, for he himself thought it was perfectly safe.- HarryVickers stated that he was working with deceased on the 19thJuly at the Granville Pit. The foreman had given them ordersto work at a place in one of the roadways at the back. Onarriving at the place deceased stood two or three yards awayfrom witness, and witness struck two or three times at the rockwhen a piece of it partly fell on deceased. He got deceased fromunder the rock, and went for further assistance. There was aprop under the timber under the road, and this hethought was quite safe.

Garner: Did you sound the rock?- Witness: Yes, and it soundedsafe.- Mr. Garner: Could you have told on striking it if it wasnot safe?- Witness:- Yes.- Jabez Lowe, fireman, stated thaton the day in question he made an examination of the particularplace mentioned, but there was nothing at all to point toanything suspicious. He had known deceased for 15 or 16months and considered him a competent workman, and onewho understood his work in every respect. -Dr. McCarthysaid he had frequently attended deceased since the accident.The man had a fracture at the back and lower part of the neck.Death was due to paralysis caused by, the injuries received.-The jury returned a verdict that death was owing to injuriesaccidentally received.- Mr. Garner thanked the hospitalofficials for the kindness they had shown towards deceased.-The Coroner said he was sure the jury would join with him inexpressing their deepest sympathy with the wife and family.-Mr. Garner, on behalf of the widow, thanked the coroner andjury for them sympathy and kind expressions.

Wellington Journal and Shrewsbury NewsDecember 7 1907

FATAL FALL DOWN A MINEAT MINSTERLEY.

What the Papers Were Sayingsubmitted by Steve Dewhirst

months he had been at the mine, but it had never been broughtto the surface for the purpose of repair, because the men didnot travel when it was working. At the conclusion of theevidence the jury consulted together in private for some time,and then passed the following verdict:-” We find that thedeceased came to his death accidentally, but we are of opinionthat the Mine ought to be carried on under more modernprinciples and with more regard to the safety of the men, andthat the shaft should be put in proper, repair before again beingused as a roadway for the men.”

3rd June 1899

An accident which had a fatal termination, and which hascaused considerable sorrow in the neighbourhood of RomanGravels, has recently occurred. On Tuesday evening a mannamed John Grove, aged about 44 years, who was wellaccustomed to work in the pits, went on duty at the Tankervillemine at six o’clock. The mode of transit from one level toanother was by means of ladders, and while descending one ofthese it suddenly collapsed, and Groves was precipitated adistance of about 20 yards. A fellow-workman named ThomasEdwards went to his assistance, and found him in anunconscious condition, but still alive. Groves was at onceconveyed to the surface, and afterwards to an adjacent cottage,but died within three-quarters of an hour. Examination disclosedthe fact that he was terribly injured. One of his arms wasbroken and his ribs were fractured badly.

Deceased unfortunately leaves a widow and 10 children. Hewas a very steady, industrious man, and as will be seen froma report of the Gravels Friendly Society Anniversary, heldyesterday and given elsewhere, appreciative and sympatheticreferences were made to him by those who knew him best.Alterations are being carried on at the mine, and it is stated thata chain must have caught the ladder the deceased descended,and pulled it from its foundations, so that it easily gave wayto the weight of the deceased, he being a man of considerablesize.

An inquest on the body was held yesterday at the Sun Inn,Roman Gravels, by Mr. R. E. Clarke (coroner). Prior to theopening of the inquiry the Coroner and Mr. Atkinson (H.M.Inspector of Mines) visited the scene of the accident, and madea thorough inspection of the plant used and of the mine inwhich the fatality occurred.

Evidence was given by Sarah Groves, widow of the deceased,who deposed that her husband’s wages recently had been £1per week. William Titley, who worked with the deceased, saidsomeone shouted from the 28th fathom that the chain-an ironone, weighing about 4 cwt.-had broken. They at once went tothe level mentioned, and made preparations to repair the chain.Deceased coming to the top to the blacksmith’s shop for a newlink, which he subsequently brought down. They started todescend lower, deceased going first. They got down one ladderand deceased went on as if to use the second, when witnessheard a crash. Deceased’s light (a candle carried in his hat) wentout and witness then shouted, but received no reply. Witnessthen looked about to see what had happened, and discoveredthat the ladder on which the deceased was descending the minehad disappeared.

Deceased was afterwards found lying on a stage about 15 yardsfrom the bottom of the mine with the chain near him. He wastaken to the surface at once, but expired before he actuallylanded.- By Mr. Atkinson: The chain had been in use about 20years ; but he had never known it brought up to be repaired.-By the Coroner: He had not heard any direct complaints aboutthe chain, but the men on the bank had said that, it was not sogood as it had been. Thomas Edwards, agent of the mine, saidhe was down the workings on Tuesday, and found everythingright. He had received no complaints as to the state of theladder. The chain had been repaired twice during the six

“Below” 2003.3 9

Kemberton Pit near Madeley, ShropshirePart 2 (1900-1940) by Ivor J. Brown

In 1891, after the serious slump in thelocal ironstone and coal industry, themine owners, the Madeley WoodCompany, appear to have changedthe management system for the mine.The former system whereby thewhole mine (except winding andpumping machinery) was let oncontract to the chartermasters waschanged to putting overall control ofthe mine on to the mine manager andallowing contractors (‘chartermasters’) to have control of variousoperations such as getting themineral, haulage underground andmineral preparation. (At this time thepit was not only producing coal butalso ironstone and fireclay). The newmine manager J.Raspass wasappointed with the new powers ofcontrol.

This change seems to have causedsome unrest and there was a spate ofcases being taken to ShifnalMagistrates Court which mightnormally have been dealt with at thepit. For example in 1901 a dan-filler (adan was a low truck filled on the coalface) was fined 2s. 6d. (5s. 6d. costs)for neglect of fireman’s orders. Fouryears later a horse-driver was fined5s. 0d. (10s. 0d. costs) for failing toobey the order of a fireman and usingabusive language. In 1907 anotherminer was taken to court fordisobeying fireman’s orders but thecase was dismissed, as the threedays suspension from work whileawaiting the hearing was consideredsufficient punishment.

During the first decade of the newcentury the methods of work andequipment used still remained fairlyprimitive despite the introduction ofelectricity on the surface. The firstattempt at mechanical coal cuttingfailed (the Hurds bar machineproduced only 150 tons in 1904) andit was not until about 1910 that a newattempt was made.

The conditions on the transportsystem underground are indicated bythe following case in 1908. A loader,H.Skitt, was killed on a “chain-bank”where the inclination varied from

level to 1 in 15. “Loads are takendown by horses but at the top of thebank a long chain which passesround a post and extends down thefull length of the bank is attached tothe back end of a load and acts as abrake. A load going down the bankhad stopped through the chainbecoming entangled with the wheels.Deceased and two other men put theload right and it started away. Therattle of the chain round the post atthe top startled a horse waiting therewith a load to go down and it set offdown the bank at a good speed. Thedriver having failed in an attempt tocheck it shouted down to the men onthe bank. Two of them, and the driverof the first horse managed to takerefuge in a manhole, but deceasedwas knocked down by the horse andcrushed by the load against a prop atthe lower corner of the manholebefore he could get clear.”

The worst tragedy in the history ofthe mine occurred on the 4thDecember, 1910 when 5 men and 2boys lost their lives “through thebreaking of a winding rope.” Theyhad got on the cage and were beinglowered from the shaft mouth whenthe rope suddenly snappedimmediately in front of the windingdrum, and the cage with its load fellto the shaft bottom a distance of 338yards. The rope had been supplied

by a well known firm of makers andwas invoiced by them as “1¼ in. dia.our special quality plough steelrope”.

It was put to use on 16th August,1909 and had therefore been used fora period of 16 months. It consisted ofsix strands each of seven wires 0.123to 0.125 in. dia. laid over anotherseven wires 0.058 to 0.059 in. dia.with a central core of 19 wires each0.084 in. diameter. “The estimatedbreaking strength when new, wasabout 63 tons; its ordinary workingload including the weight of ropeitself was four to five tons; and thenett load on it when the accidentoccurred was under 1½ ton. On closeexamination after the accident I foundit showed comparatively littleevidence of wear.”

The Inspector of Mines concludedfrom the above that it was impossiblethat it could have broken undernormal conditions, but that it musthave been subjected to a violent jerk.There were two possible causes forthis - either the rope must have comeoff the headgear pulley and fallenonto the pulley axle, or one or both ofthe keps or legs, which supported thecage when it was at the surface, musthave held the cage and when anumber of coils of rope had occurredon the top of the cage, been released.

A line-up of surface employees at Kemberton about 1900. The 1864 enginehouse is visible in the background. (Frank Turner)

10 “Below” 2003.3

Both could have caused thenecessary jerk which would besufficient to break the rope. However,the inspector ruled out the formerand after careful measurements hadbeen taken, it was found that the onekep or leg protruded 1½ inchesfurther than the other. This was then,in his opinion, partly the cause of theaccident. Added to this possibility hesaid, there was also the chance thatthe banksman slacked off his hold onthe keps, or loosed them altogether,after an instruction from the fireman,one of the passengers in the cage, togo and switch on a pump motor.

At this time the sale of small coal waspoor and the men were penalisedwhen they loaded it instead of thelarger, better selling coals. To help inthe selection a frank was used. Thiswas a cradle shaped fork with sevenprongs, the larger coals were lifted,the small stuff fell through and wasleft to be buried in the waste. Coal isliable to spontaneous ignition if leftin a warm airy place such as a goafand in this manner several “gob-fires” occurred. One such fireoccurred on 21st April 1909 in asection of the Top Coal workingsknown as the Coronation Section andthe whole area had to be sealed off toprevent air getting to the fire in thehope that without air it would die. InApril, 1911 a tentative re-openingwas made, but the fire was found tobe still burning, so the area had againto be sealed off. Some months laterworkings in an adjoining face werewithin 33 yards of the CoronationSection and the manager of the mine,finding that explosive gases wereseeping through from the oldworkings decided to have themexplored by men in breathingapparatus to see if certain of theroadways could be used foradditional ventilation airways.

A brigade consisting of five trainedand certificated rescue men wasassembled and before they enteredthe workings through a hole in theseal, the breathing apparatus wasdouble checked for safety. After 10yards they found that the air was socharged with firedamp that their

safety lamps were extinguished andafter another 40 yards, a mousewhich they carried died indicating thedeadly atmosphere that they were in.

Following further exploration one ofthe men F.Ward, was seen panting.In his efforts to inhale he waswrinkling his cheeks, and, it wasthought, drawing external poisonousair in at the corners of his mouth. Hiscolleagues did all they could to savehim, including opening the by-passvalve of his apparatus and usingartificial respiration but it was all tono avail.

At the inquest the experts remainedundecided as to the cause, someholding that he had drawn inpoisonous gases and others, that hehad died of a previous illness.

By 1910 the company wereexperimenting with a second coalcutting machine, on this occasion aHearst Disc Coal Cutter. The diary ofMr. Sam Cookson of Madeley showsthat he was appointed one of the first“operators” and in eleven months themachine had cut 7,000 yards. Officialstatistics show that in 1911 it cut14,387 tons of coal and wasobviously an outstanding success.

Three years later in 1914 a coalcutting machine was involved in anunfortunate accident. The roof of theworking was supported by woodenbars about 4ft. apart, one end fixedinto a hole in the coal face, the otherresting on a prop. James Parkinson, acollier was working in front of thecoal cutting machine removing anarrow strip of coal from the face toenable the machine to pass. A large

Kemberton Pit near Madeley, ShropshirePart 2 (1900-1940) continued ...

Figure 1: Horses & Ponies below ground in 1920, from the Pit’s log book

“Below” 2003.3 11

lump of coal however, fell from anunseen break, knocked out the propand Parkinson was killed in theensuing roof fall.

There had been few changes madeon the surface before 1910 and theold “second-motion” winding enginewas wearing out. It was scrapped in1911, and replaced by a second-handtwin cylinder steam engine of 6ft.stroke, and 24 in. bore, and withdirect drive from piston to drum. Thisengine commenced work onDecember 11th, 1911, and continuedto work until 1937. It did not have agood start, however, on the 29thJanuary, 1912, when a full shift of

men was underground the windingengine broke down. The men thenhad to be wound up 3 at a time byhand winch.

Changes had not however been easyand difficulties reached a climax by1912, when a strike of miners, and theCompany’s blast furnace men, helpedto bring the company’s Blists HillFurnaces to a standstill. As thefurnaces were still using the earlycold blast method, now supersededby Neilson’s ‘Hot Blast’ (developedin the 1840’s), they were veryinefficient.

The workers demanded more pay and

the company had, it was said,insufficient capital to reconstruct onmodern lines - even had the ironbusiness not been going through aserious depression - deadlock wasreached. This, with other factors,finally resulted in the closure of thefurnaces, all furnacemen being laidoff and many ironstone miners beingmade redundant. Sixty workers werepaid off at Kemberton Pit alone andthe nearby Shaws, Hills andHalesfield pits were closedcompletely. The transport of coal andironstone via the Halesfield Tramwayincline and canal also ceased andKemberton Pit concentrated onproducing coal for sale by main linerailway and local landsale!

In 1913 G.F.F.Eager was appointedmanager and things really began tomove. Eager had been articled to thecelebrated engineer Sir WilliamGarforth from 1904 to 1909, heobtained his Mine ManagersCertificate in 1909 and worked for theNew Moss Collieries beforebecoming an engineer with “DiamondCoal Cutter Co.” He brought with himto Kemberton his experience of coalcutters and soon there were at leastfive in use. In 1915, he unfortunatelyleft for military service, but the pit’sfortunes had changed.

Later in 1921 Mr. Eager publishedone of the earliest books on “CoalCutting Machinery” and eventuallyhe became a director of British-Jeffrey-Diamond Ltd. The disc coalcutters were replaced by bar coalcutters in 1924.

In 1910 the pit had employed 372persons, by 1915, 468 and in 1920nearly 660 - the coal was needed tomeet the demands of the 1914-18War, but labour was also at apremium.

During September 1919 longwallfaces were being worked in the TopCoal Seam (length 111 yards), BigFlint (243 yd.), Vigers (406 yd.), Clods(401 yd.) and Little Flints (357 yd.),the coal being suitable for 5 classesof use, coking, gas, household,

Kemberton Pit near Madeley, ShropshirePart 2 (1900-1940) continued ....

Figure 2: The “Annual Return” for Kemberton Pit, 1922, drawn up byJ.H.Brown for the inspectorate. (In total for ‘coal drawn’ the use for which1132 tons ‘batts’ is not known - batts were lumps of black carbonaceousshale which ‘spat’ or sparked when heated).

12 “Below” 2003.3

Kemberton Pit near Madeley, ShropshirePart 2 (1900-1940) continued ....

manufacturing and steam raising. Thetotal production of 7,482 tons wassaleable (equates to about 90,000tons per year) for 25 days work, butabsenteeism was at a high of 17.71%!

Horses and ponies were still in greatdemand underground, in 1911 over 60were in use, but by 1920 this hadfallen to 33 (see figure 1). During thatyear 5 had been removed from the pit(reasons were; accidents 2, lost hisnerve 1, ‘winded’ 1, ‘for a rest’ 1) and5 replacements had been sent down.

In 1918 the mine company becameMadeley Wood Company Ltd, and in1922 the Anstice family sold theirinterest to the Cadman family whohad been responsible for minemanagement for some time.

The 1921 ‘Central Miners Strike’caused problems for the minersgenerally as the majority did not wishto support it. The strike commencedhowever on 1st April 1921, but many

enginemen, pumpmen and deputiesremained at work to keep the pitopen. The ‘slack’ for the boilers camemainly from ‘blackleg’ pits in thesouth of Shropshire. From May 11th,Kemberton miners began to drift backalthough the call for a mass meetingat Madeley on Tuesday May 24thstopped the pit again. At the meetingthe pit manager, Mr. Coat Bridges,addressed the men, following whichevery man was re-employed on pre-strike terms. Kemberton was back atwork but the ‘Central Strike’ did notend until July 1st 1921.

By 1922 the annual production wasover 112,000 tons (see figure 2) from678 employees, and in this year thecoal royalty owners, the new mineowners (Cadmans) and the miners,cooperated through the MinersWelfare Scheme to provide aRecreation Ground in Victoria Road,Madeley (see SCMC Journal 1996).

At this time Kemberton Pit was thelifeblood of Madeley, a surveycarried out in 1924 of the ‘home’parishes of the 642 employees gavethe following results:

Madeley 415Dawley 132

Ironbridge 50Horsehay 11Stirchley 10

Kemberton 6Lightmoor 6Malinslee 6

Linley 1Ryton 1

Jackfield 2Lawley 1Shifnal 1

The last figure is surprising sincegeographically Shifnal is almost asnear to the pit as Madeley centre and

the workings were in fact very nearlyunder it - some 1½ miles from the pitshafts.

The problems of the late 1920’s andthe early 1930’s brought greathardship to the Kemberton minersand very much prevented progress atthe Pit. By 1930 employment wasdown to 334 and production to 87,000tons (see table 1). The 1926 strikehad a far greater impact than the 1921strike and the miners had to return forless, and soon the recession wasupon them.

By 1936 the situation had changed,demand for coal increasedconsiderably and the collierycompany embarked on a majorscheme for modernisation.Underground some simple ‘plates’attached to ropes had been tried forconveying coal down the face, butwere not successful, so in 1937 skipconveyors were tried, again with littlesuccess. In 1938 chain conveyorswere put in and worked well. Thesefed onto electric rubber beltconveyors by 1940.

On the surface, in 1937, the collieryclosed its own supply power stationand the steam winding engine atKemberton shafts was replaced by anAC electric winder, operating fromthe mains supply, the first suchwinder to be installed at a Shropshirecolliery.

In 1938/9 the Kemberton andHalesfield Pits were connectedunderground in order to provide asecond means of egress should anair-raid, or anything else, like a simplepower cut, disable the KembertonShafts, and, just as importantly, tomake possible a more efficientventilation system.

Table 1Employees 1900 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65Surface 99 120 102 101 138 126 85 114 125 179 156 180 168 160underground 243 345 270 367 520 460 249 348 380 456 440 510 419 360Total 342 465 372 468 658 586 334 452 505 635 596 690 587 520Tons(000s) 109 87 124 173 148 184 185 206 145

The peak year for production was 1957 at 229,000 tons, employment was 745.

“Below” 2003.3 13

The Titterstone Clee Hill dominatesthe country between CleoburyMortimer and Ludlow. Its basalt caphas protected the underlying coalmeasures and has resulted in anelevated land mass that runs forabout 8 miles on a NEE-SWW axis(Figure 1). The coal seams cease withthe outcrop of the Gutter Coal onCatherton Common. The eastern endof this ridge continues as an outcropof limestone and Cornbrooksandstone that extends from Farlow,through Oreton to the township ofPrescott in Stottesdon. The limestonehas been extensively quarried butremarkably at Prescott a small patchof coal reappears (SO 665805). Thissmall area of coal was worked on andoff for about 100 years, providing auseful supply of fuel to a remoteindustrial enclave.

Geology1.Typically, most coal seams are fromthe Upper Carboniferous(Westphalian) period and underlainfirst by Millstone Grit (MiddleCarboniferous or Namurian period),then limestone (Lower Carboniferousor Dinantian) and finally sandstonesof Devonian age. This pattern isfollowed on the Clee Hills with thecoal measures resting on theCornbrook Sandstone, the roughequivalent of the Millstone Grit.

However, the coal at Prescott isunusual. Prescott stands on a ridgeformed of yellow (Devonian) Farlowsandstone (Figure 2). It is capped bya basal conglomerate and limestoneof Lower Carboniferous age. TheGeological Survey shows the outcropof coal in the Cornbrook sandstone.The precise age of the CornbrookSandstone has been long debated;the base may be Namurian and theupper part Westphalian.

The Geological Survey memoir givesa somewhat despairing account ofthe geology of the Prescott coal,noting that it was impossible toestablish its relationship to theCornbrook Sandstone to the south.The memoir makes two suggestionsas to the origin of the coal; it could

either be an outlier of the Gutter seamas found on the Clee Hill or it couldbe a thin coal seam within theCornbrook Sandstone itself.

The first suggestion effectivelymeans that a small part of CathertonCommon would have to have beentransplanted two miles from itsoriginal home and it is difficult to seewhy this should only have left coal atthe far end of the Farlow-Oretonridge2. A local development of coalwithin the Cornbrook Sandstonewould put the Prescott measures on apar to the thin seams of coal found inand above the Yoredale Series in theYorkshire Dales; an interestinggeological phenomenon and perhapsthe most likely suggestion.

HistoryPrescott is isolated from the main partof the Farlow ridge by the River Rea,which has cut a path through on itsroute south to the Teme. For a remotespot, it has had a surprisingly busyindustrial history. It is worthsketching this out, as it provides abackground to the coal mining here.

The river Rea and the local geologyhave both shaped the industrial

history of the area. The Rea haspowered numerous mills along itscourse; “Smithy Meadow”, just a ¼mile south of Prescott sounds asthough it may have been the site of amedieval iron works. It is certain thatby the start of the 18th Century, awater powered corn mill was at workin Prescott. In 1708 this wasconverted to an iron forge. It wasreplaced in c1730 by another forge atHardwick, a short distance upstreambut in about1759 a new forge wasbuilt at Prescott. This became knownas Rotherham forge and was locatedat the south end of Bylet Meadow(Figure 2).

The forge closed in 1794 but wasreplaced somewhat incongruously bya cotton mill, Farlow Factory, on theopposite bank of the Rea. Thisprobably had a stop-go existenceuntil final closure in about 1825.Limestone quarrying probablystarted in the Farlow/Oreton area ona commercial scale in the 17th

Century, with much being burnt inkilns for lime. By the mid-18th Centurylimestone appears to have beenquarried on the Prescott estate andthis continued for about 100 years.Brick making was also carried out.

Figure 1: Prescott and the Clee Hill Coalfield.

Coal workings at Prescott near Stottesdon,David Poyner

14 “Below” 2003.3

The tithe map shows of 1845 marks afield called “brick kiln field” by theRea (Figure 2) and a little north ofPrescott farm another field also hadthis name. Given all this activity, it isnot surprising that a small communitygrew up at “The Factory”. There wasa Methodist meeting house here in1797. Whilst today only a fewcottages survive, in 1792 there was anow-vanished row by the formerforge (Figure 2). The importance ofPrescott can be judged by the factthat it justified its own branch off theCleobury-Bridgnorth Turnpike road,

established in mid-EighteenthCentury. With all this activity, therewould have been no shortage ofbuyers for coal3.

On April 16th 1753, the Prescott estatewas offered for sale. On thisoccasion, only the lime rock wasmentioned. However, on Sept 20th

1759 when again it was offered forsale, lot II was “11 acres, being full oflimestone and coal”. This is the firstmention of coal and suggests thatworking was started at this period. Itis not clear how long it lasted;

probably not very long for an estatemap of 1792 gives no suggestion ofmining, past or present.

A sale of Sept 17th 1807 advertisedthe limestone on the estate butmerely stated the coal was“assumed” to exist4. By the time ofthe 1845 tithe map, the field to thenorth of the mines called “Stony Hillsand Lime Rock” but the site of thecoal was simply “The Coppice”.

However, mining was to return. Inabout 1875, the free-lance geologistDaniel Jones prepared anunpublished memoir on the WyreForest Coalfield5. Jones knew thearea well, having written a reportabout it for the 1872 CoalCommission. In his memoir, herecorded how “eight years ago” a MrHeathcock worked a sweet coal atFarlow Factory, before emigrating toNew Zealand. Jones initially thoughthat this coal might be related to theseams of Wyre Forest Coalfield.These outcrop at Bagginswood just¼ mile to the east. However, they arenot set in anything resembling theCornbrook Sandstone. The coal hadbeen inspected by Robert Jones whowas working a coal mine at Harcourt,about a mile to the north-east. Hewas of the opinion that the coal wasrelated to the Gutter Coal on the CleeHill; it was 1’ thick with a blackband(ie iron-containing shale) roof. Theblackband is a feature of the GutterCoal.

There is no evidence that the coalwas ever worked after Heathcock’stime. However, Mr. Fred Shineton ofPrescott was employed at Prescottfarm in the 1930s and grew up atPrescott Mill in the 1920s. He canrecall being told about the mines atPrescott by an elderly labourer atPrescott Farm. This would tie in witha date of about 1868 implied by Jonesin his memoir. The mines wereworked by hand-windlass and thecoal was brought to the surface inleather bags.

Mr Shineton also recalled the roundspoil heaps of the mine. He helped to

Figure 2: Geology and industrial archaeology of Prescott. This is based onthe Geological Survey 1”: 1 mile map, the 1845 tithe map and field work.

Coal workings at Prescott near Stottesdon,continued ....

“Below” 2003.3 15

level these mounds when the fieldwas ploughed in the 1940s.

Fortunately, in 1948 the RAF carriedout a national aerial survey and thepicture of Prescott appears to recordthe site prior to clearing6. The wholefield has a very uneven appearance,suggesting it had been extensivelydug over (Figure 3). Some of thiswould probably have beenassociated with the limestone butthere seems to have been particularlyintense activity in the western cornerthat may represent outcrop coalworkings. There still seems to be acoal outcrop traceable in the groundjust below this point. The southernpart of the field seems to be coveredwith a number of larger, low mounds.These probably represent the spoilmounds associated with individualshafts.

The pattern is typical of shallow,hand-wound workings that werecommon in the Wyre Forest and theBrown Clee coalfields at this date.

Today there remain two low moundsin the field, around oak trees thatwere present in 1948. The presence ofthese trees presumably stopped themounds from being levelled. They aremade of coal fragments and spoil.There is little doubt that they are theremains of two of the pit mounds;remarkable survivals from perhapsShropshire’s smallest workablecoalfield.

AcknowledgementsI would like to thank Fred and MadgeShineton for helping me with thisarticle and Richard Whitehouse forallowing me access to his land.

1) Memoirs of the GeologicalSurvey; the country aroundChurch Stretton, Craven Arms,Wenlock Edge and the BrownClee. D.C. Greig, J.E. Wright, B.A.Hains & G. H. Mitchell. HMSO,London, 1968, Pp 254, 256.Geological Survey 1”: 1 mile sheet166

2) It is not clear how carefully thearea between Catherton Commonand Prescott has been examinedfor coal; a thorough search mightprovide new insights. Inparticular, the bank on the westbank of the Rea immediatelyopposite Prescott is very roughand uneven; it would beinteresting to see if any coalfragments could be found.

3) See Watermills on the Rea, T.Booth, 1990, Pp11-12; B.W.Trinder,. The IndustrialArchaeology of Shropshire.Phillimore, 1996. Pp134-150;Shropshire Records and ResearchOffice (SRRO) 1496/426-7 (deedsof Prescott Forge) S.C. SHORT,Highley Methodist ChurchCentenary History. Privatelypublished. 1997.

4) All sale notices are from BerrowsWorcester Journal. SRRO 6000/4093 (map of Prescott)

5) Papers of Daniel Jones, NationalGeosciences Record Office,British Geological Survey,Keyworth, Nottingham.

6) Photograph 541/177, 30th Sept1948, No 3189, held at theNational Monuments RecordCentre, Swindon, SN2 2GZ.

Figure 3: Location of coal mines and quarries at Prescott. Based on the1948 aerial survey and field work.

Centenary of FlotationFlotation is widely used in the basemetals industry for gold and platinummetals, coal and industrial metals, aswell as for water and environmentalpurposes. In celebration of 100 yearsof the froth flotation process formineral separation the AustralianInstitute of Mining and Metallurgyare organising:

Centenary of flotationsymposium

5-9 June 2005,Brisbane, Australia

for more details visit the web site:www.ausimm.com.au

Coal workings at Prescott near Stottesdon,continued ....

16 “Below” 2003.3

News and Letters

Grigris - Use ofBrian Jopling (Jopo) wants feed backfrom anyone who uses a Grigris. Heis particularly interested to know ifanyone has encountered anyproblems with them. We used oneon the the recent rescue practice atHulgith, for the hauling, and it seemdto function ok.

Betws Colliery ClosesSoaring employee liabiity insurancepremiums, up from £80,000 to£700,000, were blamed largely for thedecision to close Betws Colliery,Ammanford, West Wales with theloss of 100 jobs. It is hoped to restartthe business on a smaller scaleserving niche markets.

Heritage Day ToursOne of the Heritage Day Tours in thenorth-east was a guided tour of theVictoria Tunnel at Newcastle uponTyne. The tunnel was built to carrycoals from the Spital TonguesColliery (sometimes known as LeazesMain Colliery), at National GridReference NZ 237 654, to the riverTyne near to Glasshouse Bridge atNZ 2635 6410.

The colliery, which was working by1836, was unfortunate in that thetown of Newcastle lay between it andthe river Tyne and consequentlytheir coals had initially to be carriedthrough the streets to a quay forshipment.

Following permission being given,construction of the tunnel began inJune 1839 and was completed byJanuary 1842. and its formal openingtook place on 7th April 1842 in thepresence of the Mayor of Newcastle.

The tunnel was also used as a WorldWar II air-raid shelter from 1939-45and evidence of both of its uses stillremain.

Tours for the weekend were bookableby telephoning 0191 277 8003. Itmay be possible to arrange a futureclub trip by ringing the same number.

Alan Vickers.

Other Mine RelatedTours

While mentioning the Heritage Days,there were a few other interestingunderground sites open to the public(in addition ot Snailbeach!).

Harelawhill Quarry, Canonbie. Tourof underground limestone workings(closed 1966) led by retired miners.Also Miners' Reminicences exhibitionin Canonbie Village Hall.

Pibble lead mine, Creetown. Toursled by Mike Cressey of the Centre forField Archaeology, Edinburgh whohas recently surveyed the site forDumfries and Galloway MuseumsService. This is a little-known minewith impressive surface remainsincluding Cornish engine house,water-powered crusher, hand-dressing floors etc.

Tours were free but had to be pre-booked by telephoning 01387 247543between 9.00 and 17.00 on Monday 8September.

They were organised by SolwayHeritage, contact Jean Atkin for moreinfo:

jatkin@solwayheritage.co.uk

Parys Mountain AcidWork to drain the lake of acidic waterfrom inside Parys Mountain onAnglesey has been started by a teamof specialist contractors.

It is estimated that 50,000 cubicmetres of acidic water (with a pH ofabout 2) is backed up in theunderground workings of themountain. This water is “perched”and only held back by a concretedam. Recently cracks have beendiscovered in the dam, raising fearsthat should it collapse, a tidal waveof highly acidic water would flushthrough the middle of Amlwchcausing major flooding.

A working group involving amongstothers, the Environment Agency,Amlwch Industrial Heritage Trust,the Anglesey Mining Company wasset-up, with funding coming from theWelsh Development Agency andAnglesy County Council (whopledged £20,000 to help solve theproblem last year).

On the club trip to Anglesey the localclub expressed hopes that when thewater was drained out, they wouldhave access to a lot more of the‘ancient’ workings.

The ‘lunar’ landscape of the large opencast pit on Parys Mountain. Apopular location for science fiction films and programmes, like Dr. Who.

Picture: Kelvin Lake-I.A.Recordings, 2002

“Below” 2003.3 17

Washington F Pit Museum, Tyne & WearSome Facts, by Alan Vickers

This museum has been closed forabout three years and is shortly to bere-opened, although possibly not ona regular basis. Prior to re-openingsome work of renovation andimprovement is to be carried out -installation of CCTV cameras,painting of the headgear and theconversion of a toilet into onesuitable for disabled use. The museum is located in AlbanyWay, Albany, Washington, Tyne &Wear and its National GridReference is NZ 303574. The former winding engine house forthe pit together with the headgearform the museum. The buildinghouses a steam engine made in 1888by the Grange Iron Company ofGilesgate, Durham City, which waslater bought second hand andinstalled at the pit in 1903 when theengine was fitted with expansion gearfor improved economy of working.

The specifications for the windingengine are:

Horizontal twin cylinder steam engine

having four double beat drop valves(two inlet and two outlet) for eachcylinder. The valves were operatedby Gooch Link Motion.

- Cylinder diameter 30 inches.- Stroke 60 inches.- Brake horse power 500- Winding drum - parallel drum.

The shaft was sunk in about 1777and by 1778 the first coals were beingtransported to Sunderland. The shaftwas later deepened to the Huttonseam at a depth of 660 feet and lateragain deepened to the Harvey seam.

Washington F Pit winding engine house. (Alan Vickers)

When in use theengine was fittedwith a speedcontroller and asteam brake whichcould not bereleased unlessthere wassufficient steampressure availableto work the enginesafely. Thisequipment wasremoved from the

engine when the colliery closed andat the present time only thehandbrake remains.

The engine would wind up to 120tons of coal per hour from the Huttonseam. The cages originally had threedecks and held three 7 cwt (325 kg)capacity tubs or about 20 men. Latertwo deck cages were introduced.When winding coal from the lowestlevel, the Busty seam, one wind took28 seconds; men travelled moreslowly.

Washington F Pit closed as aworking colliery in 1968.

Aberllefenii SlateQuarry

Aberllefenii Slate Quarry, situatednear Corris in Mid-Wales, is due toclose in the next few months. Aplanning application was made inJuly to convert the undergroundworkings into a tourist attraction andthe old blacksmiths building into aticket office.

The dressing mill, also owned byWincilate (www.wincilate.co.uk) willcontinue to operate using slatebought from the Ffestiniog quarries.The closure of Aberllefenii draws toan end the long history ofunderground slate mining in the UK,a characteristic feature of the oncemighty Welsh slate industry. Thefew remaining slate quarries use opencast techniques rather thanunderground workings.

Ian Cooper Advert from trade literature, submitted by Alan Vickers

18 “Below” 2003.3

See page 19 for notes on this document.

A Madeley Wood Mine’s Contractors Pay Note of 1923with notes by Ivor Brown

“Below” 2003.3 19

EXTRACTS FROM “THE SOUTH STAFFS & EAST WORCS. INSTITUTION OF MINING ENGINEERS

TRANSACTIONS” 1883

19th C. Visitors to the South West Shropshire Mines, No.9Contributed by I.J.Brown

Not all proposed visits went according to plan as canbe seen with this example.

ON July 9th 1883 Members were visiting BromleyPound Pumping Engine (S.Staffs?), but the engine wasnot at its best that day, so members decided to visit thebeautiful gardens and grounds attached to Enville Hall.

The President then discussed with Members theplanned forthcoming visit to “The FisheriesExhibition”, but few expressed an interest so this wasabandoned.

Mr. Glennie, who was present, said he was able toarrange an excursion to the Snailbeach Lead Mines.“There were a great many things there of interest toMembers. There were mines of lead and zinc ores andpyrites; ore dressing machines; and the mining wascarried on with powerful drills. There were the smeltingfurnaces and a narrow gauge railway with steep

Notes by IJB1. It is now known that the Snailbeach Company was in

difficulties at this time and there had beenredundancies. It seems likely that Mr.Glennie had beeninvolved with the Company and may even have beenaffected by this - for at the next meeting the Institutepresented his wife, Mrs. Glennie, with “someglassware to take to Mr.Glennie, now working inMexico.”

gradients. The Members would be able to do thejourney in one day. He had been authorised to givethe invitation, and he was sure the Members wouldbe well treated and hospitably entertained.”

Mr. R.Latham said he had seen “the place and itwas well worthy of a visit.” Mr. Hughes said “hecould fully bear out Mr.Latham’s remarks.”

The President then moved that “the thanks of themeeting be given to Mr.Glennie for his kindinvitation”.

At the Institute’s next meeting on October 1st. 1883the Secretary read a letter to the meetingannouncing the postponement of the excursion toSnailbeach!

No record has been found of a later visit to the area.2. This Institute had its foundations in 1867 and despite

the omission in its title, always accepted Shropshiremining engineers to its membership. Its ‘visits’ werealways of interest - but as can be seen above not alwayssuccessful. The worst incident was in 1878, when two ofits members fell out of the cage, at Sandwell ParkColliery, during a visit and were killed!

Notes: on contractors pay note for week ending 12 Dec. 1923- danning, pushing trucks in the stall.- overtime, extra work!- allowances, inflation rate agreed

nationally since their contractsrates were last fixed ie: about 20%from 1918 (?)

Stoppages (shared expenses) - stores, purchases of explosives,

candles or lamp (hire) etc.- unemployment insurance.- National Insurance.- hospital - insuranceIndividual expenses:T.Brown - fares on colliery bus 1/- +3d (for colliery benevolent charity)W.Wall - bus fare 2/- + benevolent 3d+ new pick shaft 11dT.Lumley - bus fare 2/- + benevolent3d + advance loan 10/-H.Phillips - bus fare 5/- 3d +benevolent 3d.

Total stoppages for individual debts= 1.3 + 3.2 + 12.3 + 5.6 = £ 1. 2. 2d

Total earnings of stall (group) =£ 13. 10. 2d

less:-Expenses for stall (group) ie 13. 11d =

£ 12. 16. 3dExpenses for Individuals ie: £1. 2. 2 =

£ 11. 14. 1dSum of money handed over forsplitting = £ 11. 14. 1d

Individual deductions were takeninto account after this - it was also atthis point the puffler would take his‘cut’ for responsibility - perhaps 6d ?

Note: In the mid- 1950’s, when thewriter was ‘on the face’, the ‘puffler’would take the first 10 shillings whenthe breakdown was about £15 foreach team member.

Stall No.35 was worked by 4 menunder the puffler (gang boss)Thomas Brown, this writers great-uncle.Earnings - they loaded out 73 tons of

machine-undercut coal this week.- they had to ‘dent’ ie: dig out the

floor to give extra headroom, 5 yds.- stallwork - mainly setting roof

supports.- facework, presumably drilling for

blasting.- extra danning, pushing trucks or

fetching them from outside theirstall.

- turnups, presumably putting in extrarails, or moving them forward.

- packing, getting rid of wastematerial into old workings.

- swadding, removing the under-cuttings from the cutting machine.

20 “Below” 2003.3

Clay Mining in DorsetA Brief Over-view

The part of Dorset known as the Isleof Purbeck (between Wareham andSwanage) is probably best known forits stone mines, quarries and oilwells, however the area has also beenextensively worked for ball clay. Asearly as 1650 the clay from this areawas in demand for tobacco pipes, bythe 18th and 19th Centuries the claywas being exported to the Midlandsfor use by some of the major potteryfirms such as Wedgewood, Doulton& Co. and Minton’s.

The major local firms were those runby Benjamin Fayle and the PikeBrothers, they merged in the late1940’s to become Pike Brothers,Fayle & Co. Ltd. In their early yearsboth had built a number of tramwaysfrom the area around Furzebrook andNorden (between Wareham andCorfe Castle) across MiddlebereHeath to quays on Poole Harbour,from here it was shipped to theStaffordshire Potteries. In 1812, up to

20,000 tons of clay was being sentvia Liverpool to Stoke-on-Trent, by1851 this trade had risen to over69,000 tons. However, an increasingamount was being used locally in thepottery and tile firms established inthe Poole area (Carters’ famouspottery on the Quay at Poole is stillin production and has a museum withdisplays of pottery, plus areconstructed clay mine and bottlekiln). If you are in the area the routesof the tramways across MiddlebereHeath from Furzebrook can still betraced and make for interesting walks.

The clay was either worked fromopencast pits or undergroundworkings. Until recently ECC BallClays was extracting about 200,000tone per year from its pits, althoughsince its take over by the French,this has been reduced. The clay wasalso worked from drift mines, themost recent of these were at Norden(adjacent to a camp site, NGR: SY 949827) and Greenspecks Mine (this wasworked via a 22inch gauge railwayand 1 in 6 haulage incline).

Above: ‘Toll’ stone for minerals inSwanage.

Below: Route of Fayle’s tramwayacross Middlebere Heath.

Almost all of the opencast clay pitsare now abandoned and partiallyflooded. One of them “Blue Pool” atFurzebrook (NGR: SY 935 833) hasbeen opened as a tourist attraction,with woodland walks around theflooded pit and a small miningmuseum in the visitor centre - this isworth visiting, as in addition to thedisplay of old photographs andmining tools it has an interestingblack and white video made of menworking underground in Norden mine(which has recently closed).

A few local SitesNorden Mine - SY 949 827

Blue Pool, Furzebrook - SY 935 833

Fayle’s Tramway, Purbeck - SY 94848315. Route of the first platewaybuilt in Dorset, (1806 by BenjaminFayle) to carry ball clay fromFayle’s works at Norden toMiddlebere Quay (SY 9745 8655) -traces of the route includingstone sleeper blocks, cuttings,

Part of the‘Blue Pool’,Furzebrook, aformer opencastclay pit.

All pictures, thispage: Kelvin Lake-I.A.Recordings,1998.

A typical Dorset ‘nodding donkey’, at Kimmeridge, near Corfe Castle.

“Below” 2003.3 21

Clay Mining in DorsetA Brief Over-view

embankments, ‘level’ crossingsand 2 short tunnels under theWareham to Corfe Castle road(SY 9484 8315) can be found. Thekeystone of the northern tunnel isinscribed “BF 1807”, making itone of the earliest ‘railway’tunnels in the country.

Poole Pottery - SZ 0120 9035

Further ReadingA useful guide to the remains in thisarea is “Dorset’s Industrial Heritage”,by Peter Stanier, Twelveheads Press,1989.

Kelvin

Norden Mine ‘heapstead’ at top ofhaulage incline.

Norden MineAbove: Looking down towards the haulage drift from the‘heapstead’.

Left: A small Holman winch almost buried under boxesof parts and papers.

Right: Mine trolley on the track inside the ‘heapstead’

Below: Electric haulage engine and drum, with electricalswitch gear on right.

All pictures this page: Ian Cooper, 2003

22 “Below” 2003.3

Letters, News & Visits

Worth a visit (if passing)Emley Show, Wakefield

The last Show with pit ponies.Emley Show is held on the firstSaturday each August in delightfulcountryside and surrounded by oldmines. The ancient Bentley GrangeBell Pit Mounds are only a fewhundred yards away, as were theEmley, Springwood/Park MillCollieries (closed in the 1980’s/90’s).The National Mining Museum,Caphouse Colliery and the lastsurviving working colliery in theWakefield area (J.Flack’s ScissetColliery) are only a couple of milesaway.

There are classes for various types ofcattle, poultry, pigeons & cage birds,dogs, rabbits etc. goats and horses,including donkeys, show ponies,hunters, shires and working ponies,decorated horses with drays (brewersetc.) and carts. Until the 1950’s therewere “classes” for pit ponies at theseshows, but only Emley retains thisand usually one of the last British pitponies from Caphouse Colliery isbrought in. There are 4 pit ponies atCaphouse, 2 from Ellington and 2from South Wales. This year was theturn for ‘Carl’. The Caphouse ponyusually does a circuit around the bigring (there are 6 exhibition rings) togreat applause and live music from aformer colliery brass band.

The last pit ponies in Shropshirewere at Kemberton Pit, Madeley. In1922 there were 35; in 1946; 11 poniesunderground, 2 ponies and 1 horseon the surface; in 1954; 4 ponies u/g,3 horses on surface. In 1956 the last 3ponies u/g were destroyed (Sammy,Bangor and Ned). Tommy had beenkilled in 1955 when crushed betweenhis tub and a ventilation door whichhad been changed to open againsthim over a weekend, without hisknowledge. No record has beenfound of any pony coming out of thispit alive since at least 1943, whencage ‘double decking’ wasintroduced making the cage too smallto carry a full grown pony!

Ivor Brown

Tipping WagonsIn response to the V tipping wagonbeing a ‘skip’ (Cothercott article inJournal 8) I can only say that U-tipping wagons were used as skips orpossibly kibbles at the Gatton Minein the 1940’s. The Gatton mine had anadit that met the shaft a few feet fromthe surface; the headgear wheel wasabout 3 feet above ground level.

Underground the truck (or tram)would be loaded with barytes,trammed to the bottom of the shaft,which had rails going over it. Thetruck would then be pushed onto therails in the shaft and 4 chainshanging from the end of the windingrope attached to the end of each sideof the truck. The signal would begiven to wind; the top of the truckwould rise up the shaft, leaving thechassis and wheels behind. Onarrival at adit level it would be hauledseveral feet above rail level, then aset of rails on hinges with a balanceweight for ease of movement wouldbe lowered across the shaft. Anotherchassis and wheels would be runonto the rails over the shaft and thetruck top lowered and the full trucktrammed away for tipping. Thereverse would happen for sendingthe truck back into the mine. Extratrucks and bogies could of course beheld at surface and underground tospeed up operations.

I forget how the vertical shaft at theSallies mine was sunk. The electricwinder may have come from theunderground shaft at Huglith.

I think some of the shafts on ButteMontana may have used truck topsas a kibble for sinking. Many metalmines including Geevor and SouthCrofty had skips and cages. Thecages and skips could beinterchanged by disconnecting thehauling rope and pushing the skipsand cages away by compressed airrams. Many overseas mines had nosuch luxuries, planks being placedacross the shaft and a mono railswung into place.I think one colliery in the EastMidlands had container winding, a

large metal container was filled withcoal from other mine cars and thenpushed onto the cage with rams. Ipresume there was only one deck?

Lea Hall Colliery had the ‘BretbyDan’ a flat topped trolley to whichlong pipes, rails, girders etc.. couldbe placed. On arrival at the shaft theflat topped trailer (Dan) top with loadwould be slowly pushed, bycompressed air, onto the cage - themiddle deck and roof of the cagehaving being removed. The reversewould happen at the pit bottom.

Richard Haszard

Gold Mine ConversionOfficials in the state of South Dakotasay that they have resolved a keyliability issue that is blocking theconversion of the abandonedHomestake gold-mine into a deepunderground laboratory.Scientists want to convert the gold-mine, near the city of Lead, into astate-of-the-art undergroundlaboratory for studying neutrinos,rare physical processes, andgeomicrobiology. But the mine’sowner, Barrick Gold Corporation ofToronto, Canada, has refused tohand over the mine unless thecompany is indemnified againstenvironmental liability.The South Dakota state governmenthas opened offices for theHomestake Laboratory ConversionProject which it is hoped willeventually assume responsibility forthe mine. The authority plans to takeout an insurance policy on the 127year old mine, alleviating theconcerns of its current owners.However the handover will not takeplace unless the National scienceFoundation approves funding for theproject.

Nature, Vol. 424, 14th August 2003

Golden AcresAn acre of British farm land today isworth about the same number ofounzes of gold as it would have beenin 1700, ie: sound currency dependson gold!

‘Gold’, submitted by R. Haszard

“Below” 2003.3 23

e-mail: info@iarecordings.org or visit their web site at:www.iarecordings.org

Mining Videos

A Tour of Clive CopperMine, £14.95A comprehensive guided tour ofClive, with Edwin Thorpe acting the‘experienced’ expert and Kelvin Lakethe ‘novice’. The tour covers boththe upper and lower levels, plus theNorthern stope (the access to whichhas completely changed).Clive Rescue Practice, £9.95An action packed ‘head banging’record of a Club rescue practice,featuring the ‘infamous’ maypolewinze traverse!Snailbeach, £14.95The rise and fall of Snailbeach, oncerenowned as the “richest per acre ofground in Europe”, is traced in thisproduction through the use ofhistoric photographs, animated plansand sections, and uniqueunderground video footage.Glengowla, £6.95A tour around this amazing mineralrich lead mine in Ireland, completewith commentary and diagrams.

[12 mins.]

Collections from the ArchivesThe following tapes contain almostall the footage recorded at the givenmine, and are intended as a resourcebase, not a finished production:

C.15:Dudley Tunnel ’88 to ’89,£14.10C.18:Donisthorpe Colliery, £11.75C.20a:Snailbeach - Final Frontier, £9.87C.23: Bagworth Colliery, £11.75C.28: Morse’s Level, £9.87C.29: SCMC in Cornwall, £16.45C.32: SCMC in Ireland, £14.10C.37: Dudley Tunnel - Wrens Nest

East Mine, a rare trip into theworkings during stabilisationworks.£9.87

C.41: Hem Heath Winders, £9.87C.42 The SCMC at Onslow Park - a

record of the 1998 Club and Trustdisplay. £ 9.87

C.44 Nenthead Lead Mines - surface,plus Smallcleugh, Rampgill Horse,Capleclough Levels & CarrsLevel, £9.87

C.45 Twelve Mines of Ireland - madefor the first AGM of the MHSI itcontains excerts of C.32 withadded commentary. £11.75

C.46 Astley Green Colliery - shotduring the 1999 engine rally at theMuseum site (including views ofthe huge winding engine) £9.87

C.48 Draglines - features the movingof “Oddball” at St.AidansOpencast site, plus biggerdraglines at work in the NorthEast of England. £14.10

C.49 Annesley-Bentinck Colliery -tour of surface, washery & railloading bunker. £9.87

For more details about videos contact:I.A.Recordings, PO Box 476, Telford, TF8 7RH

Books, Videos and Events

all available from the Club at a discount

Collieries of North EastLancashire

By Jack Nadin, Paperback, 128pp,235mm x 165mm.

The Burnley Coalfield covers an areathrough to Blackburn and Darwen,Higham Village to the west andWorsthorne Moor to the east. Anumber of pits in the Bacup areahave also been included. FourCompanies - John Hargreaves,George Hargreaves, Brook andPickup and the Cliviger CoalCompany dominated coalmining inthe area. The book provides the storyof these pits using black and whitephotos to help describe the history.There are many surface andunderground features shown.

Price: £12.99Mike Moore

Secret UndergroundBristol

By Sally Watson, Paperback, 128pp,245mm x 185mm.

This is a new edition of this very nicebook which details a mixture of veryinteresting underground features inthe area. There are dedicatedchapters for Grottoes, Caves, HotSprings, Clifton Rocks Railway,Corsham Wartime Citadel, CombeDown Stone Mines, Bristol CoalMines, Sewers and Drains, Odditiesand legends, Medieval Cellars andConduits, the Frome and CastleMoat.

Each chapter and description offeatures is supported with a mixtureof colour and black and whitePhotos.

Tony Robinson (Time Team andBaldrick fame) provides an openingforward. In all this is a highlyinformative book produced in apleasant style which is bothentertaining and interesting.

Price £14.95Mike Moore

Relationship between Church & MinersA new video tells the story of thesometimes uneasy relationshipbetween Durham Cathedral and thecounty’s miners.

The Colliers’ Cathedral, is the last ina trilogy of mining history videosproduced by Puddle Productions ofWest Rainton, County Durham.

The Cathedral, as the mainlandowner, leased mining rights tocoal producers and was seen by

miners, with their non-conformist andsocialist beliefs, as an establishmentinstitution.

It was only following the church’sintervention in the 1896 strike onbehalf of the miners that therelationship began to ease.

The video costs £14.95 and isavailable from Durham TouristInformation Centre and the DurhamClayport Library.

Alan Vickers

24 “Below” 2003.3

Diary Dates 2003Club Officers(may change at the AGM)

4th October: Club Annual Dinner atNant Issa, Stiperstones.

3rd-5th October: Hidden Earth 2003(National caving conference), Upton-upon-Severn, Worcesterhire.

17th-19th October: 3rd Symposiumon Cave Archaeology andPalaeontology, Athens, Greece.

24th-27th October: SUICRO XIXSymposium, Shannon Key WestHotel, Rooskey, Co. Leitrim.

14th-16th November: KendalMountain Film Festival, Brewery ArtsCentre, features mountain and cavefilms. www.mountainfilm.co.uk

20041st January: Columns Open Day,Ogof Ffynnon Ddu.

26th June: Shropshire ArchaeologySociety, One day conference onIndustrial Archaeology inShropshire, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

23rd-25th July: NAMHO 2004,Coniston. Details: www.catmhs.co.uk

20055th-9th June: Centenary of flotationsymposium, Brisbane, Australia. Visitthe web site: www.ausimm.com.au

The tough dig - or how to remove theimmoveable dam ....

I don’t belie .... it’s worked !!!

We’ve tried drills, hilti caps, even SLB !- we need a Kango ...

Duh !!!

Here you go ...one Kanger ...

Catch us on the World Wide Web. Club activities & the labyrinth: http://www.shropshirecmc.org.uk/

NAMHO Rep: Steve Holding

First Aid Officer:Alan Moseley

Librarian: Alan Robinson

Conservation Office: Vacant

Bat Officer: Mike Worsfold

Rescue Officer:Neal Rushton

‘Below’ Editor: Kelvin Lake

e-mail: scmc@factree.org.uk

President: Alan Taylor

Chair: Steve Holding

Vice Chair: Eileen Bowen

Secretary: Mike Daviesscmc.secretary@factree.org.uk

Treasurer: Bob Taylor

Assistant Sec: Sue Blattner

Training Officer: Ian Davies