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Post by Wheldale on Jan 27, 2011 15:42:26 GMT -5
Does anyone know of any small mines around Barnsley/Huddersfield area that worked during the NCB/British Coal era? I know of Hayroyds, Woolley Edge and a couple at Whitley. Anyone know of anymore?
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inbye
Shotfirer.
Posts: 114
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Post by inbye on Jan 27, 2011 17:10:27 GMT -5
Good idea Wheldale, now we can stay out of bother. Couple at Whitley? I can think of six that i know the names of (sure there were many more) Whitley Temple drift, originally owned by Lepton Coal & Clay (Swift & Netherwood). Worked out in the 1960's by A.Manby. Whitley Clough, 1/4 mile further along towards Grange Moor. Don't think it quite made it as far as NCB, but must have been close. In it's day, a big drift mine employing hundreds of men. Former owners, Elliott's Collieries Ltd, same as Lepton Edge. Another old pit (some surface remains) owned by Elliott's, was Lodge Mill Colliery. If you drive into the bottom of "Whitley Willows" you can clearly see the muckstack, over towards Whitley Wood. This pit worked the pillar & stall method & comprised two shafts & a brick lined drift. All the output went via a surface tramway, across the fields, to Elliott's Bricks (still in production) at Lepton. Had steam winders & wooden headgear. Closed around 1930. Gregory Springs Drift certainly made it to NCB days. This pit was halfway between Upper Whitley & Mirfield. Joined underground to Shuttle Eye Colliery. Closed around 1973. Another NCB mine was Howroyd. The surface screens/coal hoppers are still (were?) to be seen right in the centre of Whitley, close to the Woolpack pub. Coal was hauled up to the screens via a short double tramway, from the drift mouth in the valley. This, along with two footpaths, were the only means of access. Closed in the mid sixties. (William?) Wood's Fallhouse Colliery, was in the valley between Whitley & Grange Moor, various bricked up drift mouths etc, can be seen. Let me know when you get bored....... Just thought of another, Throssle Nest pit, between the scout camp in Whitley Wood & Botany. Pillar & stall, coal was won along with a six inch layer of gannister, underneath it. Output was trammed down to Lodge Mill, to make use of thier surface tramway. Same owners, closed around 1930.
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Post by cortonwood on Sept 11, 2012 14:50:12 GMT -5
there were a lot of small mines mines around barnsley,mainly to the west.. on the top of wooley edge the brooks family had pits,long after nationalization,the aukland family had pits at high hoyland.there was guyder bottom just west of silkstone,,, wheldale,if you know david flack he'll talk to you about them all day,i know david as i worked at hayroyds,he's got plans from a lot of pits that surrounded hayroyds.. i've got a book which i borrowed from someone at hayroyds,its called the last of the dayhole miners,when i find it i'll put some info on here from it.
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Post by Wheldale on Sept 11, 2012 15:34:29 GMT -5
Hi cortonwood, I remember chatting to David Flack years ago, he was a genuinely friendly chap, like you say he loved to chat! Ive got the book you mentioned, I will have to did it out at the weekend, that books got me thinking now!
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Post by cortonwood on Sept 11, 2012 15:57:31 GMT -5
hi wheldale,,heres a couple of other pits in the barnsley district that were worked privately during the time after nationalization..
gedneys pit at Jump,i think this worked up untill the 60's?,not quite sure,but i worked with some men from jump/elsecar who would now be in their 70's and they recalled it working.
Billingley drift,which was located between the hamlet of billingley and goldthorpe.this was going in the 40'-50's,,not sure who owned this.
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