Pits of Kent.

[John]

Betteshanger.
Chislet.
Shakspeare.
Snowdown.
Tilmanstone.

[John]

BETTESHANGER Opened 1924 Closed Aug 16th 1989.

No1 Shaft 2126ft
No2 Shaft 2426ft.

CHISLET Opened 1947 Closed 1969.

North Shaft 1470ft
South Shaft 1467ft.


COBHAM Opened 1947 closed 1953.


Snowdown. Opened Nov 19th 1912 Closed 1986.

No1 Shaft 262ft
No2 Shaft 3,083ft.
No3 Shaft 2,994ft.


TILMANSTONE. Opened March 1913. Closesd 1986.

No1 Shaft 1590 ft
No2 Shaft 3168ft.
No3 Shaft 3139ft.

[Sam from Kent]

I think you have got the date of the opening of Chislet wrong, it was in existence pre nationalisation

[John]

Jan 1, 2011 14:22:05 GMT -5 Sam from Kent said:

I think you have got the date of the opening of Chislet wrong, it was in existence pre nationalisation

Good possibility, most of this information I get when searching the net.
I've found many discrepancies, even info I obtained for the BGS I've found flawed. One instance was the thickness of the Blackshale seam in Cotgrave Collieries shafts, they sent me one foot!! Photographs taken of a development show the seam was around ten feet thick, Plus they used large ranging drum shearers in that seam, so I'm presuming someone left a zero off the information.

I'm open to correction by anyone, as I'd like all information posted as correct as possible.

[Sam from Kent]

It looks like they started boring in 1911 and coal production started in 1915

[Sam from Kent]

Shakespear Colliery never produced coal, it was on the beach between Folkestone and Dover and had many fatalities due to an inrush, so the 4 main collieries in Kent were Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone. Cobham, I believe was a small private mine near rochester which was a drift down to brown coal. As a small mine it was never nationalised and very few people were even aware of its existence

[John]

I just found this...


Accident at Shakespeare Colliery

(Details from Folkestone Herald, 13.3.1897)

The first accident in Kent that led to the loss of life took place on 6.3.1897 at 10.55 pm. A group of 14 men hit the top bed of the Lower Greensand with no indication of water ingress. A few minutes later water shot up the shaft. Six of those working climbed up the iron rings supporting the timber lining. The water rose 80 feet up the shaft and it took one month before workers could pump out the shaft and recover the bodies of those killed*. These were:

Samuel Wilmot (38), Cresswell, Derbyshire. Married. Left widow and 2 children.

Robert Reed (54), Kindsbury, Rochester. Single.

George Wigman (36), Woking, Surrey. Married. Left widow and 2 children.

Richard Brockwell (22), Craven Arms, Shropshire. Single.

Charles Bishop (28), Dover. Married. Left widow and 2 children. (His brother was one of the survivors)

George Terry (22), Dover. Single.

John Jarvis Barrs (22), Daybrook, Nottinghamshire. Single.

The eighth man is not named. All then men were engaged as sinkers.

The water was thought to be from land springs as no salt water was found in the shaft.

[John]

And some more information, amazing how much more information is available daily.



Shakespeare Colliery

Shakespeare Colliery was located at the base of Shakespeare Cliff between Dover and Folkestone, on the site of the original Channel Tunnel workings. The Kent Coal Fields Syndicate Ltd took over the Channel Tunnel workings in 1886. After much speculation (the first suggestion that there might be coal in the area was made in the 1840s), a 2 foot deep seam of coal was discovered on Saturday 15th February 1890 at a depth of 300 metres during boring operations at Shakespeare Cliff. The first shaft was begun in on 21st August 1891 and in 1897 three companies were formed to search for coal in the area. All three companies were left in financial difficulty when boreholes to the west of Dover proved unsuccessful. The Consolidated Kent Collieries Corporation was formed in July 1899 and took over the assets of the ailing companies. By 3rd February 1905, just 12 tons of coal had been brought to the surface. Efforts to work the seam were plagued by difficulties, including flooding. So much so that, by 1912, only 1,000 tons of coal had been raised. The colliery finally closed just before Christmas 1915.

A number of bores were sunk between 1905 and 1910, under the direction of Arthur Burr, to delineate the extent of the coalfield. By 1914, 40 boreholes had been dug at considerable expense to locate workable seams, the best of which were found at deep levels and averaged only just over a metre in thickness.

Coal from this field was found to be suitable for many purposes, including coking and gas production, firing steam boilers and domestic heating and cooking. Some of it, however, was soft and friable and only suited to use in coal-fired power stations.

All traces of the colliery have long since been lost - the site was at the point where the Channel Tunnel now passes under the coast and has been replaced by the modern tunnel workings. The Ordnance Survey map of East Kent published in 1931 shows the colliery at the base of the cliffs where the main-line railway emerges from the Shakespeare Tunnel to the west of Shakespeare Cliff.

I am indebted to Briony Sutcliffe for this article about an accident at Shakespeare Colliery, taken from the Folkestone Herald of 13th March 1897.

The following history is taken from "Dover, a Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress", by John Bavington Jones, published by the Dover Express in 1907.



"After some unsuccessful borings had been put down in Sussex and West Kent, Sir Edward Watkin, on behalf of the Channel Tunnel Company (whose tunnelling under the sea had been vetoed by the Board of Trade), in 1886 undertook to further test the theory of the geologists by a boring on the west side of Shakespeare Cliff, Dover. Mr. Francis Brady, the Engineer of the South-Eastern Railway, conducted operations under the geological supervision of Professor Boyd Dawkins. That boring was successful, striking coal measures in February, 1890, at a depth of 1,100 feet, and between that depth and 2.274 feet, where the boring ceased, 14 seams of coal were met with, varying from 6 inches to 4 feet, of a total thickness of 23 feet 9 inches, distributed through 1,173 feet of coal measures. This discovery was regarded as of great national importance, for, although some of the upper seams were thin and shalely, lower down the beds the beds seemed richer, the deepest seam being four feet thick"

"No attempt to make a practical use of this discovery was made until 1896, when the sinking of the Brady Pit was commenced by Mr. Francis Brady 280 feet westward of the borehole. Mr. Brady, acting on behalf of the Channel Tunnel Company, carried down that shaft 82 feet, and then, in July, 1896, the Kent Coal Syndicate, promoted by Mr. Arthur Burr, took the matter in hand, the late Mr. George F. Fry, of Dover, being the Chairman of the Syndicate, and Mr. Simpson, F.R.G.S., Managing Director.

"Water was found in great abundance in the Brady Pit, at a depth of 360 feet, which suspended operations; and, while waiting for the pumps, the second shaft, called the Simpson Pit, was commenced in the autumn of 1896, situate midway between the Brady Pit and the borehole. The Brady Pit, owing to the running sand, was eventually lost at a depth of 520 feet. The Simpson Pit (afterwards known as No. 2) was carried down to a depth of 303 feet, when an inrush of water from the greensand suddenly engulfed the men working in the bottom, and eight of them were drowned. This sad accident, which occurred on the 6th of March, 1897, caused delay, but, after pumps had been put in, sinking was resumed. As a substitute for the lost Brady Pit, another shaft was commenced over the borehole in February, 1898; and to cope with the water, at a depth of 310 feet a tunnel was driven between the two pits to form a lodgement for pumping purposes. The total water that had to be dealt with at a depth of 450 feet was 54,170 gallons per hour, of which 1,100 gallons was top water, 27,810 gallons from the greensand and Hastings beds, and 25,260 gallons came up the borehole from below 450 feet.

"With this amount of water coming in, the sinking was tedious. In the year 1899 progress became very slow, financial difficulties having intervened, but during the sinking a thick bed of ironstone was found, imparting additional value to the coal field. After re-construction of the Company, and changes in the administration, the sinking was continued, but, eventually, before the coal measures were reached, the increasing water stopped the sinking.

"The close of 1901 found the works at a standstill, and an agitation in progress, which led to the ousting of the Board of Directors and the introduction of an Anglo-French Board, who undertook to overcome the water difficulty by the adoption of the Kind-Chaudron method of sinking, which, like boring, was done from the top with the water in the pit. That, though tedious and costly, was successful. The preparations and the actual acomplishment of the work of sinking 120 feet occupied nearly two years.

"The Kind-Chaudron method carried the pit through the first seam of coal, and December, 1904, had arrived before the tubbing of the pit had been completed and sinking resumed in the bottom. The iron tubbing was carried down to a depth of 1195 feet, after which sinking was resumed in the bottom. At that stage the French element left the Board of Directors, and a new administration continued the sinking until August, 1905, when No. 2 Pit had been carried down to a depth of 1,600 feet. This sinking of 400 feet below the Kind-Chaudron tubbing passed through five of the seven 'workable' seams accounted for in the diagrams of Mr. Brady's borings. Some of them were not so thick as the boring represented, and none were regarded as satisfactory except the last, a two-foot seam, found at 1,600 feet, which was described as of 'fair marketable value.' Unfortunately, immediately after reaching that seam, water came in at a rate of 10,000 gallons an hour, which re-introduced the water difficulty, suspending the sinking in No. 2 Pit, which has not since been resumed.

"After that, the Directors turned their attention, at the close of the year 1905, to sinking No. 3 Pit, then 650 feet deep, down to the same depth as No. 2, and to equipping No. 2 Pit with permanent winding gear, intending when the two pits are down to the same depth to commence a regular output of coal, but it appears as though it will be a considerable time before that stage is reached."

[Sam from Kent]

Depth of Coal Mine Shafts in Kent
Betteshanger No. 12,162ft
Betteshanger No. 22,426ft
Chislet North1,470ft
Chislet South1,467ft
Dover 'X'520ft
Dover ‘Y’1,632ft
Dover 'Z’1,632ft
Guilford No. 1306ft
Guilford No. 21,272ft
Guilford No. 31,272ft
Snowdown No. 1262ft
Snowdown No. 23,083ft
Snowdown No. 32,994ft
Stonehall West273ft
Stonehall East273ft
Stonehall North75ft
Tilmanstone No. 11,590ft
Tilmanstone No. 23,168ft
Tilmanstone No. 33,139ft
Wingham East50ft
Wingham West150ft

There was another coal mine at Cobham near Rochester but this mined a poor quality brown lignite which outcropped at the surface in a small valley. For a number of years it had been opencasted by the landowner Lord Darnley who used it for domestic purposes at Cobham Hall. In 1947, however, an unlikely combination of a mining engineer, solicitor and cafe owner set up the Cobham (Kent) Mining Co. Ltd to mine it on a commercial scale. The mine was visited by the London Speleological Group who have left us with this record:



First load of coal wound out of Snowdown Colliery‘ . . . There are two drifts driven at right angles to the gulley. The West drift has been blocked by a fall but the other — the lifeline of the workings — is intact. This particular gallery extends for a distance of 55yds and has three working faces leading from it. The dip of the workings is 1:12 with a seam 6ft thick, no difficulty is experienced in working. At present, black lignite is being mined which resembles poor quality bituminous coal but some good bituminous coal has been found and larger strikes are expected soon. The overburden at the face is 60ft. Haulage is by tubs, one at a time, running on a single tramway and hauled by a diesel winch. Illumination is with acetylene lamps and all hewing is done by hand. Difficulty is being experienced with water which, besides flooding the workings, causes minor roof falls, made more likely by the fact that the roof is of shaly Woolwich and Reading Beds. However, the water is being kept under control with a petrol driven pump. With a working strength of 5 men, 3 at the face and 2 at the bank, the output per man per shift is 5.5 tons — 80 tons a week. The tonnage of ore available has yet to be proved but it is known that the seam extends 300yds to the East and a further seam of lignite is believed to exist 60ft below the present workings. It is proposed to drive an adit from the lower end of the gulley to the mine sump and so drain off the water. If the present labour force can be increased, an output of 150 tons a week is anticipated.'

This proposed expansion never happened since, as well as the water problems, the company was having difficulty in selling the product and encountered methane as the gallery was driven deeper into the hillside. It was eventually wound up in 1953 and the entrances were blown in. When the nearby A2 road was upgraded, the new carriageway passed over the site of the engine house and offices and little trace remains today. Opposite the Laughing Water Motel, about 100yds into the wood, a number of deep depressions exist which are the result of the collapsed workings.

[dazbt]

I never realised that the Kent pits were that sort of depth

[John]

I had to look twice myself Daz ;D

Hope you and the family had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[Sam from Kent]

Got the information from KURG but when you cut and paste it adds digits - should read:


Betteshanger No. 2,162ft
Betteshanger No. 2,426ft
Chislet North1,470ft
Chislet South1,467ft
Dover 'X'520ft
Dover ‘Y’1,632ft
Dover 'Z’1,632ft
Guilford No. 1306ft
Guilford No. 1,272ft
Guilford No. 1,272ft
Snowdown No. 1262ft
Snowdown No. 3,083ft
Snowdown No. 2,994ft
Stonehall West273ft
Stonehall East273ft
Stonehall North75ft
Tilmanstone No. 1,590ft
Tilmanstone No. 3,168ft
Tilmanstone No. 3,139ft
Wingham East50ft
Wingham West150ft


That makes more sense!!!!!

[ressoruk]

Re Chislet Colliery The first shaft sinking began in 1914 by a german companyThe Anglo-Westphalian Coal Syndicates but was interupted by The first World War. In November 1914 the name was changed to The Chislet Colliery Ltd. and the sinking resumed in 1915 The first workable coal seam was reached in 1918 The No5 seam later reclassified as the No7 seam By 1919 coal was being wound in sailable quantities. The colliery closed in July 1969. I had a book published in 1999 Hersden Chislet Colliery Village Detailing the history of the village and colliery and the Kent Coalfield

[John]

Jan 6, 2012 19:14:40 GMT -5 ressoruk said:

Re Chislet Colliery The first shaft sinking began in 1914 by a german companyThe Anglo-Westphalian Coal Syndicates but was interupted by The first World War. In November 1914 the name was changed to The Chislet Colliery Ltd. and the sinking resumed in 1915 The first workable coal seam was reached in 1918 The No5 seam later reclassified as the No7 seam By 1919 coal was being wound in sailable quantities. The colliery closed in July 1969. I had a book published in 1999 Hersden Chislet Colliery Village Detailing the history of the village and colliery and the Kent Coalfield

Any chance of more history to that colliery?? ie depth of shafts, any problems sinking them, names of seams , seams worked, method of working ie longwall, shortwall, bord and pillar etc.... Thanks.

[John]

NCB organization after "Vesting Day"

South Eastern Division.

Betteshanger Colliery.
Chislet Colliery.
Snowdown Colliery.
Waldershare Park Colliery.


Now the last one, nobody has mentioned it, what happened to it? Was it closed down by the NCB in the late 40's early 50's??

[bulwellbrian]

The 4th Kent pit was Tilmanstone. Perhaps it was an alternative legal name at vesting. The NCB only ever had the 4 collieries.

[dazbt]

Jan 7, 2012 11:44:12 GMT -5 John said:

NCB organization after "Vesting Day"

South Eastern Division.

Betteshanger Colliery.
Chislet Colliery.
Snowdown Colliery.
Waldershare Park Colliery.


Now the last one, nobody has mentioned it, what happened to it? Was it closed down by the NCB in the late 40's early 50's??

It seems that like quite a few others it never made it to Vesting;

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Coalfield

[shropshirebloke]

I can only find details of four that made it into NCB ownership:

Snowdown, Betteshanger, Chislet and Tilmanstone (commenced 1906, closed 1986).

Waldershare Park was also known as Guilford, but finally closed in 1936.

[John]

Jan 8, 2012 7:46:15 GMT -5 shropshirebloke said:

I can only find details of four that made it into NCB ownership:

Snowdown, Betteshanger, Chislet and Tilmanstone (commenced 1906, closed 1986).

Waldershare Park was also known as Guilford, but finally closed in 1936.

It's a possibility it was renamed shortly after the NCB re organization was completed.
A feller sent me the full divisional/area organization after Vesting day list a few months back.
It even cleared something up for me, what ever happened to the No2 area in the East Midlands Division. But still not sure whay they just didn't drop No7 area out and just have the six areas making Leicestershire No6 area.

[Sam from Kent]

Look at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Coalfield