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| philfred Quote | Reply | | Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire posted on: 3/5/2005 12:30:42 PM Hello all, I am posting an extract with details of what I suspect is Woodside Colliery. The Two pits referred to are possibly the upcast and downcast shafts. "Shipley is rich in coal and iron. The former has been worked since 1775, but its presence, it is said, was known three centuries prior to that time, and as early as the year 1800 there were bloomaries or charcoal furnaces here for smelting the iron ore. ( I can remember there being a large area of willow, possibly grown to provide the raw material for charcoal or for making corves for carrying coal underground. This was between the cricket club and the reservior. I bet that as long gone now.) The collieries are the property of Mr. Mundy, There are two pits in operation, both fitted with the most improved machinery. About 1800 men and boys are employed, who turn out about 2,000 tons per day. One pit is 204 yards deep, the other 216 yards, and the following are the names of the several coal strata met with in descending :- Soft coal 1ft 6in Soft coal and smut 2ft 10in Soft coal 2ft 0in Light-coloured clay 0ft 6in Soft coal 1ft 10in Light-coloured clod 0ft 4in Soft coal 1ft 2in Top Hard coal 6ft 2in Old Greaves 3ft 0in Soft coal 1ft 6in Soft coal 0ft 9in Waterloo coal 3ft 3in Soft coal 1ft 6in Soft coal 2ft 0in Soft coal 1ft 4in Cannal 2ft 0in Soft coal 1ft 4in Coal and shale 3ft 0in Deep Soft coal 4ft 3in Black clod (clay) 4ft 9in Soft coal 0ft 9in Deep Hard coal 5ft 6in The seams worked are the Deep Hard coal and the Deep Soft coal, the former possessing a high reputation as a steam coal. Both the Great Northern and Midlands railways pass through the parish, and have stations convenient for it." The men employed hewing coal would be expected to fill off betweem 10 to 20 tons of coal per shift. This depends on the height of the coal, its hardness and the need to set supports and other factors. From the output of 2,000 tons per day around 100 to 150 men would have been hewing coal. The rest of the work force would have been carrying out work in support of the hewers. On the first edition Ordnance Survey of Shipley, a colliery,which probably worked the Top Hard seam is shown near Shipley Hall. I would suspect that this was a drift mine because of it being situated on a hill side. It is sited at at about grid ref SK440438 on the South East slope. This is not shown on later maps and may be the reason for the subsidence that resulted in Shipley Hall being demolished. I understand that the hall was demolished because of subsidence but it seems strange that other buildings in the area were not damaged by subsidence. The occupants of Shipley Hall would have been aware of the colliery location. I have found on the net information that the drift at Woodside Colliey, near the dirt hill, was down to the Top Hard seam. This was found to have been worked out using the pillar and stall method thus unable to be worked by the longwall method. Clothing and implements were found dating back to the 16th century. The implements included several fire poles which consisted of a long pole with a candle stub on one end. These were used to ignite accumulations of explosive gas (Firedamp, a mixture of methane and other gases given off from coal whilst it is being worked. The ammount given off varied from seam to seam and location,),prior to start of the coal hewing shift. Some one would light the candle stub and put the lit candle into area where gas was suspected. This person was usuall protected by wearing as much clothing as possible and it would be well wetted to minimise burning, Pillar and stall working left squares of coal behind to support the roof, size of the square being dictated by condition of the roof and experience of the workers. The longwall method is to work the coal between two or three roadways. Hand got longwall faces usually had three roadways, the central one being known as the mothergate. The oher two roadways were at either end of the face and known as tailgates. The tailgate was used for return air and supplying the face with material. The coal would come down the mothergate to the main roadway to get to the pit bottom. The air used to ventilate the face came along the mothergate. On the advance the road ways follow the faceline but on the retreat the roadways are driven out then the coal is taken by working back to the main roadway. Retreat working is the usual practice in what is left of the remaing deep coal mines. I appear to have got a little bit carried away with my ramblings but I trust they will be of interest. regards to all, Phil. |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/5/2005 1:23:03 PM by Azzabuv |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/5/2005 1:17:36 PM That's very fascinating and very interesting information, Philfred, to all ex-miners particularly. As an ex-Coppice miner, the two main coal seams which were worked were the 'Piper' and the 'Low Main', the Low Main being of better quality than the higher above and higher in height, Piper seam. A bit of Colliery light-heartedness. As a fairly new entrant, three other lads and i, Gangers, supplied material to the coal face via 3s bottom Tailgate. A new recruit joined us. We told him that the tailgate was haunted by the ghost of a miner from long ago. 'His' method of appearing consisted of sliding out feet-first, in his wellies, from the lefthand side of the small width gate. This method of operation enabled 'him' to waste no time in running towards you with arms outstretched and long fingers clutching at the air. Before our first journey of the day, one of the lads disappeared about a quarter of the way up the gate, placing two long sticks, wearing old wellies in the soft side of the gate. We set off shortly after his return down the gate in two pairs, one behind the other, ganging two waggons of supplies. The new recruit was on the lead waggon with one of the other lads for 'gaining experience' reasons. Near the designated 'ghost' spot, the other lad at the front suddenly shouted "what's that" and pointing towards the just discernable wellies sticking out of the gate's side. The new recruit shrieked at the top of his voice and rapidly disappeared down the way we had come. It actually is true, in certain situations, your feet never touch the ground, as we 3 uproariously witnessed that day. Azzabuv.  |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/6/2005 12:48:17 PM by Azzabuv |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/5/2005 2:51:19 PM Philfred. Map Ref:SK440438 S.E. slope. From my map reading measurement, the map Ref. above, places the mine across the lane from Woodside Colliery and near the field's edge and someway above the wood with the inner trail to Shipley Pond. About halfway between the wood and Ilson Rd; Was this the 2nd. mine? Is their any further clarification on this? Very interesting. Azzabuv. |
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philfred
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/7/2005 3:16:50 PM by philfred |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/6/2005 4:19:11 PM  Here goes once more now I've put me specs on. YIPPEE !!! sorted that one, the imamge is from Sheet 35 of the first edition of the one-inch Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. The date of the survey for the area is 1816. |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/8/2005 7:41:04 PM by Azzabuv |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/8/2005 7:33:06 PM The site given by the map SK numbers, was slightly below Johnson House (He's here AGAIN, Frano. Told you he must have been of some importance?) and above the markings in the field across from Woodside Colliery. The given site is very close to the start of the path coming from the Johnson House. Azzabuv. |
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RMMee
Moderator Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/12/2005 11:23:47 PM by RMMee |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/12/2005 11:21:47 PM Before Azzabuv did his latest disappearing act (he really needs to get a new computer!), he sent me this diagram to show the coal strata beneath Shipley. You can't see the detail well (sorry, because of the need to use a third-party site to host the pictures, I'm restricted to fairly small sizes), but I think you can get an idea of how the strata and the faults have affected mining in the area. 
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Peter Chamberlain
Researcher Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/13/2005 8:05:10 AM Have a miners lamp purchased for 10 shillings when the Coppice colliery closed. At that time my Cousin worked in the Lamp Cabin. |
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philfred
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Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/13/2005 4:35:13 PM Hello all, Robert, the image of the seams and faults is of interest to me. If you can spare a couple of minutes can you send me an e-mail of the orignal, pretty please. On the base about apex shift ( thats me being polite about working nights ) I,ve one or three memories of my father working at Coppice Colliery. These will be posted as a new topic when I get some timeto put them together. regards Phil. |
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RMMee
Moderator Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 3/14/2005 12:10:52 AM Phil Yes, I'll send you a copy. There's similar diagrams in the Society's History of Mining book too. |
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Jennypeg
Researcher Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 4/8/2005 8:17:11 AM Hi, I found this in the papers this week. SHIPLEY COLLIERIES. SALE BY THE TRUSTEES FOR OVER £850,000 MODERNISING A GREAT MINE RIPLEY AND HEANOR NEWS 24TH NOV 1922 One of the biggest colliery deals of recent years has just taken place in the sale of the famous Shipley Collieries, by the trustees of the Miller-Mundy estate; the sum involved being over £850,000. The position of trustees as owners and operators of industrial undertakings is full of difficulties, and yet selling interests involving very large sums is not always easy. Their acquisition and offer to investors by public issue seems to be becoming the modern solution, and it is in this manner that the Shipley deal will be effected through Messrs. Haswell, Veitch, & Co. The Shipley Collieries have earned large profits for many years. The pre-war standard is no less than £107,205, which figure has been practically the average for the last fourteen years. Even last year, in spite of the coal strike, which lasted three and a half months, profits exceeded £75,000, or at the same rate of £107,000 a year. The output of the Shipley Collieries has exceeded 11 ½ million tons in the past 13 years, but even after increasing this output, as is proposed, to a million tons a year, the life of the collieries is estimated at a minimum of 40 years. According to Sir John Fry, Bart, chairman of the company, one of the best-known colliery authorities in the North Country, the miners are to some extent accustomed to post-war conditions, and although shorter, the output approximates in many places to that of 1913. Mr Robert Clayton general manager of the Hickleton Main Collieries will become managing director of the Shipley Collieries. Under his supervision mechanical development will be brought up to date, and coal-cutting machinery introduced. The considerable capital required for this development is assured, and largely increased profits are anticipated. The public will have an opportunity of subscribing for the debenture stock and ordinary shares of the company in the course of the next few days. The audited figures will show that on past profits alone, after providing for the interest and redemption of the debenture stock, there would be over £73,000 available for dividends, reserve etc, on the £400,000 of ordinary shares, on which a dividend of 10 per cent, would require only £40,000. Jenny |
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Jennypeg
Researcher Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 4/8/2005 8:24:42 AM Sorry it should say; According to Sir John Fry, Bart, chairman of the company, one of the best-known colliery authorities in the North Country, the miners are to some extent accustomed to post-war conditions, and although the shifts are one hour shorter, Jenny |
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philfred
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Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 4/17/2005 3:06:27 PM From The Miners of Nottinghamshire Volume 1 1881 to 1914, the rates quoted are for Notts but the book says for price purposes the rate in Derbys would be the same as Notts, subject to local agreements. First rate 1888 second rate 1914, Piecework coalgetters 5s 4d(27p)/9s 10d(49p) DayPaid Coal Getters 4s 6d(23p)/7s 0d(35p) Putters/Haulage Hands 4s 0d(20p)/6s 8d(33p) Timbermen/Rippers/Stonemen/Brushers 4s 8d(23p)/7s 0d(35p) Deputies/Shotfirers 4s 5d(22p)/8s 0d(40p) General Labourers 3s 5d(17p)/5s 8-1/2d(29p) I suspect that the rates are per shift. The figure in brackets is the rate converted in to current terms. It does not seem very much for the effort put in to working underground in less than ideal conditions. Hows that azzabuv, I surprise myself with the information I've got on cd. Further on in the book is a later agreement which gives the colliers working the Top Hard at Gedling Colliery a higher rate to the rest of the county. This was because the Top Hard at Gedling Coliery was more difficult to work than the rest of the county. When I was at Ollerton Colliery the Top Hard was being worked. One of the faces, 116s, turned 27,500 tons of saleable coal in 15 cutting shifts in one week. This was taking a 6ft 6ins cut with a 22ins advance using an Anderson Boyes Double Ended Ranging Drum Shearer (DERDS). The coal used to come off the face and along the belts like a river in flood. regards Phil |
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philfred
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Shipley Colliery from Bulmer's 1895 Derbyshire
replied on: 4/17/2005 4:45:48 PM Will put a few odds and ends together and post them as a new topic. It will be next time I've a couple of days off possibly this coming Thursday/Friday if domestic duties allow sufficient time. Just a quick one, in the late 20s the haulage lads in the Sutton in Ashfield area pits went on strike because they were paid less than Erewash Valley haulage lads. It was treated as a big joke by management and colliers but after a couple of days with next to nothing moving underground the lads got parity with the Erewash Valley rate. regards Phil |
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RMMee
Moderator Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery
replied on: 4/19/2005 10:44:17 PM Courtesy of Frano.... A picture of his dad, Tom France, along with Tom's pit pony (called Jerry!!), from the Shipley Coppice Colliery. This picture is dated (we think) 1937, and shows Tom and Jerry at the Royal Windsor Show, where they were presented to King George. A rare event for a Heanor Miner and his pony, I would think. Has anyone come across any press publicity about the event - there must have been some! 
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RMMee
Moderator Quote | Reply | |
Shipley Colliery
replied on: 4/19/2005 10:45:28 PM And, coincidentally, does anyone know when the cartoon duo Tom and Jerry started? |
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Peter Chamberlain
Researcher Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 4/20/2005 9:14:20 AM by Peter Chamberlain |
Shipley Colliery
replied on: 4/20/2005 9:11:37 AM TOM AND JERRY 1st Episode "Puss Gets The Boot" 20th FEBUARY 1940. In this episode Tom was called Jasper |
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