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E L O W !B

Quarterly Journal of the Shropshire Caving & Mining Club Autumn Issue No: 2004.3

Library AdditionsNorth Wales Caving Club:Newsletter 291, June-July 2004 -includes item on ‘The Lower parkMine & Ogof Mwnglawdd’, ‘OgofCefn-y-Gist Survey’, ‘Aber SychnantValley Dig - breakthrough’.Stone Chat: Newsletter of NorfolkMineral & Lapidary Society. Vol. 25No.1 Autumn 2004. . Has an item onsmelting at Worksworth.Mendip Caving Group: NewslettersNo. 319 March 204, No. 320 May 2004and No. 321, June2004. Someinteresting trip reports including aseries of items on the Discovery andDigging of Caracass Cave.BCA Handbook 2004-2005, BritishCaving Association MembersHandbook- the first edition aimed atindividual and corporate members ofthis newly formed nationalorganisation.

Brickkiln Leasow PitDisasterFollowing the renovation of thegrave memorial to the 9 miners killedat this Madeley pit in 1864, theMadeley Living History Project Teamhave produced a leaflet giving detailsof the incident. Included is a copy ofthe drawing used in ‘Below!’ 99.4with acknowledgments to the Club.John Talbot has written to the‘Wellington News’ describing hisgrandmother’s version of thisincident. John is the great-great-grandson of a man named Wallett,who was present during the incidentbut survived (William Wallett wasthe banksman that day, his sonEdward was one of the victims).

Cave/Mine BlockedOn the 9th September 2004 the DCAreceived a report that large rocks hadbeen piled against the entrance gateof Devonshire Mine (or Cavern),Matlock Bath preventing access.

After making enquiries the DCA hasdiscovered that the rocks wereplaced there by persons unknownwithout the knowledge of thelandowner. The landowner hasconfirmed that she is satisfied withthe present access arrangementsthrough DCA, and is willing for thisto continue. The DCA are organisinga working party to remove the rocksfrom the site and, if possible, toprevent a recurrence.

Hopefully by the time you read thisthey will have been removed - its agood job nobody was inside!

ImportantKarabiner Recall

Wild Country Ltd have announcedthe recall of all Helium karabinerssupplied between April and July2004.

In-process testing has identified aproblem with a limited number ofkarabiners concerning the location ofthe gate on the nose of the karabinerunder load. Should this problemoccur in use the minimum breakingstrength of the karabiner would bethe “Gate Open” strength of 10kN.

The products concerned are:

Helium 10mm DYNEEMA 13cm QDHelium 10mm DYNEEMA 18cm QDHelium 10MM DYN QD 5 X 13 CMHelium CLEAN WIRE 5 PACKHelium - CLEAN WIRE - REDHelium - CLEAN WIRE Ð POLISHEDOxygen-Helium 12mm QD 10cmOxygen-Helium 12mm QD 15cm

The karabiners are marked with BatchCodes; AAA, AAB, AAC, AAD,AAE and AAF

For help with identifying the productor for further information on the recallplease contact:

Wild Country Ltd,Meverill Rd, Tideswell, nr Buxton,Derbyshire, SK17 8PY.

Or telephone: 01298 871010 toarrange return or alternativly, takethem to your nearest Wild Countrydealer.

Roof Fall - Level FawrSince the last issue of ‘Below!’ andthe report of the roof fall in LevelFawr, various members of the WelshMines Society spoke to Club andTrust Members during the OnslowPark weekend to let us know that anew pipe has been fitted through thefall by ‘interested parties’.Apparently the tube used was similarto the one at the entrance, but theycut down one side to ‘roll’ the tubetighter so it would fit through theentrance.Club members have not yet made avisit to Level Fawr to see what hasexactly been done, but if time permitsby the next issue of ‘Below!’ we willhave had chance for a visit and beable to show a few pictures.

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News Round-Up 1by Ivor Brown

Smith’s Geological MapThe rare and famous Geological Mapof Great Britain printed by WilliamSmith in 1815 has been reprinted to amanageable size by BGS. Shropshireis shown in some detail including thesites of major mines. Their positionsshow clearly the change inimportance of sites after the 1820se.g. Broseley Area, Clee Hills andShrewsbury lose out to Madeley andDonnington. Four lead mines areshown, apparently Snailbeach, Bog,Grit and Roman Gravels. It alsoshows about 50 coal mines(Coalbrookdale coalfield, south ofriver 6; north of river 10; Shrewsburycoalfield, 11 mines; Clee Hills, 11mines; Wyre Forest, 4; NorthShropshire - about 6 but some couldbe in Wales).

A Chairman’s MadeleyConnection

The grandson of Samuel Cookson(see Shropshire Mining Characters in‘Below!’ No.98.3 Autumn 1998) hasrecently been in touch with IJB.Apparently Mr. Alan Kaye ofPreston is the son of Nellie, one ofSam’s four children with his first wife.Alan knew Sam, his grandfather, verywell and himself joined the miningindustry’s manufacturer ‘Gullick’ in1970 as Finance Director. ThisCompany was taken over byDobson’s (also mining supportmanufacturers) and Alan eventuallybecame Chief Executive.

As the industry contracted so othercompanies came under their control.Dobsons then took over Fletcher-Sulciffe-Wilde (amalgamated miningcompanies) and also ‘Pitcraft’manufacturers of Barnsley. Otherfollowed; ‘Mining Supplies’ ofBarnsley, ‘Aqua Hydraulics’ ofSussex and then these merged withanother major mining company‘Dowty’. This great amalgamationbecame ‘Longwall International’ withAlan as Chairman. As British coalmining continued to contract JoyMining of USA made a successfulhostile bid for the British Companyand Alan lost his job in 1995. Now

most of the UK mining machinemanufacturing is in American hands.Quite a success story for thegrandson of a lowly Madeley miner.

Family History ExhibitionA new exhibition has been opened atthe National Coal Mining Musuem,Wakefield, all about family history. Itis based on the life of a youngShropshire lad called Alf (purelyhypothetical), who left his home nearCuckoo Oak in the 1870s, moved withhis family to Dewsbury, was involvedin an explosion, but survived. Hethen moved eastwards with the coalindustry to Castleford, where he wasinvolved in the FeatherstoneMassacre in the 1890s. Children andothers are encouraged to sort outtheir own family tree. Of specialinterest are some embossed mapsshowing the development of CuckooOak/Halesfield Colliery, 1808, 1927and 2004. There is nearly always aqueue to do a “brass rubbing” ofthese. The exhibition closesDecember 19th 2004. A 42 page bookis available to accompany theexhibition called “Routes to yourRoots”. ISBN 18729250 81 Price £3.50

Hanson ViewsHanson Aggregates have createdand opened to the public two viewpoints with paths, steps and safe,fenced - off areas containinginformation boards at their Clee HillQuarry in South Shropshire. Thispermits the viewing of the disusedIncline Quarry and active DhustoneQuarry, the Clee Hill dolerite sill,(which is designated as a geologicalSSSI( can be clearly seen. Theconstruction of the view points wasmade possible by a £45,000 grantfrom the Aggregates Levy Fund.

FoD Injury‘Old Glory’ (July 2004) reported that aminer had recently been injured by aroof fall at Monument Colliery, Forestof Dean (this is one of the tworemaining collieries in the Forest - theother is Phoenix). The local MinesInspector and the Deputy Gavellerhave been underground toinvestigate the situation.

I.A. in ShropshireConference

An ‘Industrial Archaeology inShropshire Conference’ was held atthe Shirehall, Shrewsbury, onSaturday 26th June 2004. Eight ClubMembers attended and the Club‘stand’ attracted a great deal ofinterest.

Three of the talks given were ofparticular interest to members.Barytes Mining was covered by MikeShaw, who traced the industry backto the early 1700s. Shropshireeventually became England’s largestproducer of the mineral, between themid 1850s and 1950 over 580,000 tonswere obtained.

James Lawson covered ‘LeadMining’ before about 1800. Heproduced much new information andseems to have shown that ‘RomanTools’ found were not Roman at all,but 12th/13th century. He alsodescribed the long history of theShelve Mines and of Bog andPennerley. He discussed the use ofBoulton & Watt engines and theconstruction of the drainage levels.An abbreviated version of his paper(and Mike Shaw’s) have been printedin Club Journal No.9.

Roger White described the effects ofquarrying and coal mining on theClee Hills and discussed the need formore investigatory work andpreservation activities there.

Other papers such as those on‘Charcoal Furnaces’, clay tobaccopipes and water-wheels were also ofgreat interest.

Backfilling Old MinesWrekin Construction Co. of Telfordhave been appointed the maincontractor for a £28 million scheme tostabilise four rock-salt mines atNorthwich. These mines wereabandoned about 100 years ago andtogether extend over 16 ha.

from Mining Magazine,July 2004

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West Brecon Cave Rescue Practice19th June 2004

On Saturday 19th June members ofWest Brecon Cave Rescue Teamwere joined by representatives fromthe Midlands Cave RescueOrganisation, Gloucester CaveRescue Group, and AberystwythCaving Club for West Brecon’sbiennial Mid-Wales rescue practice.

Once more vehicles invaded the quietYstwyth valley as the rescueentourage descended onCwmystwyth Lead Mine nearAberwystwyth. Although this mineacted as the destination in 2002, thisyear’s practice avoided Level Fawr toconcentrate on some of the otheradits dotted across the valley. Afteran initial briefing on some of thehazards encountered in abandonedmines, the assembled group were toldthe rescue scenario whilst the threeselected casualties debated whowould end up strapped in a stretcher,and who would get soaked in waistdeep water.

ScenarioThe story centred on a group of fourhapless explorers who’d split in twogroups to visit different areas of themine complex. The first explorersuffered a nasty fall, so sent theircompanion back to get help.Bumping into one of the other groupmember’s enroute to the localtelephone, the companion passed onnews of the incident before raisingthe rescue alarm, in the mean time thesecond person entered the mine witha basic first aid kit to offer assistanceto the casualty.

When the rescue party arrived onsite there was one person accountedfor, and three missing. Two peoplewere known to be in “Crossroads”adit, the location of the third wasunknown. Splitting into searchgroups the rescuers started to searchthe open entrances across thehillside identified as likelydestinations for the explorers. Beforelong the casualty in ‘CrossroadsAdit’ had been found at the base of apitch and preparations could be madefor their evacuation.

Elsewhere a search party in Taylor’sAdit discovered an in-situ ropedropping down an ore hopper. Aftera short period of debate and calling, amuffled groan could be heard fromthe depths below. Contact with yetanother casualty had been made.

While trying to ascertain from thevoice the cause of their accident, thein-situ rope was re-rigged andpossible problems such as a snappedrope considered. As the first memberof the rescue team prepared fordescent the message came back upthat the rope in place was too short.A quick search through equipmentbags produced an 8mm handline thatwasn’t considered suitable forabseiling, but might allow an assisteddescent if conditions werefavourable.

Cautiously the first member of theteam descended and soon passedout of sight. Ever mindful that therope was too short and obviouslydidn’t feature an end knot, the teamwere relieved to hear that it reached awooden platform about 10ft abovethe floor. Leading down from theplatform was a rather shabby ladder,which could be utilised to reach thebottom where the injured casualtylay.

Although the true extent of injuriesweren’t immediately clear, it wasobvious that the waist deep waterencountered near the entrance ofTaylor’s Adit, combined with at leasta 5 hour wait, had taken it’s toll. Thecasualty was suffering fromhypothermia and had sustained alower leg/ankle injury from theirunexpected fall. Having assessed thesituation two members of the searchteam returned to the surface to password back to the control team.

With reinforcements in tow thesearch party returned bringing asupply of equipment that sooncollected at the pitch head. Membersof the haulage team assessed thesituation and decided the best routeto lift the casualty. The hopperconsists of an obvious large hole inthe passage floor that drops at about70-80 degrees for half the way, beforechanging to a near vertical drop atthe bottom. Running along the sideof the hopper is a narrow accessroute that carries a compressor pipeto the lower levels, this was thesection rigged for descent as thelarge hopper-way is blocked near thebase and no longer connects to thelevel below. An awkward exit at thetop of the pitch guided the decision

After a ‘hard days rescue’, team members took time out to relax around aBBQ at a nearby camp site. Picture: Ian Cooper, 2004

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to haul up the main hopper-way,although as this is blocked at thebottom, the lift would need to beginin the narrow pipe channel beforetransferring to the larger hopperwhen feasible.

A forest of bolts were drilled in therock near the pitch head to provideprimary and backup anchors for themain haulage rope and lifeline. Whilepractising the cats-cradle with ropes,slings and pulleys the message wasbrought up that the casualty feltmuch better and would no longerneed a stretcher, instead his legcould be supported and he’d be liftedup directly.

Time was pressing on when thecasualty finally reached the top, so amiraculous recovery was arrangedwhen plans were being made to loadthe victim casualty on a floatingstretcher for the final paddle out. Onreaching the exit, flasks of hot drinkswere produced to accompany thereturn to daylight, and the miserableweather those on the surface hadendured all day.

After reporting back to control that

Taylor’s Adit was finished we triedto catch up on news of progress inCrossroads Adit. It transpired thatthe third missing person hadmisinterpreted the directions given tohim and had taken a wrong turningnear the entrance, on arrival near aflooded stope he suffered a lightfailure, so sat down to awaitrecovery. It seems that the initialsearch party had missed seeing thejunction just inside the entrance, andhaving found the main casualty hadlargely forgotten there was still oneperson unaccounted for. Despitebeing located within two minutes ofthe entrance it was a couple of hoursbefore the unfortunate soul wasfound again, by which point theirlamp really had run flat!

The location of the main casualty inCrossroads Adit caused slightlogistical issues as all of the in-situropes were rigged from miscellaneousuntrustworthy anchors. From thecasualty’s position at the bottom ofthe pitch there’s a 30-40ft free hangup to a narrow section of stoping,then a 45 degree angled ascent up toa ledge before being able to stepdown into a short length of passage.

All of these obstructions requiredextensive bolting, rigging andpreparation. The final riggingexercise on the first pitch occupiednearly the whole afternoon. By thetime the stretcher reached the top itwas felt that yet another miracle wascalled for. Time constrains preventedmoving the stretcher across variousobstacles to the head of the secondpitch – a simple lower ofapproximately 20ft. With time tickingon the tired rescue party startedcarrying tackle out of Crossroads asyet another rain storm dampened thespirits of those remaining on thesurface.

Before going our separate ways adebrief organised to review the day’sprogress highlighted some of thedifficulties encountered, andprovided an opportunity to discusshow procedures and equipmentmight be improved. Although manyof the group set their sights on home,a dedicated few journeyed a fewmiles up the valley to a nearby campsite to spend the evening huddledaround a BBQ trying to keep the fliesand wildlife at bay.

Ian Cooper

West Brecon Cave Rescue Practice19th June 2004, continued ...

‘Sistine Chapel of the Ice Age’A 13,000-year-old carving from“Church Hole” at Creswell Crags,Nottinghamshire has been describedas the “Sistine Chapel of the IceAge” after the discovery of 80engraved figures in its limestoneceiling.

The announcement comes a yearafter the initial discovery of 12engraved figures, which weretrumpeted as the earliest example ofprehistoric cave art in Britain.

The new discoveries were madepossible by the good natural lightnear the entrance in April and June,when archaeologists were about tomoved deeper into the cave. Theysuddenly realised that marks on therock formed the shapes of a stag,bison, deer, bears, plus two or threespecies of bird including an unusuala bird head with a long curved bill.

The artists had modified the naturalshapes in the limestone, addingmuzzles and ears here and there toproduce the animal figures.

Creswell Crags is a Site of SpecialScientific Interest and lies on theborder of Nottinghamshire andDerbyshire.

British Ice Age expert Dr Paul Bahnsaid: “The sunny morningsespecially provided an opportunityto see the cave illuminated by abrilliant reflected light, presumablyhow our Ice Age ancestors meant forthe art to be experienced.”Take a virtual tour of Creswell at:www.creswell-crags.org.uk/virtuallytheiceage/Virtual%20tour/

index.html

compiled from News ReportsJuly 2004

Mercedes BunkerA high security undergroundcomplex has been built by Daimler-Chrysler in a former Nazi-built tunnelsystem.

The system 250m below their officesat Kapfenberg, Austria, are designedto protect company records fromearthquakes, floods, hackers andterrorists (no mention of mice!).

It is fitted with blast-proof, airtightand watertight doors and consideredso secure that they are storing alltheir top secret technical plans,business data and confidentialcustomer data there.

If you are travelling round the areayou can spot this secret site as onthe surface the office block looks likea giant golf ball!

from BBC News reports

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Westcott Farm Level, Westcott1st September 2004

Entrance in cutting by road,

along rear wall of barn

1.6m high

1.3m wide

21m

1.4m high

1.4m wide

(at shoulder height)

undulating floor

run-in, with old bottles

and wire

Several lesser horseshoe

bats and guano

evidence of a spring at the end,

vein of pink baryte splits at the end290

o

Sketch of Westcott Farm Level, ShropshireSJ 4024 0125 Investigated by Club 01/09/2004

Road

Members present: Steve Holding,Andy Wood, Peter Eggleston, ChrisAndrews, Mike Worsfold, KelvinLake.

On Wednesday 1st September 2004 asmall group of Club Membersassembled at Huglith car park, beforemoving further along the road toWestcott Farm. Andy Wood hadarranged permission with thelandowner Mr. James Lawson for usto access the adit adjacent to the rearof his barn on the corner of the lanefrom Huglith to Cothercott.

Mr. Lawson kindly came out with hishedge cutters and snipped awaysome of the more troublesome Hollybranches across the entrance to theadit, before we carefully removed thestaples holding the wire mesh acrossthe entrance. Someone (probably a

passer-by) at some time inthe past has dumped bagsof old bottles in theentrance, many of which arebroken, but one or two areinteresting due to their ageand inscriptions. Care hasto be taken when crawlingover them!

Unfortunately once wegained access to the level itwas discovered that it didnot go very far, 21m to beexact! A compass sightingtaken from the far end gavea bearing of 290o. The floorwas slightly un-even, andthe level varied slightly inwidth and height, but wastypically about 1.3 to 1.4mwide and 1.5 to 2m high.

Above: View into the entrance (in March)across the bags of bottles.

Below: The adit entrance in March, showingthe posts and wire netting (a nice bat friendlysize!)

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The level had obviously followed avein of pink baryte, at the far end thisvein split into a number of smallbranches. Also at the far end, anumber of holes, worn smooth bywater, indicated where water(presumably rain-water) camethrough natural fissures into the level- during the winter the adit floodsand can overflow into Mr. Lawson’sbarn. Luckily on this occasion thelevel was dry - when inspected backin March there was a lot of waterbacked-up near the entrance.

Several Lesser Horseshoe bats (atleast 5) were observed in the adit,and at the far end piles of bat guanowere visible on the floor indicatingthat it is either a popular roost or along term one. After a quick compassand tape survey, we left, replacingthe wire netting and securing theentrance.

ThanksA special thank you to Mr. Lawsonfor allowing us access to the adit,and to Andy Wood for arranging thetrip.

Kelvin Lake

Westcott Farm Level, Westcott1st September 2004, continued ...

Above: View along Westcott Farm Adit, looking‘outbye’ from the far end, with Andy Wood crouchingabout 5m from the entrance.

Right: View looking ‘inbye’ from the position whereAndy was crouching in the top picture.

Below: Bat guano on the floor near the far end, withlarge sauce bottle for scale - they obviously like ‘spicy’midge sandwiches.Pictures: Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings

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Mine Rescue following rockfall A 64-year old man, Byron Weegefrom San Francisco, was rescued onSunday 29th August from fluorsparmine 60ft. up a cliff in the derelictRogerley Quarry near Frosterley,County Durham.

The man was one of small groupinside the mine who became trappedwhen a boulder fell onto his leg. Hewas about 200 metres along a level,which is accessed by a steel ladder,when the accident happened.

Another member of the party raisedthe alarm. Fire crews from Stanhopeand Crook were able to reached theman, removed the rocks and bringhim to the entrance, but theprecarious location made itimpossible to move him further. The Teesdale and Weardale Searchand Rescue Team was called, they

put him onto a stretcher so that arescue helicopter from RAF Boulmercould airlift him to the UniversityHospital of North Durham, where hewas treated for a suspected brokenthigh. A female member of the group wasalso taken to hospital to be treatedfor shock.

It appears that Mr. Weege was oneof three partners who own the mine -all geologists. The partners werecoming to the end of their threemonth’s work for 2004. Although notstated, I suspect that the lady whowas taken to hospital suffering fromshock was another of the partners.

Alan Vickersfrom reports in the ‘Sunderland

Echo’ and ‘Northern Echo’

Aveline’s Hole, near BurringtonCombe in the Mendip Hills has beenrevealed as the earliest scientificallydated cemetery in Britain. The age ofthe cemetery makes it an importantEuropean site.

The site contained human bonefragments (representing about 21individuals) that have now beenconfirmed to be between roughly10,200 and 10,400 years old. Thebones were originally removed fromthe cave in the early part of the 20thCentury and were held in a museumin Bristol. Unfortunately thecollection was largely destroyed in aWorld War II bombing raid.

It is only recently that scientists havereturned to the surviving bone andteeth samples to give them a properassessment using modern methods.These tests have shown that somepeople in Britain were burying theirdead in a cemetery in the earlyMesolithic period 4,000 years earlierthan had previously been thought.Late Mesolithic cemeteries have beenfound on the continent, but nonehave been recognised in Britain.

The age of the specimens means thatAveline’s Hole has now becomeinternationally significant, and willeffect the currently accepted ideasabout the organisation of society inMesolithic times.

The DiscoveryAveline’s Hole was a sealed cavethat was first recorded in 1797, whenthere were reports of between 70 and100 skeletons lying on the floor sideby side. However, by 1914, when theUniversity of Bristol SpelaeologicalSociety (UBSS) began excavating thesite, only the remains from 21individuals were found.

Early reports described a “ceremonialburial” with a skeleton on a disusedhearth, together with red ochre,animal teeth - some perforated asthough for use as a necklace oramulet - and a set of fossilammonites.

The specimens were taken to Bristol,where they were displayed on theground floor of the UBSS museum,only to suffer extensive bombdamage in November 1940. Most ofthe collection plus all the excavationrecords were destroyed. The newradiocarbon measurements wereundertaken as part of acomprehensive re-analysis of theremaining specimens in a projectheaded by Dr Rick Schulting ofQueen’s University, Belfast.

Remains were of localsThe study has established that theAveline’s Hole people came fromclose-by, based on the levels ofstrontium found in their remains andthe local environment. The analysishas also indicated that the adults inthe group, which also includedyoung children and two infants, wereonly about five feet tall and slightlybuilt.

Health ProblemsThey do not appear to have lived to aripe old age, as few molars show the

extreme wear to be expected fromelderly hunter-gatherers’ teeth.

As well as signs of osteoarthritis inan elbow, scientists have spottedlines in teeth indicating repeatedperiods of poor nutrition or chronicillness in childhood.

There is little evidence of fish intheir diet - even fresh watervarieties.

Mesolithic ConditionsDuring the early Mesolithic periodAveline’s Hole would have beenmuch further from the sea than it isnow. The ice sheets had not longretreated and although the world’soceans were rising, it is thoughtthere was still a land corridorbetween the UK and France, and thelocal people would have been ableto walk directly north, across whatis now the Bristol Channel, toWales.

compiled from BBC and otherNews reports, Spring 2004

Earliest Known British CemeteryFound on Mendip

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In the middle of the 19th Century anewspaper seems to have existedheaded ‘Shropshire News andMineral District Reporter’ which by1854 had become ‘The ShropshireNews, Wellington Advertiser andMineral District Reporter’. In 1854Mr. T.Leake of Wellington set up anew newspaper called the‘Wellington Journal’ which took overthe titles of several local newspapersincluding the ‘Mineral DistrictReporter’. By the 1890s all these hadbeen incorporated into ‘TheWellington Journal and ShrewsburyNews’ and their titles appeareddirectly under this heading.

Reporter’ or any contact between thelocal newspapers and the national‘Mining World’ other than the factthat local newspapers carried thenationals reports. But one is possiblethrough a Scotsman named WilliamChisholm.

The journal ‘Mining World’ has beendescribed as being “to the mininginvestor what the ‘Mining Journal’was to the mining engineer”. MiningWorld’s editor for 60 years (and soleowner for 40 years) was WilliamChisholm who began his working lifeon the railways in Shropshire in the1860s.

Each weekly issue of the Journalcontained some information on localmining and sometimes dedicatedseveral columns specifically to it. Forexample during the 1870s there was acolumn entitle ‘Shropshire and NorthWales Mining Intelligence’ and muchof the information was culled fromthe journal ‘Mining World’.

A copy of the “intelligence”published on the 5th June 1875 isshown on the page opposite as part13 of the ‘19th C. Visitors to theSouth West Shropshire Mines’series. It contains information on themines at Bog (two column inches),Ladywell (1 inch), Pennerley (2½inches) and South Roman Gravels (½inch).

The writer has not been able to find acopy of the ‘Mineral District

Chisholm, a Scotsman was born in1846 and joined the West MidlandRailway on leaving school. He wasposted to Bridgnorth, half waybetween the Coalbrookdale andWyre Forest Coalfields. He was thenmoved to Dudley where he studiedshorthand and through his writingsgradually became a reporter for thenew journal ‘Mining World’. Hebecame a full time reporter in 1871age 26 and must have known quite alot about the Shropshire andStaffordshire mines and newspapers.Chisholm soon became Editor ofMining World and sometime latersole proprietor (from 1894 to about1932).

After Chisholm retired (about 1932)he continued his interest in mininguntil his death in 1939. His journal,the ‘Mining World’ continued to be

A Shropshire Newspaper and the ‘Mining World’ Journalby Ivor Brown

produced until the 1960s, but fewcopies appear to have survived.Recently however a part-set wasadvertised on the internet to raisefunds for work on preserving one ofthe Cornish tin mines.

QuestionsThe above article leaves manyquestions to be answered, forexample:

Have any copies of the Shropshire‘Mineral District Reporter’survived?

Has anyone seen anything written byChisholm on Shropshire mines?

Did Chisholm arrange for theWellington newspapers toreproduce reports published onlocal mines?

Do any copies of ‘Mining World’survive in local collections (ornational)?

Answers to the editor or writer of thispiece please.

Below: Sample masthead from“The Wellington Journal andShrewsbury News”, showing the“Eddows’s Shrewsbury Journal,Shropshire News and MineralDistrict Reporter” slogan under themain heading.

“Below” 2004.3 9

SHROPSHIRE AND NORTH WALES MINING INTELLIGENCE - FROM THE MINING WORLD(WELLINGTON JOURNAL 5TH JUNE 1875)

BOG (25th May) - The 175-fm. level driving west by theside of the Whitestone loade has suddenly become hard.We have, therefore, taken the men back to the oldforebreast, where the ground at present is also hard andslow for progress. The level driving east on the southlode is worth 1 ton of lead ore per fm. ; prices for driving£5 per fm.

153-fm. level having cut the lode in the cross-cut drivingnorth at this level, we have commenced to drive east onits course, where we are opening out good ground fortribute, worth fully 1 ton lead per fm. We are pleased toreport a great improvement at this level on the main lodedriving west, which at present is worth fully 3 tons leadore per fm. ; price for driving 65s. per fm.

We have suspended driving the 100 fm. level east fromBuntin’s shaft for the present, and put the men to extendthe cross-cut north from said shaft at the 50-fm. level tointersect the lode that is now being profitably wrought inthe 50 and 32-fm. levels, and by extending this cross-cuta few fms. we expect to intersect it. Fair progress is beingmade in driving the 50-fm. level east, and the lode in theend is worth about £10 per fm. for lead and blende, set todrive at £7 per fm. The winze sinking from the 32-fm. levelis opening out good paying ground for stoping ; worthabout £20 per fm. for lead and blende, set at £9 10s. per fm.;this winze is considerably in advance of the 50-fm. levelend. Tribute department ; Our tribute pitches on the wholeare looking better ; there are set 20, varying from £6 perton for lead, and 25s. per ton for blende to 8s. per ton forlead, and 40s. per ton for blende -

W.T.HARRIS, J BARKELL.

LADYWELL (27th May) - In the 32-fm. level drivingsouth from engine shaft, the lode is 2½ ft. wide,composed of carbonate of lime, with a nearly solid ribof lead in the middle of the vein ; we have cut down inthe said level and drained all the winzes in the 16-fm.level. The water is flowing out nearly as black as ink,indicating our near approach to softer ground, and Ibelieve to the clinker-like deposits of ore, like thosedriven through and sunk upon in the before-mentioned16-fm. level. This latter level is again south into openground, the lode being charges with solid lumps of oreof a promising character. The rise in the 16, 70 south ofshaft, is in a lode worth £30 per fm. The winze belowadit near the south end of the level is going down,opening profitable ore ground. The same remarkapplies to the rise in the said level. Other points as forsome time past - A. WATERS.

PENNERLEY (25th May) - The lode in the 130-fm.level west is 1 ft. wide, of carbonate of lime, withoccassional stones of lead. In the 120-fm. level eastwe continue to drive north on the branch gone off inthat direction and are dailly expecting an importantchange. The lode in the 100-fm. level west on eastand west lode maintains its value, £20 per fm., butthe ground is somewhat harder for progress. Thestope in the back is worth £25 per fm. The 80-fm.level east on east and west ; The lode is 1 ft. wide,yielding good stones of lead, and ground favourablefor progress. No change in the cross-cut drivingsouth at this level , although the ground is nearlyspent. A few days more must decide this point. Thestopes in back of this level will average worth £25per fm. The cross-cut driving north at the 60-fm.level is making fair progress, and have about 6½ fms.to cut the lode. The stopes in bottom of this levelwill average worth £20 per fm. The 40-fm. level weston north lode is producing some good stones oflead, with a very promising appearance. The lode inthe rise in back of this level is worth £26 per fm. Thelode in the winze sinking below the 20-fm. level isworth £15 per fm. A favourable change has takenplace in the ground in the cross-cut driving south tocut the Warm Water lode. Potter’s pit : The sinkingbelow the 65-fm. level is making usual progress. The65 west ; The lode continues in the same channel ofground, and yeilding some good stones of lead.No.1 winze : Sinking below this level is a splendidcourse of ore, and never looked better than atpresent, worth fully £120 per fm. The stope in backof this level is worth £50 per fm. At the 55-fm. levelthe cross-cut to intersect the Big Ore lode is makingfair progress. The winze sinking below this level isworth £50 per fm. The 45-fm. level west : The lode is1½ ft. wide, yielding good stones of ore. Stope inback of this level is worth £25 per fm. -

W.T.HARRIS, J.DELBRIDGE

SOUTH ROMAN GRAVELS (26th May) - Shelfieldengine shaft : The branch of carbonate of limereferred to in last report has crossed the shaft andhas formed itself upon the main lode. There is astrong rider of ground in present bottom, which hasgreatly retarded progress in sinking during the lastfew days, but I believe this change which hasfollowed the branch referred to is only temporary.The shaft is down 11 fms.

J.W.POWNING.

This was an example of a weekly series of reports reproduced in the Wellington Journal Newspaper during the 19thCentury.

19th C. Visitors to the South West Shropshire Mines, No.13Contributed by I.J.Brown

10 “Below” 2004.3

Following on from the notes in theSpring issue of Below – 2004.1, testpumping at a rate of 50 l/s wasundertaken at the former HordenColliery shaft in February/March ofthis year. The Coal Authority saythat the ‘layering’ of minewaterquality within the mine workingsmeans that during minewaterrecovery the poorer qualityminewaters having high iron andvery high salinity remain at depth.

The groundwater in the Permianaquifer is at a higher level than theminewater, consequently as long asthis is the case the flow is from thePermian into the minewater. It isplanned to maintain the minewaterlevels at just below the water levelsin the Permian aquifer in the longterm.

The upper minewater in the mineshafts adjacent to the Permian aquiferhave little contamination because thewaters in these shallow zones arelargely derived from the Permian.The test pumping demonstrated thatit was possible to pump the shallow,less contaminated minewater, withoutsignificantly disturbing the deeperhigh chloride water.

Temporary pumping has commencedat Horden in recent weeks. This is ashort-term arrangement to preventpollution of the Permian aquiferwhilst the long term solution for thewhole of East Durham is determined.

Water TreatmentThe pumped minewater is beingtreated in a plant designed tochemically treat iron-laden minewaterflows of up to 150 l/s using theaddition of caustic soda for pHcontrol. The plant consists ofelectrically driven pumps, dosing andcontrol equipment and sludgehandling equipment. The treatedminewater is then discharged to seavia a short outfall pipe. The pumpingis being successful in lowering theminewater levels in the Horden,Easington, and Dawdon areas, fromwhich areas Northumbrian WaterLimited currently abstract

East Durham Minewater Updateby Alan Vickers

considerable quantities of water fromthe overlying Permian aquifer fordomestic supply, and to a lesserdegree in the Hawthorn area slightlyfurther inland.

Pumping at several of the minewaterpumping stations listed on page 6 ofthe ‘Below’ article has ceased, eithertemporarily or permanently, furtherinformation on the Coal Authority’slong term plans can be found byfollowing the minewater links on theirwebsite.

Pumping StoppedOne of the pumping stations that hasceased pumping is ‘Lumley 6th’ whichdischarged into Lumley Park Burn – atributary of the River Wear. Thispumping station is actually located atNew Lambton and was at one timeused for salt extraction. This wasreferred to in the article ‘SaltExtraction at Two County DurhamPits’ in the Winter issue of ‘Below!’– 2000.4.

Lumley Park Burn joins the RiverWear only a short distancedownstream from NorthumbrianWater Limited’s abstraction point fortheir Lumley Treatment Works whichprovides domestic water supplies forabout one-fifth of the population ofSunderland. The burn and itstributaries have suffered very badlyover the years as a result ofminewater pumping, which can betraced back to about 1676. Furtherinformation on this can be found at:www.igreens.org.uk/

lumley_park_burn.htm

The tests at Horden demonstratedthat there is good undergroundhydraulic connection between theworkings of the coastal pits therebyallowing pumping to be carried out ateither Dawdon, Easington or Hordenshafts. The Coal Authority believethat the relatively small abstractionrate required to control minewaterlevels infers that at the present timethere is not a significantunderground minewater flow from theworkings of the inland collieries ofthe former Durham coalfield. If this

flow does not reach the coast thenadditional inland pumping may berequired by restarting one of the oldpumping stations that has ceasedpumping or elsewhere if the oldpumping station does not respondwell during pumping trials.Chatershaugh pumping stationdischarging direct into the RiverWear is one possibility for this.

The minewater levels in the workingsof the former Westoe andWearmouth Collieries are said by theCoal Authority to be recoveringslowly and are at a depth of between180 and 230 metres below groundlevel. Pumping will be required inthis block within the next ten years inorder to prevent the contamination ofthe Permian aquifer under theSunderland area.

The situation regarding theminewater levels in the workings ofthe former Silksworth Colliery is moreuncertain. This colliery had no‘direct connections’ with anyadjacent colliery, however there weretwo ‘indirect connections’ whereSilksworth workings underlay earlierworkings at Herrington andWearmouth Collieries. The CoalAuthority is to install monitoringboreholes in the Silksworth workingsduring the current financial year.

SummaryThe whole issue of undergroundminewater is an extremelycomplicated one and whilst thesenotes, together with the previousarticle in ‘Below’ have referred to theproblems in the former Durhamcoalfield, the Coal Authority statethat the interconnectivity of largeareas of mining in the Durham andNorthumberland coalfield means thatthey have to try and make a delicatebalance to prevent surface minewaterdischarges or contamination ofaquifers. There is direct hydraulicconnection all the way from Blyth inthe north to Blackhall in the south.To control the recovery over all thisarea will probably require severallong term pumping stations.

“Below” 2004.3 11

WELLINGTON JOURNAL AND SHREWSBURY NEWS 1899

FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENTAT -WROCKWARDINE WOOD.

Yesterday a sad fatality occurred at the Lilleshall Company’sGranville Pits (Donnington Wood Colliery) near St.George’s. It appears that a man named John Fenn hadbeen engaged in “ ripping the brow” in the top coal seam,and had nearly built up the “cog,” when a large lump ofroof from between two unperceived slips fell on him andkilled him. No blame is attached to anyone, as the placewas closely timbered. Work in the seam at once ceased, andthe body was conveyed home. Deceased was an efficientworkman, and was well respected by his employers andfellow-workmen.

24th June 1899

THE FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENTAT WROCKWARDINE WOOD.

On Saturday an inquest was held at the White horse Inn,Wrockwardine Wood, before Mr. J. W. Littlewood (deputycoroner) on the body of John Fenn (49), a collier, who,as stated in the Journal last week, was killed whileperforming his duties at the Lilleshall Company’s GranvillePits, near St. George’s. Mr. W. N. Atkinson (Her Majesty’sinspector of mines) was in attendance.

Stephen Cooper, a collier, living at Trench Lane, said hewas working with the deceased on the previous day at No.1 pit, in the top coal seam. They were engaged that daybreaking stone, when a lump of shale fell from the roofon Fenn, and forced him to the ground on his face. Thedeceased cried for help. Henry Fox, Isaac Jervis, andwitness went to his assistance, but before they could getthe stone and rubbish off the deceased he was dead. Theygot him up at once and removed him home.

By the Inspector: They were building a pack wall alongsidethe road. Witness was working on the opposite side to thedeceased. After the accident witness saw a slip, and the fallcame off very suddenly; there were two props there, andthe fall was between the props, which would be about 3ft.6in, apart. So far as witness could see there was no danger.Witness would have worked just as the deceased did.Witness saw the deceased examine the roof the same day.No shots had been fired that morning. There was plentyof timber there if the deceased had wanted it. Witness saidhe thought the stone fell quite accidentally and withoutany warning.

Henry Fox, a collier, living at Wrockwardine Wood, saidhe was working near to the deceased, but did not see anydanger or signs that a fall was likely to occur. Witness didnot think anyone was to blame for what occurred. By the

Inspector: When they got deceased out witness sawtwo slips, which could not have been seen before.Witness did not think there was any neglect orcarelessness on anyone’s part; what occurred was a pureaccident. Isaac Jervis gave corroborative evidence, andthe jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death.”

The funeral took place on Tuesday at WrockwardineWood Church. Deceased’s fellow work men showedtheir great respect and regard by attending in largenumbers. They were accompanied by 20 brethren of the“Lily of the Valley” Lodge of Oddfellows, of whichdeceased had been a member for many years, andbesides these a numerous company of friends andneighbours joined the cortege. All along the route ofthe procession the road was lined by people, while theblinds of the houses were drawn.

The service was conducted by the rector, the Rev. T.Rogerson, and his curate, the Rev. A. New. The Rectordelivered a short address, in which he referred to thesudden manner in which deceased had been cut offfrom his wife, children, and friends, and impressedupon those present the duty of being ready. Thecustomary service of the Oddfellows was then effectivelyread by P.P.G.M. Richard Brothwood, at the close ofwhich the brethren cast their sprig of thyme on thecoffin and shook hands over it, closing the solemnceremony by singing a hymn. There was a number ofbeautiful wreaths contributed by relatives and friends.

1st July 1899

FATAL ACCIDENT AT MINSTERLEY.A MINER KILLED.

On Wednesday, at noon, a miner named RichardCrowther left his comrades in the Snailbeach LeadMines for the purpose of coming up to attend thefuneral of a former workman at the mines. In doing sothe poor fellow met with a dreadful accident, for shortlyafterwards his body was found dreadfully crushed notfar from the cage. No one was with him when theaccident happened, but it is supposed by some meansthe man must have been dragged under the cage whileit was in motion, and thus got crushed to death.Deceased was chief pitman of the miners, and hadworked at Snailbeach many years. Great sympathy is feltwith Mrs. Crowther and the family, who are muchrespected in the neighbourhood.

30th September 1899

What the Papers Were SayingSubmitted by Steve Dewhirst

12 “Below” 2004.3

The Madeley Court Colliery, Madeley, Shropshire, Part 1by Ivor Brown

This was a ‘colliery’ in a trueShropshire fashion - one mine withone mine manager, but with a numberof operational pits, usually selfcontained, each producing coal andor ironstone under the control of acontractor or chartermaster. TheMadeley Court Colliery had 7 pitsunder chartermasters (Hopleys,Guys, Guests etc.) with a total of 17shafts.

The following notes are based on apaper published in 1970 by the writer.Little further research appears tohave been done since then, butadditional material has been addedwhen this could be verified. A smallbooklet has been published by TonyMugridge which, using the 1970notes as a basis, has added materialfrom the memory of old miners andpersonal observation. the bookletdoes not give the source of theadditional material so it cannot bechecked and is not added to thesenotes.

From 1705, with the break-up of theMadeley manorial estate, all theminerals within a radius of 500 yardsof the old Court House were sold, butremained unworked until they weretaken over by James Foster. Hepurchased the property on 25thMarch 1828 for these minerals, coal,ironstone, fireclay, brickclay andsand, and shortly after 1840, hecommenced their working.

At first he transported them via theadjoining canal to his furnaces atWombridge. However, followingcomplaints to the canal companyconcerning its charges and the lowpower of the inclined-plane enginesat Stirchley, Foster decided totransfer his furnaces to the Madeleysite.

The furnaces were transferred in1843, continued in blast until 1902and were dismantled in 1904.

Fosters operations formed almost anisland within the Madeley WoodCompany’s ‘take’ (see figure 1) butan additional spur of mineral area was

obtained near Halesfield Pit later inthe 1800s. The old Court House itselfsuffered badly from underminingduring the 70 year working period ofthe Court Company’s pits, beforethey were closed in the early 20thcentury.

The 1848 Report of Commissionerson ‘The State of the Population in theMining Districts’ indicated that “Mr.Pearce, the manager of Mr. Forsters(sic) Works, Madeley Court”employed about 800 people, but thismay also have included his otherolder works such as Jackfield andBroseley.

By 1851 Bagshaws Directory showsthat, in Madeley, James Fosteremployed 500 but how many were inthe mines and in the works separatelyis not known. There was however aseparate Furnace Manager and aMines Manager. It is known that in1894, well past the boom years ofabout 1870, there were 252 minersemployed at the four Court Pits thenin operation.

The 1848 Report seems to show thatFoster was quite a paternal employer,he built houses in Aqueduct Village,including the ‘Foster Row’ for his

workers and provided them with anAnglican Mission Church in 1851. Inhis evidence to the Commissioners,Charles Pearce, the manager said hebelieved that “in consequence of thefair and proper treatment” hisworkers received “and of the comfortof their dwellings, of the absence ofall attempts at making deductionsfrom their wages in the form of truck,and of obliging them to spend moneyin public houses and of otherfavourable circumstances of theneighbourhood, the colliers andminers of this district were usuallycontent to work for 10 to 20% lesswages than in South Staffordshire”.

It has been shown by MarilynHigson, however, that many ofFosters workers must have livedoutside the Aqueduct since in thepeak period the 1871 census showsthat of the 98 employed personsliving in that village only 27 wereclassed as mineworkers and 35 asironworkers.

The Madeley Tithe Map of 1849shows that at least six shafts (3‘pits’) were being worked, Nos. 2 and3, and Nos. 7 and 8, near theironworks, and Nos. 5 and 6 at theSouth-western extremity of the site

Woodhouse

Stafford

DAWLEYSHIFNAL

IRONBRIDGE

BROSELEY

MADELEY

Eas

tern

Lim

itof

Pro

ved

Coa

lfiel

d

Lim

esto

neFau

lt

Kemberton

Halesfield

Key

Madeley CourtCompany ‘take’ =

Madeley WoodCompany ‘take’

=

Approximate Area of ‘takes’ of MadeleyCourt & Madeley Wood Companies(based on Regional Survey Report, HMSO 1945)

1in = 1 mile

Figure 1

“Below” 2004.3 13

(see figure 2). Number 5 and 6 seemto be connected to the furnaces by atramway which runs along the north-west side of the site and between theCourt House and the Farm, but ashorter “tramway” appears to beunder construction on the South-west side. This is later shown on theOS Maps. Pits 2 and 3, and 7 and 8are connected directly to the worksand to a ‘basin’ on the canal at thefoot of the Stirchley Inclined Plane.Canal traffic however, ceased soonafterwards and the bulk of the outputwas used on site.

In about 1860, the Coalport BranchRailway Line was constructedthrough the mining area almost at thelevel of the top of the tips, but therewas no rail connection to this fromthe Court Works as the Works werealready connected to the Madeley-Lightmoor Branch of the Shrewsburyand Birmingham Railways opened in1854. Its station and siding were onthe northern boundary of the site.

The 1891 Inspector of Mines reportgives some interesting informationregarding the pits then at work.Under the name ‘Madeley CourtColliery’, manager W.J.Clarke’, therewere 4 pits see Table 1.

The pits worked in pairs (except No.1the Water Pit and No. 4 a trial) andwere numbered chronologically andconsecutively from 1 to 17. Theactual dates of sinking are not knownexcept for No.12 which was almostcertainly sunk in 1872. Nos. 2 and 3, 7and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12, and 16 and17, were the chief producers. ThePennystone ironstone workings at

Name Seam Shaft depths No. of Splits Length of Sectional Quantity Modeof pit worked Down Up dias. or currents currents area of of air of

cast cast airways (cu ft./min.) ventilation7 & 8 Best Coal 706 ft. 709 ft. 8ft. 8ft. 1 1166 yd. 15sq.ft. 1877 Furnace

1 472 yd. 20 sq.ft. 46019 & 10 Little Flint Coal 696ft. 696ft. 8ft. 8ft. 1 1738 yd. 20 sq.ft. 3435 Furnace11 & 12 Double Coal 503 ft. 503ft. 7½ft.8ft. 1 913 yd. 20 sq.ft. 2856 Furnace16 & 17 Pennystone 867ft. 867ft. 8ft. 8ft. 1 2332 yd. 36 sq.ft. 7135 Furnace

Ironstone 1 583 yd. 36 sq.ft. 4318

}

}

The Madeley Court Colliery, Madeley, Shropshire, Part 1by Ivor Brown, continued ...

shafts Nos. 2 and 3, 7 and 8, and 16and 17 were abandoned in 1903, whileall shafts Nos. 1 - 15 were officiallyabandoned for coal working in 1911,although many had ceased workinglong before this. Nos. 7 and 8 werethe last shafts worked, and fromthese the shaft pillars supporting thefurnaces were extracted between 1904and 1910. The pumping shaft andNos. 16 and 17 continued in usehowever, operated by the MadeleyWood Company, until about 1914under the management of HalesfieldPit.

For some years there was a disputebetween the Madeley Court and theMadeley Wood Companies regardingthe responsibility for drainage. From1893 the latter company contributedtowards the former’s drainage costsand from about 1910 took over theresponsibility completely. In 1916 the

Madeley Wood Company also leasedan area of Flint Coal around Nos. 16and 17 shafts at £60 per acre, butvery little was actually extracted.

The closing years of the colliery isshown very clearly in the statisticsgiven in the annual List of Mines -see Table 2, where selected yearshave been given, showing thenumber employed underground andon the surface.

The 1912 report says that workingceased in July 1912 and thatabandonment plans were sent inDecember 1912. W.Snowdon was themanager at this time. There is nomention of the Madeley CourtCompany pits in 1913.

More details of the individual pitswill be given in Part 2 in the nextissue of ‘Below!’.

Table 1: Madeley Court Colliery ‘pits’ from the 1891 Inspector of Mines Report

N

ToD

awley

Station

GWR MADELEY BRANCH

Furnaces

Cartbridge

CUCKOOOAK

To

Brid

gnorth

MADELEY

Court

St.

Gyp

syLa

ne

Coalp

ort

Bra

nch

LM

SR

Canal

Basin

Basin

New Hales

Old Hales(Madeley

Wood Co.)

ToIro

nbridge

House

Farm

NEW

TRAM

WAY

OLD

TRAMW

AY

COURT

COLLIERY

4

56

11

12 910

13

14 1.

72

3

15

1716

8

Figure 2

14 “Below” 2004.3

Pits 1894 1896 1905 1908 1910 19112 & 3 - - 18/5 24/7 31/7 25/103 & 8 54/11 47/11 16/22 19/6 14/169 & 10 35/4 closed July ‘94 - -11 & 12 34/12 34/12 - - - -16 & 17 66/36 65/38 - - - -

Totals 189/63 146/61 34/27 43/13 45/23 25/10

252 207 61 56 68 35

}

The Madeley Court Colliery, Madeley, Shropshire, Part 1by Ivor Brown, continued ...

Table 2: Statistics from the Annual List of MinesFootnotePhotographs of the operations atMadeley Court Colliery are shown in“The East Shropshire Coalfields” byIvor J.Brown, page 61.

(selected years given only, number employed underground/surface)

Below: Part of ‘Fosters Row’, builtfor the Madeley Court workers,probably in the early 1840s. The rowwas built as blocks of 4 houses,(each house being ‘2 up-2 down’),the surviving ones are numbered 26to 49 Aqueduct Road (one and a ‘bit’blocks were demolished to makethe Britannia Inn car park).

Other rows ofhouses inAqueduct werebuilt later, andwere not asluxurious asthese.

No.1 Aqueduct Road, Aqueduct.

Built by Mr. Foster for the manager ofthe Madeley Court Ironworks.

Pictures: Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings,September 2004.

ThanksTo Neil Clarke for information about‘Fosters’ Row and other dwellings inAqueduct.

“Below” 2004.3 15

The Madeley Court Colliery, Madeley, Shropshire, Part 1by Ivor Brown, continued ...

Madeley Court Mineral Royalty and ShaftLocations and Tips in 1882Based on the 1882 OS Map with additions by I.J.Brown

Figure 3

16 “Below” 2004.3

The last mineral mine to be worked inthe Lake District is to be reopenedto visitors for a limited number ofdays a year following restoration bythe National Trust (this year theyopened twice).

The processing mill and its uniquecollection of machinery at Force Cragis located at the head of the ColedaleValley where the collection of brickand corrugated tin buildings standtestament to a past hive of industrialactivity.

The most productive period at ForceCrag was during the Second WorldWar when baryte was used formunitions. The mine finally ceasedproduction in 1992. The site was lastvisited by Club members in 1989during NAMHO ‘89 when they wereable to explore underground andsurface features - the mill wasparticularly interesting with flotationtanks and small scale processingequipment. Signs in 1989 indicatedthat the site even back then was inthe ‘care’ of the National Trust.

Earlier this year the National Trustemployed specialist contractors whopieced back the jumble of millmachinery which had been partlystripped out.

Force Crag Re-opens(ish)

Force CragMine, July1989

The wholecomplex wasdesigned tobe ‘gravity fed’

Right: Inside theadit entrance.

Left: Club member Chris Lewis climbing one of the minersladders.

Below: An excited Mike Moore heads for the exit, passed one of themany mine trucks seen on the trip

Left: The ‘new’ aditdriven through loosespoil. The shed bythe entrance carrieda National Trust sign.

“Below” 2004.3 17

Above: NAMHO visitors milling about, outside the mill.

Below: A hirsute Mr.Thorpe investigates a chainconveyor in the mill.

Right: Some of our top people are looking in to it - in thiscase a filter in the final stages of the process.

Pictures: Peter Eggleston - I.A.Recordings, 1989

Below: The rotating filtersVisitors can access the buildings throughpre-booked guided tours on five opendays each year, plus guided visits forspecialist interest groups - perhaps weshould sign up for one of these.

Further information is available bytelephoning: 01539 435599

Force Crag Re-opens(ish)continued ...

Left: Home-made scoops for delivering measuredamounts of chemicals to the flotation tanks.

News item from ‘Old Glory’ (Oct.04)Submitted by Ian Cooper

with additions by Peter Eggleston

18 “Below” 2004.3

Turkish Mine Fire

Chinese mine explosion kills Ten

Update on Irish Minesby Ivor Brown

Having missed the NAMHO IrishMines trip last year, and severalorganised trips before this, I have atlong last been able to take a breakand visit the sites of the metal minesthat I have been following in themining press for the last few decades.

Brief details of my findings are givenbelow:

Older mine sites visited includedGlendalough (interesting remains,tourist area), Bunmahon-CopperCoast (fine engine houses and smallmuseum), Allihies (dramatic enginehouses and scenery). Also visitedwere the Castlecomer Coal workings(not much found), Liscannor QuarryStone Museum and shop, AillweeCave (educational, but not many“pretties” to see) and the Bru Na

Boinne Passage Tombs (amazing newtourist attraction).

The visit was sunny throughout (TheClub/I.A. video seems to show rain atevery site !!). It shows that you canbe lucky sometimes!. Unfortunately Iwas unable to get down any of the“new show-mines” at Glengowla,Shallee and Arigna (Colliery) -perhaps next time!

Mine Minerals Date Date CommentProduced opened closed

1. Tynagh Pb, Zn, Cu, Ag 1965 1980 Gas-fuelled power station being built on site.

2. Gortdrum Cu, Hg (Mercury) 1967 1975 Now mainly a landfill site.

3. Silvermines Zn, Pb 1968 1982 Some quarrying for stone, some buildingsremain, older ones preserved.Closed Shallee Mine nearby.

4. Avoca Cu 1970 1982 Derelict site, some older buildings present.

5. Tara Zn, Pb, Ag 1977 Working Large operation, about 700 employed.

6. Galmoy Zn, Pb 1997 Working Medium operation, about 100 employees(contractors at present on strike).

7. Lisheen Zn, Pb 1999 Working Medium operation, about 350 employees.(Lisheen adjoins an old peat working operation, still using narrow gauge railway with locos).

8. The Ballynoe Barytes Mine 1963 1993 Open pit, but underground from the 1980s,has some buildings and small industries.

on Friday 6th August. Rescue teamshave still not identified the cause ofthe explosion.

Thousand of miners are killed inChina every year despite repeatedgovernment promises to promotesafety. At least 32 people were killedin a coal mine explosion inHeilongjiang province in north-

Ten miners were killed and fiveothers trapped after a gas explosionin a mine in northern China. The deadand injured were among 99 minersworking underground in theXiaowangou coal mine in Hejin Cityin Shanxi province.

Five trapped workers were rescuedafter the blast, which happened early

The survivors had moved deeper intothe mine in their attempts to find asafe refuge, but managed to maintainradio contact to the surface. Fanswere eventually used to disspersethe smoke and extra air was pumpedinto the mine.

News reports, 8th Sept. 2004

eastern China in February. Officialstatistics say that more than 7,000coal miners were killed in gasexplosions, cave-ins and otheraccidents in China in the first 10months of last year.

Chinese State News Agency7th August 2004

At least nineteen miners have died,with 17 injured, in a fire in a coppermine near the town of Kure, 300km(185 miles) north of the Turkishcapital, Ankara. .

The fire and subsequent explosioncaused the mine entrance to collapse.

The fire is thought to have startedduring welding work in the tunnel,150m below the surface. It wasextinguished after four hours andrescuers using breathing apparatusgas masks were hampered in theirsearch for trapped men by thicksmoke.

“Below” 2004.3 19

Dean Corner - a mysteryby Steve Dewhirst

Pond Bay

Pond Bay

Pond Bay

ConeyburyFarm

FollyFarm

Cemy

Hosp Sch

BROSELEY

TheDeerleap

OldparkFarm

Shafts(dis)

Benthall

Lodge

Lane

WilleyparkWood

LodgeFarm Big Lodge

Coppice

ChubbsCoppice

FurnaceCoppice

Willey FurnaceCottages

JubileeCottage

Deancorner

Shaft

TheDungegrove

The Dunge

The DungeFarm

Location of Deancorner, Broseleyand the ‘mystery’ shaft cap

The Dean

During the past year a ‘beehive’shaft cap at Deancorner, Broseley,(see the map below) was brought tomy attention. Over the years quite afew such shaft caps have been seenaround the Broseley area. Whenphotographing this one it wasdiscovered that it had been cementrendered - on the inside!

So here lies the mystery, how do youmanage to build a shaft cap andrender the inside?

Mine BackgroundThe Victoria County History recordsthat in 1758 John Bell and JohnThursfield leased the coal at DeanCorner from George Forester whichconfirms the presence of the coalmeasures here.

The shaft in question appears muchnewer than 1758 but there are shaftsand mounds (bell pits?) in the nearbywoods, so Bell and Thursfield couldhave been working there. Half a milenorth of Deancorner was the Deer-leap/ Lodge Lane opencast whichworked from the 1950s to 1980s.

Right: View of the broken‘shaft cap’

Below: Views inside the‘shaft cap’, showingrendered upper section.

Pictures: Steve Dewhirst

Idle SpeculationIs seems odd to render the inside ofthe cap, what would it achieve?However, in a recent copy ofDescent (178, June/July 2004) therewas an item about the discovery atLime Kiln Mine by Len Kirkham of a250 year old powder store. Thephotograph in Descent shows a

stone built building with a ‘beehive’top, but it could easily have beenbrick (it may have looked like thesmall shelter in Jackfield in thepicture below). If it was partly buriedso only the top section was visible itcould easily appear like a shaft cap -a powder store would need to bewater proof, so might be render

inside.

The only way to checkif this is a possibilitywould be to carry out alittle excavation - thereshould be a doorwaysomewhere!

Kelvin

Brick shelter in Jackfield, 2003.Picture: Steve Dewhirst

20 “Below” 2004.3

The County Court, Madeley, Shropshire - its mining connectionby Ivor Brown

There are two “Court Houses” inMadeley, both having strong miningconnections. The ‘old Court House,now a hotel, but in the late 19thCentury the centre for the MadeleyCourt mining operations and home ofthe managers until 1909, and the‘County’ Court House. They are verydifferent, the old manorial CourtHouse, which has parts dating to the13th Century still stands isolatedamong the now wooded pit-wastetips, but the County Court house waspurpose built on the High Street inMadeley in 1858 to a classic Grecianstyle. This latter building is one ofonly two such buildings inShropshire (the other is inShrewsbury) built for sorting outlegally financial disputes before ajudge. Being in the centre of aCoalfield it was much used, as seenbelow, for mining and associateddisputes.

According to Directories this neatlittle County Court House wasdesigned by a Mr. Reeves of Londonto house a court previously held formany years “in the Club Room of theRoyal Oak Inn” (see the map on page15 for the location of the CountyCourt). It “consisted of a large andlofty Court room, registrar andbailiffs’ offices, judges retiring room

and a dwelling house for the CourtKeeper”.

Two typical cases heard a centuryago are as follows:

1. Family named Dann (carters) vMadeley Court Company, beforeJudge Harris Lea, March 1904.

The family named Dann* had formany years carted the pig ironfrom Madeley Court Furnaces(which used local ironstone) tothe nearby Court Station Yard onthe basis that they would beemployed eventually to cart itfrom the stocking area to asuitable train. For this they wouldbe paid at a price of one pennyand three farthings for each ton.

When the Furnaces closed andeverything was sold up in about1902 the new owners employedothers to load up the remainingstock of pig iron so William Danndid not get paid. Dann thenclaimed for the work he hadalready done under the earlieragreement, that of taking the1,559 tons of pig iron to stack onthe understanding that he wouldbe paid for loading it. He claimed,about £11 6s for the 1557 tons of

pig iron involved, off W.H.Fosterof the Court Company. CharlesWorth Pearce, who said he hadbeen General Manager for theCompany since 1863, was calledto give evidence. He admittedthat Dann and his parents hadworked on the arrangementdescribed during his time and theJudge awarded Dann £8.10.3(presumably reduced because hehad not done the final loading).

2. John Griffiths, miner v LilleshallCompany, before Judge HarrisLea, July 1904. John Griffiths suedthe Company for a fortnightswages as he considered he hadbeen unfairly “instantlydismissed” following a disputeregarding underground roadwayconditions. It appears thatGriffiths had just completed hisnormal 9pm to 5.45am night shiftwhen Mr. Butcher, theunderground manager orderedhim to do more work, presumablyas overtime. The Companyclaimed that they had to keepstrict order as they employedover 3,000 men.

Judge Harris Lea gave judgementthat he accepted that there was arule that 14 days notice had to be

Madeley County Court House, February 2004 - Now the ‘Lumley Hall Centre for Young People’

“Below” 2004.3 21

The other Court House in Madeley, centre of the Madeley Court Miningoperations (see page 15) and for a time home of the Madeley CourtManagers. Now restored and converted into a Corus Hotel.Pictures: Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings

given unless there was a refusalto work in which case dismissalcould be instant. In this case,however, he questioned whethera man could be bound to workovertime. He therefore gavejudgement for the amount claimedby the miner and for the usualcosts.

* Note 1: Regarding the Dannsbeing carters in Madeley; at MadeleyWood Colliery in the 1960s, a flattruck was always called a “dan” andpushing a tub was called ‘danning’.

Is there any connection to the name?

Note 2: Court Sessions were heldevery Wednesday at 10.00am. Thewriter remembers as a child seeing acouple of motor cars (these wereprobably the only ones in Madeley!)in the 1940s parked outside the CourtHouse, and then hanging around

The County Court, Madeley, Shropshire - its mining connectionby Ivor Brown, continued ...

with the hope of seeing a judge incourtly robes or prisoners in chains!This never happened.

The Court House ceased to be usedfor Sessions in 1950 and has had achequered career since - Youth Club,Boxing Club HQ, etc.

EUROPAMINES [ex- MINET], the European Mining Heritage NetworkSome of you may have beenfollowing the very occasionalreferences to the lengthymetamorphosis of the 1999 ‘MINET’project into its new successorhybrid, ‘EUROPAMINES’, not leastbecause the otherwise attractive titleMINET had very unfortunateconnotations in French, Portugeseand Polish. Apart from our singularlack of success in conjuring up abetter title than Europamines, theproject proposal itself has beenfunded in full by, and as submitted tothe EU Culture 2000 Programme.Contracts were signed in July by theEU Secretariat and by the GeologicalSurvey of Ireland (GSI), acting as theLead Partner on behalf of aconsortium of funding partners in theUK, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland[Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland(MHTI), as well as GSI], along with anumber of associate, non-fundingpartners in Cornwall, Germany,France and Poland.

The one year (August 1, 2004 to July31, 2005), Euro100,000 budget projectis basically an enabling action to

provide for the creation ofEuropamines as a legally formulatedentity for pursuing, amongst otheractions:1) heightened awareness and

appreciation of Europe’s miningheritage, in all its diversity,technological, historical,architectural, social, cultural etc.

2) lobbying for the conservation ofsuch heritage, to complementsimilar activities by other nationaland international groups such asTICCIH.

3) creating a series ofcommunications and publicitytools, including a web site,information leaflets and displayunits.

4) providing a series of thematic, on-site training sessions (5 suchsessions are planned in the 1 yearperiod, in Cornwall (see notebelow), Spain (Linares - earlyDecember 2004), Italy (March2005), Poland (late April 2005) andPortugal (June 2005)), and anannual conference. [NB all datesprovisional]

5) and to create a partnership forum

through which members will beable to identify mutuallyadvantageous developmental andfunding opportunities in thefuture.

Membership will be open to all sitespecific, regional or national bodieswhich are actively engaged in mineheritage conservation, presentationor research activities, and which willsubscribe to a quality standardrepresented in the network charterand code of good practice. Ongoingreports on developments and reviewsof actions will be provided on theMHTI web site - www.mhti.com -which will provide for more in-depthcoverage via a hot-link to theEuropamines web site, once it hasbeen established.

MHTI is a funding partner in theproject, a position due entirely toallocation of a special grant ofEuro5,000 from the Heritage Council,an award which MHTI very gratefullyacknowledges.

John Morrisfrom Mining History Discussion List

22 “Below” 2004.3

Conferences, Eventsand Research

In 2005, July 8-10, NAMHO will beholding its annual conference in thesouth-east of England, at Dorking inSurrey. The venue, close to crosschannel links and major regionalairports, provides an idealopportunity to bring together mininghistorians from across Europe.

As part of the conference it isintended to hold a seminar on ‘TheCommon Aspects of EuropeanMining History’. The seminar wouldinclude perhaps six papers onaspects of mining history which arenot confined by national borders andreflect a common interest in miningbe it for metals, coal or stone. Therewill be the opportunity to networkand establish working relationshipswith other mining historians fromacross the continent.

If you are interested in attendingcontact: Peter Claughton

P.F.Claughton@exeter.ac.uk

NAMHO 2005

Hidden Earth 2004This years Hidden Earth is being heldat the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendalover the weekend 1st to 3rd October(yes, it clashes yet again with theClub AGM !!). This well equippedvenue has three purpose builttheatres, three bars and a restaurant ,along with many other features.

The event will be extended this yearto start on Wednesday 29thSeptember with field events based onthe Dalesbridge Centre, Austwick -the bunkhouse is reserved along withcamping space from Wednesdayevening for field trips/caving trips onThursday and Friday.

The main conference will have all theusual features - SRT competition,Photography salon, video, AV, Art,Cartoons and Stomp. Ben Lyon is theguest speaker at the Conferencedinner, followed by China CavesSpectacular.

For more information and bookingforms visit the web site:

www.hidden-earth.org.uk

New Caving Website Hits The Net The internet has just given birth to abrand new website dedicated entirelyto serving the needs of thousands ofcavers. The concept was developedby a small team of experiencedpotholers who found that importantinformation about the sport wasscattered across the net and wasn'talways to be found in the obviousplaces. The site aims to remedy thesituation via an informationexchange.

The idea of the site is not new on theinternet but its application to cavingis believed to be unique as it ispresented regionally alongsidenational and international interests.

The primary objective of the site is tofreely provide relevant information toactive cavers, from novices to expertsalike, irrespective of their ownlocation or the area of interest; it willalso appeal to those who like to justsurf as it has readily accessibleforums, galleries, journals and tripreports submitted by other cavers.

Visitors who register for free can starttheir own journal where they candirectly record their own trips andadventures; instantly upload photosto galleries they create; submit

stories and news items for posting;and join a community with thecommon aim of sharing theirknowledge and experiences for thebenefit of caving. The service is offered completely freewith no catches or commitments, theaims are simple and ambitions arehigh.

The site is intended to be a one stopsite where cavers from everywherewill find what they need".

You can visit the site at:

www.deeppenetration.info

There are already a number ofspecific caving related sites offeringgalleries and discusion forum, sohow well this site performs willdepend on how many cavers decideto support it.

Other sites you might be interested invisiting are:

www..ukcaving.com(has a good discussion forum and

members photo gallery)and

www.caving.uk.com(run by Descent magazine)

Secret Underground BristolA new TV series was broadcast during August and September, inspired bythe book "Secret Underground Bristol" it covered the same topics of Caves,mines follies etc.

The series was produced by Redweather Production for ITV 1 WEST so itwas not available outside of the West area (HTV). The topics covered by theprogrammes were:

Caves - 12 August - Pen Park Hole, Banwell Bone Cave, Otter HoleBristol - 19 August - Under Bristol City Centre and Redcliff Caves (mine)Follies - 26 August - Stancombe Park, Goldney & Warmley GrottoesQuarries - 2nd September - Westwood Bath Stone, Bradford-on-AvonCave Diving - 9th September - Swildens Hole Wookey HoleCoal - 16th September - Bristol & Somerset Coalfield & the Forest of Dean

The presenter of the programme was Chris Searle. It was during the filming ofthe Otter Hole sequences that one of the helpers was injured, resulting inlast years massive rescue call-out. Ian Cooper has managed to record someof the episodes so if you fancy seeing any of them have a word with him -although hopefully they will get a national airing before too long.

“Below” 2004.3 23

Latest Mining Video from I.A.Recordings

Books and Videos

A Tour of Carrs MineExploring the nenthead visitor mine

Keighley CoalBritish Mining No.74 M.C. Gill

A5, 105 pp, 21 figs, 10 plates.ISBN 0 901450 57 X

Although the Keighley area is famedfor its textile and engineeringindustries, few people know of themany small coal pits which were animportant part of the local economybefore the coming of the canal andthe railway. These were worked forat least five centuries with the lastone closing in 1932. One person whowas aware of them was Paul Davisonwhose keen interest in local geologyled him to study the industry and itshistory in the Aire Valley and itstributaries between Bingley andSkipton. He made copious notes, buthis untimely death prevented himpreparing them for publication.

Fortunately, however, these noteswere deposited at Cliffe CastleMuseum, where Mike Gill was able tocombine them with his own work toproduce the current volume BritishMining 74: Keighley Coal. A usefulindex of personal names has beenincluded. Price: £8.50.

Mike Moore

Fluorspar in the NorthPennines

Edited by R.A.FairburnISBN 0951893939

Pub: Friends of KillhopeThis pocket-sized book comprises 6chapters is a result of the day schoolheld at Killhope in October 2001entitled “The Fluorspar Industry ofthe North Pennines”.

The book cannot be described as‘light reading’ - it is too full of facts,but it is a specialist publication thatfills a gap in a very specialist market.There are planty of photographs(slightly too dark), drawings,diagrams, quotations and referencesetc.. However it has suffered frompoor editing and typographic errorswhich detracts from the high qualityof content from 6 well-known andrespected authors (Young, Hacker,Graham, Smith, Younger andAlmond).(131 pages). Price: £8.50

Balmaidensby Lynne Mayers, ISBN 1 872229 48 4

Large format, soft cover, 261 pages,62 illustrations plus tables, diagrams,and poems. Price £20.

This is the story of the women andgirls who worked at the mines ofSouth West England. It is estimatedthat between 1720 and 1920 about60,000 women and girls worked at themines, quarries and clay works ofCornwall and Devon. They carriedout hard, highly skilful and

specialised labour, and were anessential part of the operation.Mayers has researched their workinglives and their homelife, theircharacteristics and the occupationalhazards they endured.

As the mines closed, where did theygo and what happened to them? Thisis the record of a group of remarkablewomen and the individual stories ofthe few who are traceable.

There is also an introduction to theother things to see and do atNenthead, including the uniquecollection of Georgian and Victorianbuildings and ‘The Power of Water’ -an exciting hands-on exhibitdemonstrating the importance ofwater power for lead mining.

After the tour we go beyond theshow mine with SCMC members, toexplore areas of Carrs that peopledon’t normally get to see, including agleaming calcite-lined ‘grotto’ andunprotected sumps with waterpouring down to even deeper mines.

We also have a quick look into someof the other mines of Nenthead,particularly Smallcleugh with itsstone arching, ore chutes and airdoors.Written by Peter Wilkinson, JanetCresswell and Peter EgglestonRunning time: 31 mins.

www.iarecordings.org

For more details about videos andDVDs contact:I.A.Recordings,

PO Box 476, Telford, TF8 7RH

£12.95 - VHS (£10 to Club Members)DVD-R, £14.95 (£12 to Club Members)NGR: NY 783 431

Carrs mine is part of the phenomenalNenthead lead-zinc mining complexhigh on Alston Moor in theCumbrian North Pennines. Carrs wasfirst recorded in 1679 and by 1750 itwas one of the largest mines in thearea. From about 1800 it was takenover by the London Lead Companywho already ran most of theNenthead mines. They brought inmodern techniques such as horsehaulage on tram rails. In the early20th Century it was mined for zinc bythe Belgian Vieille Montagnecompany who introducedcompressed-air rock drills.

This is a record of a tour of the showmine guided by Peter Wilkinson,showing the superb dry-stonearching of the horse levels, the veinmineralisation, some of the miningmethods, tunnels and workings largeand small, timbered rises, iron railsand the shapes and beautiful coloursof mineral deposits - ‘the mysteriousunderworld of the leadminer’.

24 “Below” 2004.3

Diary DatesClub Officers

29th September - 1st October: Pre-Conference trips for Hidden Earth, atthe Dalesbridge Centre, Austwick.

1st-3rd October: Hidden Earth 2004 -the annual BCRA Conference.

1st October: Club AGM

2nd October: Club Annual Dinner atthe Callow Inn.

22nd-25th October: 20th SUICROSymposium, Clonmel Arms Hotel,Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

200525th February: Cave Biology, 29thNunwick Lecture, University of Hull.

5th March: BCRA Cave ScienceSymposium, University ofBirmingham

5th-9th June: Centenary of flotationsymposium, Brisbane, Australia. Visitthe web site: www.ausimm.com.au

17th-19th June: FoD CavingSymposium IV, English Bicknor

8th-10th July: NAMHO 2005,Juniper Hall Field Centre, Dorking,Surrey.

The ‘sure fire’ way of checking air quality ....

chick !

The air feels ‘thick’

.. er .. or methane !

67

I’ll try my lighter- it’ll be CO

2 BOOM !

chick !

KER -

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

Tackle: Ian Cooper

First Aid Officer:Alan Moseley

Librarian: Alan Robinson

Bat Officer: Mike Worsfold

Rescue Officer:Neal Rushton

‘Below’ Editor, Publications:Kelvin Lake

e-mail: scmc@factree.org.uk

President: Alan Taylor

Chair: Eileen Bowen

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

Treasurer: Bob Taylor

Training Officer: Ian Davies

Conservation & NAMHORep: Steve Holding