Longton Hall Colliery, Iron Works and Brick Works
The Longton Hall Estate, owned by the Heathcote family, was underlaid with beds of coal, limestone, ironstone and marl.
1864 Lease drafted for J.E. Heathcote of Longton Hall to Ashwell (Ashwell was probably John Ashwell, owner of nearby Anchor Road Colliery. The Glovers and Ashwells were related through marriage) and Glover for coal mines under Longton Hall Estate. It is not recorded whether this was executed and no other lease has yet come to hand.[1]
1865 Messrs. Glover said to have produce oil from shale at a works in Longton, equipped with 10 retorts. This may (or may not) be at Longton Hall. [2]
1867 James and Alfred Glover of Longton (father and son) (Messrs Glover were also flint grinders and brewers in Longton. James was the first mayor of Longton. His sons Alfred and James jr also served as mayor.) had some time previously taken the lease of Longton Hall Colliery from J E Heathcote of Longton Hall. They had also obtained a license to manufacture bricks under the patent of Messrs Hoffman and Leitch with local exclusivity. Machinery was installed capable of producing 25 bricks per minute and half the traditional manufacturing cost. [3]
1869 James Glover JP of Sideway House, Longton died on 20 Jun 1869 aged 72. [4]
1871 Erection of Longton Hall Iron Works begun, with two blast furnaces. [5]
1874 Alfred Glover died 29 Jan 1874, aged 50. [6]
1885 Trading as J & A Glover at Longton Hall Colliery. Partners Edwin Cliffe Glover, James Glover Bakewell, William Robert Blair and Charles Glover. J G Bakewell left firm on 18 Oct 1885. [7]
1889 Longton Hall Company Limited incorporated 17 Sep 1889 with capital of £50,060 to acquire the business of J & A Glover, coal & iron masters and brick makers in Longton. They purchased the leases from the executors of James and Alfred Glover. [8]
1892 Prospectus published for sale of debentures to increase capital. [9]
1895 Reported that, after 3 years work, a new shaft had reached the Moss seam, one of the best for house coal in the North Staffs field, at a depth of 670 yards. The report indicates that the blast furnaces, which have been out of use for a long time, would be relit. [10][11]
1895 George Arthur Mitcheson (mining engineer) appointed as manager and receiver to continue to work the colliery for 6 months. No reports of insolvency have been found, so how this came about is not apparent. [12]
1895 March 06th. Work at colliery stopped and workforce laid off. [13]
1895 August 04th. Leasehold collieries, ironworks, brick and marl works situate at Longton the property of the Longton Hall Company Limited to be sold by order of the High Court. [14]
1895 September 11th. Colliery and brickworks offered for sale by auction but failed to meet reserve so withdrawn. [15]
1896 Colliery standing
1896 List of Mines worked under the Coal Mines Regulation Act, in North Staffordshire, during the Year
1897 Longton Hall Company Limited struck from the register and thereby dissolved. [16]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Stoke-on-Trent City Archives ref D4842/11/1/40
- ↑ The Coal Commission report of 1865 (not seen by this author)
- ↑ Staffordshire Sentinel - Saturday 13 July 1867
- ↑ Staffordshire Sentinel - Saturday 26 June 1869
- ↑ Potteries Examiner - Saturday 11 November 1871
- ↑ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar
- ↑ The London Gazette – 20 Oct 1885
- ↑ Manchester Courier - Monday 23 September 1889
- ↑ Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 13 February 1892
- ↑ Birmingham Daily Post - Saturday 26 January 1895
- ↑ Morning Leader - Saturday 26 January 1895
- ↑ Staffordshire Sentinel - Friday 22 February 1895
- ↑ Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 9 March 1895
- ↑ The London Gazette – 13 August 1895
- ↑ Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 14 September 1895
- ↑ The London Gazette – 14 May 1897