Ullcoats Mining Co
of Egremont, near Whitehaven
See also Ullcoats Mines
Mined hematite iron ore
1897 Ullcoats Mining Company Limited incorporated. Initial Subscribers: Augustus Helder MP of Whitehaven; L. T. Helder and T. H. Brockbank, solicitors of Whitehaven; John Pattinson, grain merchant of Whitehaven ; W. E. Walker, mining and civil engineer of Whitehaven; R. Simpson, ship owner, of Whitehaven; John Moore, merchant of Ullcoats, Egremont
1897 Lease taken by the company to search for iron ore under land at Ullcoats belonging to John Moore.
1897 July. Borehole started by W. E. Walker. In September the boring being carried out by W. E. Walker and his new partner John Gunson Selkirk on behalf of the company struck a good seam of Hematite ore.
1898 February. Development proceeding; winding engine in place and boiler delivered.
1900 September 29th. Lease signed for minerals under lands in parish of St John’s at Beckermet owned by Baron Leconfield. Rent years 1-3 £50, years 4-5 £100, year 6 onwards £200, plus tonnage royalty. Signed on behalf of the company by T. H. Brockbank, Robert Simpson, John Pattinson and W. E. Walker.
1900 December 28th. Lease signed for 23½ years for mines under Ullcoats Estate between John Moore (owner of the estate) and Ullcoats Mining Company Limited at a rent of £200 per year plus tonnage royalty. Signed for the company by T. H. Brockbank and William Burnyeat (directors) and C. N. Jenkins (secretary).
1900 May. Shaft had gone through 30ft of ore and was still sinking in ore.
1900-24 Mine Manager – Myles Richardson (1868-1933)
1901 Agreement made with the LNWR relating to a siding connection from the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont line; the signatories for Ullcoats Mining Company are shown as: John Pattinson of Whitehaven, corn merchant; Thomas Henry Brockbank of Whitehaven, solicitor; Robert Simpson of Whitehaven, ship owner; William Burnyeat of Whitehaven, iron master; William Edward Walker of Whitehaven, mining engineer
1902 January. Described as the most prosperous and productive iron mine in West Cumberland.
1906 Head Office, 46 Lowther Street, Whitehaven. W E Walker managing director.
1906 A further lease was taken by the Ullcoats Mining Co Ltd of iron ore under lands at Oxenriggs and Hardhead, St John's, Beckermet, from Baron Leconfield.
1907 January n02nd. Death of John Moore, owner of the Ullcoats Estate and described as the founder of Ullcoats Mining Company. Later that year, Moore’s executors went to court against the company to reclaim the mine and for damages. They alleged breach of covenant in that an in-rush of quicksand had occurred, flooding the mine and rendered the north of the mine unworkable. They alleged that the mine had not been worked in a proper and “miner-like manner”. The company had also denied the plaintiffs access to inspect the mine. After much evidence was heard, an out of court settlement was reached in early 1908. It was estimated that between 1m and 2m tons of ore remained, but output fell to 47,000 tons in 1908 compared with 130,000 tons the previous year as a result of these issues.
1909 A fresh lease was put in place with the trustees of the estate of John Moore, replacing that of 1900.
1912 Calendar year output 100,285 tons. For annual tonnages 1900 to 1913 see this link.
1917 The majority of the shares (some ¾ of the total) in the Ullcoats Mining Company were acquired by The Millom and Askam Hematite Iron Company (owner of the neighbouring Florence Mine), The Barrow Hematite Steel Company and The North Lonsdale Iron and Steel Company. Ullcoats was described as one of the largest producers in West Cumberland. Articles of Association were changed to allow the above companies to appoint the chairman and a number of directors. L. T. Helder, J. Hope Brown and W. E. Walker resigned as directors.
1925-at least 1944 – Mine Agent (for the combined Ullcoats and Florence Mines) - Major (later Lt Col) Arthur Hibbert , MC, DSO He was also general manager of Millom and Askam Hematite Iron Company from at least 1926 until his death in 1947.
1930 Calendar year output 238,037 tons.
1931 Millom and Askam Hematite Iron Company acquired control of the North Lonsdale Iron and Steel Co (99.12% by Mar 1932). The most important aim stated for the takeover was to secure control of the Ullcoats Mining Company, in which they now held 56½%.
1951 Taken into public ownership as part of the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain under the provisions of section 50 of the Iron and Steel Act, 1949. The compensation set was 20 shillings per £1 share. (replaces by expansion the note already on web page).
1959 August 11th. Motion to wind up the company approved at EGM; receiver appointed.
1968 Mine closed. By the time of closure, the mine was joined by tunnel to the nearby Florence Mine. See also:- • Durham Mining Museum web-page, showing employee numbers (1900-1950) and list of fatalities. • Ordnance Survey map (1898 survey) showing location of first shaft close to Ullcoats House which was later demolished. Hardhead to the west and Oxenriggs to the south can also be seen. • Ordnance Survey map (1924 Survey), showing the location of the mine and shafts. • Britain From Above. Aerial Photo 1937. • Cumbria Archives, who hold a wealth of original material relating to this company.