John Archbold (1838-1897)
1897 Obituary [1]
JOHN ARCHBOLD was born at Haugh Head, Wooler, Northumberland, on 8th February 1838, whence while he was quite a child his parents removed to Cowpen Colliery, near Blyth.
He served his apprenticeship as a colliery engineer at Bebside Colliery, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, and then went to Backworth Colliery.
After this he held for a short time the position of engineer at Felling Colliery, near Gateshead, which he left to act, as resident engineer to some patent fuel-works, commenced at Hendon, Sunderland.
Afterwards he was appointed by the Stella Coal Co. engineer to their collieries near Blaydon-on-Tyne; and then went abroad for three years as engineer at a colliery in Labuan, Borneo.
On returning to England he was appointed engineer at Tondu Colliery, South Wales; after which he was engineer at the Thorncliffe Collieries of Messrs. Newton, Chambers and Co.
In February 1872 he was engaged by Messrs. Barber, Walker and Co., as engineer at their Eastwood Collieries, Notts., where he remained for the rest of his life.
He devised a haulage clip of simple mechanism, which is doing good work at these collieries. For twelve years he was a member of the Greasley School Board, being vice-chairman for part of the time; he also took a great interest in the technical education movement in the parish.
His death took place at his residence in Greasley on 3rd October 1897, after a long and painful illness, in his sixtieth year.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1891.