Lieut-Col John Joicey M.P. (1816-1881) of James Joicey and Co
1881 Obituary [1]
1882 Obituary [2]
Lieut-Col John Joicey, M.P. for North Durham, and a Deputy Lieutenant for the same county, was born at Tynemouth, Northumberland, in 1816, the fourth son of Mr. George Joicey, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. It was originally intended that he should follow the medical profession, and with that view he studied for a short while under a practitioner in Newcastle. This, however, not being suited to his tastes, he determined upon taking to mining engineering, and after gaining some experience under the late Mr. William Hunter, at Backworth Colliery, was apprenticed for three years (1838-41) as a colliery viewer to his brother, James Joicey. . .
Ultimately he became a partner in the firm of James Joicey and Co., and as such continued up to his death, having been for the last eighteen years the senior surviving partner, and taking an active share in the vast undertakings of the firm, which has for a long time been amongst the largest producers in the Northern coal-fields. Their operations included the regular working of thirteen pits belonging to the New Pelton, Beamish, and Tanfield collieries, the annual output from which is upwards of 1,350,000 tons of first-class gas, steam, coking, manufacturing and household coal. About two thousand seven hundred men and boys, five hundred horses and ponies, and several locomotive engines were employed in carrying on the works. . . .