Alloa Coal Company
Encyclopedia
The Alloa Coal Company was founded as a partnership in 1835 between William Mitchell
, John Moubray, John Craich and David Ramsay. The partners obtained a lease to mine coal and ironstone on the lands of the Earl of Mar in Clackmannanshire
. In the 1840s, Aloa coal was exported to Canada by the Ben Line
in which Mitchell was a partner; the ships returned with Canadian timber.
The partnership was later managed by William Mitchell's sons Andrew and Alexander and had pits in Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire, Fife
and Perthshire. The partnership became a limited company
in 1898, and was nationalised
by the British Government in 1948.
William Mitchell (Scottish entrepreneur)
William Mitchell was a Scottish entrepreneur. He was born in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, the second son of Alexander Mitchell and Janet Barrowman....
, John Moubray, John Craich and David Ramsay. The partners obtained a lease to mine coal and ironstone on the lands of the Earl of Mar in Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire, often abbreviated to Clacks is a local government council area in Scotland, and a lieutenancy area, bordering Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Fife.As Scotland's smallest historic county, it is often nicknamed 'The Wee County'....
. In the 1840s, Aloa coal was exported to Canada by the Ben Line
Ben Line
The Ben Line or Ben Line Steamers, Limited was a Scottish shipping company based at Leith, Scotland which specialised in the fast carriage of cargo to and from the Far East...
in which Mitchell was a partner; the ships returned with Canadian timber.
The partnership was later managed by William Mitchell's sons Andrew and Alexander and had pits in Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and Perthshire. The partnership became a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
in 1898, and was nationalised
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
by the British Government in 1948.