Bridgewater Collieries
Encyclopedia
Bridgewater Collieries originated from the coal mines on the Manchester Coalfield
in Worsley
in the historic county of Lancashire
owned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
in the second half of the 18th century. After the Duke's death in 1803 his estate was managed by the Bridgewater Trustees until the 3rd Earl of Ellesmere inherited the estates in 1903. Bridgewater Collieries was formed in 1921 by the 4th Earl. The company merged with other prominent mining companies to form Manchester Collieries
in 1929.
Small scale coal
mining had been carried on since the Middle Ages
where coal seams outcropped in Worsley
and the surrounding area. John Edgerton, the first Duke of Bridgewater, bought the Worsley estate in 1630. After inheriting the estate in 1748 the third Duke was keen to exploit the resources under his largely agricultural estate but the coal mines he inherited were small and particularly wet as water percolated through porous sandstone
above the coal. The problem was solved by driving an underground level intersecting the coal seams northwards towards Walkden
from the Bridgewater Canal
into the rock face of an old quarry at the Delph. This level served two purposes, it drained the coal workings and provided a means of transporting coal out of the mines. The Worsley Navigable Levels
developed into an extensive system of underground canals branching from the original level. The mine workings were also accessed by several shafts sunk along the main drainage level providing access for colliers and materials. These included Wood Pit, Ingles Pit and Kempnough Pit in Worsley and Edge Fold Pits and Magnall's Pit in Walkden. Workshops were built at Walkden. The underground levels were driven as far as Farnworth
, Linnyshaw, and westwards towards Chaddock Pit in Tyldesley
.
, Superintendent of the Bridgewater Trustees bought the
Chaddock estate in Tyldesley
and the Booths estate in Boothstown
which extended to 50 Cheshire acres
(43 ha). He also bought the Garrett Hall estate in Tyldesley in 1829. The Duke had sunk the Queen Anne and Chaddock Pits in the 18th century and by about 1820 they had their own underground level linked to the Bridgewater Canal at Boothstown Basin. In 1838 Chaddock Pit was the biggest colliery in Tyldesley and was still working in 1848.
By 1830 over 300 shallow pits had been sunk including some at Wardley near the Preston to Manchester
road, most were short-lived. Abbot's Fold pit worked the Worsley Four Foot mine and was linked by an underground level to Ingles pit at Worsley and possibly had a tramway to the canal. To the north Mather's Field pit worked the Bin mine and coal was wound by a steam engine. In the 1830 the Burgess Land pit was sunk to the Bin mine north of Ellenbrook
, it employed 35 "men and boys" in 1852 and was linked to the canal by a tramroad. Shude Hill pit had a steam winding engine. The City and Gatley pits at New Manchester
north of Mosley Common
were sunk in the 1840s and linked to the navigable levels and a horse-drawn tramroad to Mathers Fold. These pits worked the Brassey mine at 262 feet and the Rams mine at 360 feet and employed 64 workers in 1852. An explosion of firedamp
in 1838 and a roof fall in 1843 caused two deaths. The Bridgewater Trustees began sinking deep shafts closer to the Ellenbrook in 1862 and the pits became known as Mosley Common Colliery
. The area has been opencasted.
During the 1860s deep pits were sunk at Sandhole
and Linnyshaw Colliery
.
Manchester Coalfield
The Manchester Coalfield is part of the South East Lancashire Coalfield. Its coal seams were laid down in the Carboniferous period and some easily accessible seams were worked on a small scale from the Middle Ages and extensively from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th...
in Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
in the historic county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
owned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater
Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater , known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman, the younger son of the 1st Duke...
in the second half of the 18th century. After the Duke's death in 1803 his estate was managed by the Bridgewater Trustees until the 3rd Earl of Ellesmere inherited the estates in 1903. Bridgewater Collieries was formed in 1921 by the 4th Earl. The company merged with other prominent mining companies to form Manchester Collieries
Manchester Collieries
Manchester Collieries was a coal mining company formed in 1929 with headquarters at Walkdenfrom a group of independent companies operating on the Manchester Coalfield. The Mining Industry Act of 1926 attempted to stem the post-war decline in coal mining and encourage independent companies to merge...
in 1929.
History
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mining had been carried on since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
where coal seams outcropped in Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
and the surrounding area. John Edgerton, the first Duke of Bridgewater, bought the Worsley estate in 1630. After inheriting the estate in 1748 the third Duke was keen to exploit the resources under his largely agricultural estate but the coal mines he inherited were small and particularly wet as water percolated through porous sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
above the coal. The problem was solved by driving an underground level intersecting the coal seams northwards towards Walkden
Walkden
Walkden is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester....
from the Bridgewater Canal
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...
into the rock face of an old quarry at the Delph. This level served two purposes, it drained the coal workings and provided a means of transporting coal out of the mines. The Worsley Navigable Levels
Worsley Navigable Levels
The Worsley Navigable Levels are an extensive series of coal mines in Worsley in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. They were worked largely by the use of underground canals and boats called starvationers....
developed into an extensive system of underground canals branching from the original level. The mine workings were also accessed by several shafts sunk along the main drainage level providing access for colliers and materials. These included Wood Pit, Ingles Pit and Kempnough Pit in Worsley and Edge Fold Pits and Magnall's Pit in Walkden. Workshops were built at Walkden. The underground levels were driven as far as Farnworth
Farnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
, Linnyshaw, and westwards towards Chaddock Pit in Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
.
Bridgewater Trustees
In order to acquire the mineral rights, in 1810 Robert Haldane BradshawRobert Haldane Bradshaw
Robert Haldane Bradshaw was agent to Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater and, after the Duke's death, was the first Superintendent of the Bridgewater Trustees. The Trustees administered the Duke's estate, which included coal mines at Worsley and the Bridgewater Canal.Robert Haldane Bradshaw...
, Superintendent of the Bridgewater Trustees bought the
Chaddock estate in Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and the Booths estate in Boothstown
Boothstown
Boothstown is a residential village straddling the City of Salford and Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is situated to the west of the City of Salford, bordered to the north by the East Lancashire Road A580 and to the south by the Bridgewater Canal...
which extended to 50 Cheshire acres
Acre (Cheshire)
A Cheshire acre is a unit of area historically used in the County of Cheshire.One Cheshire acre amounts to 10,240 square yards, or 92,160 square feet whereas a standard acre amounts to 4,840 square yards or 43,560 square feet...
(43 ha). He also bought the Garrett Hall estate in Tyldesley in 1829. The Duke had sunk the Queen Anne and Chaddock Pits in the 18th century and by about 1820 they had their own underground level linked to the Bridgewater Canal at Boothstown Basin. In 1838 Chaddock Pit was the biggest colliery in Tyldesley and was still working in 1848.
By 1830 over 300 shallow pits had been sunk including some at Wardley near the Preston to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
road, most were short-lived. Abbot's Fold pit worked the Worsley Four Foot mine and was linked by an underground level to Ingles pit at Worsley and possibly had a tramway to the canal. To the north Mather's Field pit worked the Bin mine and coal was wound by a steam engine. In the 1830 the Burgess Land pit was sunk to the Bin mine north of Ellenbrook
Ellenbrook, Greater Manchester
-Education:Ellenbrook County Primary School is located in the village.-External links:*...
, it employed 35 "men and boys" in 1852 and was linked to the canal by a tramroad. Shude Hill pit had a steam winding engine. The City and Gatley pits at New Manchester
New Manchester
New Manchester or The City was an isolated mining village on the Manchester Coalfield north of Mosley Common in the Tyldesley township. It lies west of a boundary stone at Ellenbrook which marks the ancient boundary of the Hundreds of Salford and West Derby, the boundary of Eccles and Leigh...
north of Mosley Common
Mosley Common
Mosley Common is a suburb of Tyldesley at the far-eastern edge of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the east of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish of Leigh...
were sunk in the 1840s and linked to the navigable levels and a horse-drawn tramroad to Mathers Fold. These pits worked the Brassey mine at 262 feet and the Rams mine at 360 feet and employed 64 workers in 1852. An explosion of firedamp
Firedamp
Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. It is the name given to a number of flammable gases, especially methane. It is particularly commonly found in areas where the coal is bituminous...
in 1838 and a roof fall in 1843 caused two deaths. The Bridgewater Trustees began sinking deep shafts closer to the Ellenbrook in 1862 and the pits became known as Mosley Common Colliery
Mosley Common Colliery
Mosley Common Colliery was a coal mine originally owned by the Bridgewater Trustees operating on the Manchester Coalfield after 1866 in Mosley Common, Greater Manchester, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England...
. The area has been opencasted.
During the 1860s deep pits were sunk at Sandhole
Sandhole Colliery
The Sandhole Colliery or Bridgewater Colliery was a coal mine originally owned by the Bridgewater Trustees operating on the Manchester Coalfield in Walkden, Greater Manchester, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England. The colliery closed in 1962.-History:The Bridgewater Trustees began...
and Linnyshaw Colliery
Linnyshaw Colliery
Linnyshaw Colliery or Berryfield was a coal mine originally owned by the Bridgewater Trustees operating after 1860 on the Manchester Coalfield in Walkden, Greater Manchester, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England.-History:...
.