Coal mining in Throckley

A preliminary attempt at drafting a summary of the history of coal mining in Throckley. The problem as always, what to leave out?

Throckley – coal mining
 
Primary source for this summary is:
Morrison, Jennifer (2007) Newburn Manor: an analysis of a changing medieval, post-medieval and early modern landscape in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Masters Thesis, Durham University.

• Documentary references to coal mining in the Throckley area date back to the C14th (medieval period). Seams close to the surface could be exploited by drifts dug into the valley sides or by digging of 'bell pits' or 'day holes' (shallow vertical shafts).
• In  1536, coal workings passed to the King, who then leased them to individuals. The Newburn mines passed to the Lord of the Manor, the Earl of Northumberland, and the mines at Throckley passed from the Crown to the Radcliffe family in the early C15th.
• Radcliffe estates (Earl of Derwentwater) confiscated by the Crown and passed to Greenwich Hospital in 1735.
• The tiny village of Lemington had been established at the staiths some time before 1620 when a few coal pits were being worked. ‘Sea-coal’ was transported from the staiths to colliers via the River Tyne.
• George Stephenson’s father left Wylam to become fireman at Dewley Colliery. George’ first job  (age of 8), was for Grace Ainslie, farmer at Dewley Farm, guarding the cows which grazed the wagonways. He went on to become assistant fireman at the colliery before moving to Newburn.
• The boundary between Newburn and Throckley was not fixed until the C17th. Remaining woodland in the area was felled for use in wagonways, pit props, staiths, wagons, keels etc.
  
• Wagonways brought coal from Wylam & Throckley to Lemington Staiths from 1748. In the early 1800s, wooden horse-drawn wagonways were being replaced by new technology: metal rails, stream locomotives replacing horses (e.g. Puffing Billy & Wylam Dilly on the Wylam Wagonway).
• By 1781 the main coal pits in Throckley had gone out of use and several former wagonways became  paths.
• William Brown, colliery viewer, was brought up in Throckley. He had been appointed manager of Throckley Colliery by the lessee, Mr Bell, in 1756. Having erected a steam engine at Throckley, Brown went on to build engines at over twenty-one other collieries. In 1765 a new winning at Throckley was completed, and because steam-driven pumps helped solve the problem of pit drainage, shafts could be sunk to a greater depth.
• In 1785, there was a list of 52 pits at Throckley, connected by wagonways to Lemington staiths, all worked by Bell and Brown. This colliery was worked out by 1794.
• Messrs. Bell and Brown built the row of houses on the Hexham Road in 1796 that were to become known as Frenchmen's Row.
• By 1858, the OS map shows several coal pits, most at the edges or corners of fields surrounded by small copses of trees. Some are out of use. The most extensive colliery workings were located at Throckley Colliery (Meadow Pit), which was served by a wagonway. To the east of this lay Throckley Brick and Tile Works.
• At Throckley C19th mining involved the continuation of working of some of the pits which had been sunk in the C18th (such as Meadow, Maria, Rye, Nymph and Thristle) but most of these were out of use by 1895.
• The Throckley Coal Company was formed in 1862 and Throckley Colliery opened in 1867. Maria Pit, which had been in existence in 1767 was expanded during the 1800s and was in operation until 1954. Isabella Colliery was in operation from 1869 to 1954.
• In 1867, Throckley Coal Co. brought the extensive Isabella Coke Ovens complex into production, mainly for use at Spencer's steelworks. Twenty-two coke ovens was built using Stephenson's bricks, close to the Isabella Pit. Other coal-dependant industries of the period included brick and tile making.
• Throughout the nineteenth century industrialisation continued. In 1875, the route of the Wylam Wagonway became a branch of the North Eastern Railway. The old Throckley Wagonway was re-used for a mineral railway which served the colliery and brick-works.
• Margaret Pit, in Heddon, was sold  to the Throckley Coal Co. in 1902. This allowed them improved control over water ingress in the Throckley pits. In 1906, Throckley merged with the brickmakers, Wm Stephenson & Sons and sank a third mine, the Maria. They continued to work Heddon Colliery until the early 1930's, when it was closed, and the remaining coal reserves accessed from Throckley Isabella.
• The Stephensons and Throckley Coal Company provided their employees with many facilities including chapels, school, houses & institute.
• Coal production ceased at Throckley Colliery in January 1954 and land was reclaimed. Opencast mining in 1991 destroyed the remains of the water mill, a section of the C18th wagonway, and several old pits. A69 (by-pass) built.