Coal Mines in Leeds

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 2:03 am

Barwicker wrote: There is mention of Seacroft Colliery in the book but sadly Mr Hudson does not seem to have been able to locate it exactly. As stated it did belong at one time to the Gascoigne Family, the owners of the Garforth Collieries. Seacroft Colliery is in use in 1880 when it is listed as owned by the manston Colliery company.The listing does not list Brianside pit although that was live in 1880.Given Brianside is one of a series of manston c.co. pits in the area and that it is in seacroft, I can only assume Brianside Pit is Seacroft Colliery.Take a line north from Brianside and it joins up directly with the Coal Road.....

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 2:04 am

Barwicker wrote: I have mentioned on another thread that I own a copy of Mr Hudson's book on "The Aberford Railway and the History of the Garforth Collieries" If and when a date is settled for the SL gettogether I could probably be persuaded to attend, bringing the book with me, and if Parksider has still not got his hands on the Library Copy he might like to borrow mine.At least carrying the book I should be recognisable. That is a very kind thought and offer..........Thanks

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 2:06 am

chameleon wrote: Barwicker, I'm rather intrigued by the rail track to the Church Lane Pit (Identifed earlier in thread) and can't see any trace of it on any of the older maps Go on Old-maps.co.uk and see the line on the 1854 ordanance survey.........

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 2:11 am

Barwicker wrote: The Appendix also offers the opinion that Seacroft Colliery was "probably in the area 357353"I hope that helps. Thanks again - anyone know how to use these co-ordinates?Godfrey's map has a series on numbers in the margings but they don't look like proper grid references!!

Post by **chameleon** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 2:47 am

The Parksider wrote: Barwicker wrote: The Appendix also offers the opinion that Seacroft Colliery was "probably in the area 357353"I hope that helps. Thanks again - anyone know how to use these co-ordinates?Godfrey's map has a series on numbers in the margings but they don't look like proper grid references!! The Godfrey maps I've just looked at don't seem to have grid reference points or latitude and longitude marked on them. The numbers arround the perimeter seem to be thenumber assigned to each parcel of land where only a small section of each is shown on the map.On a standard OS map, break the series into two blocks of three digits - 357 and 353. Along the bottom (or top) edge of the map find the vertical line corresponding to the first two digits of the first block (35), the 7 then refers to a virtual line 7/10 of the way along.Do the same with the remaining block finding (35) on the side of the map, the 3 similarly representing a line a further 3/10 of the way up the map. Where the lines intersect, id the position described. Hope this makes sense - it's late!!

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 8:48 am

chameleon wrote: The Parksider wrote: Barwicker wrote: The Appendix also offers the opinion that Seacroft Colliery was "probably in the area 357353"I hope that helps. Thanks again - anyone know how to use these co-ordinates?Godfrey's map has a series on numbers in the margings but they don't look like proper grid references!! On a standard OS map, break the series into two blocks of three digits - 357 and 353. Along the bottom (or top) edge of the map find the vertical line corresponding to the first two digits of the first block (35), the 7 then refers to a virtual line 7/10 of the way along.Do the same with the remaining block finding (35) on the side of the map, the 3 similarly representing a line a further 3/10 of the way up the map. Where the lines intersect, id the position described. Hope this makes sense - it's late!! I'll try to find my old 2 and a half inch map thanks....

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 01 Feb, 2008 8:59 am

WEST YORKSHIRE COLLIERYWorking in east leeds so took a jaunt up Austhorpe Lane to look at West Yorkshire Colliery.The whole site is wooded now and wasn't wooded when it was started as a colliery so maybe some sort of environmental effort was made to cover old collieries even in those days, as several of the old mines are now woods. The spoil heaps are steep, and only reveal their content in parts as 100 years of leaf mould has created soil and comsequent vegetation.I found little dark grey spoil representing the normal shale spoil associated with coal, there was a lot of "red brick" spoil as though clay for bricks had been mined there extensively - some large round (now solid) globules of the stuff!! Austhorpe Hall is brick built and probably the bricks were of local clay although the Hall (1694) pre-dates the mine.Evidence of the colliery is also found in some large stone blocks. The hole cut in the centre tops is probably for mounting mining machinery like engines and screens etc. Up and down the spoil heaps to the rear of the colliery and you will find - again now tree lined - the low embankment and track bed of the connecting tramway down to the Railway.And so a glance towards the close Brown Moor Colliery, but alas industrial development appears to have obliterated that, so it was back to the car trying to imagine the industrial revolution as it was in what is today just a funny looking wood......

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Tue 05 Feb, 2008 11:26 pm

I have just remembered an incident on the site of the old Middleton Colliery probably early seventies. At that time many old collieries had inspection shafts in which a brick square was left over a shaft and an iron cover was placed on top.I recall about three of these at Miggy. A lad got into one and climbed down the shaft, and unfortunately was overcome with the mine gases. I recall that vividly, and it led to these inspection shafts being dismantled in many cases.

Post by **chameleon** » Tue 08 Apr, 2008 12:14 am

Parksider - if you're arround you might find this of interest, turned it up today. The ELHAS have published several related articles and have been investigating Lazencroft Farm too.http://www.crossgatestoday.co.uk/elhas/ ... 3032958.jp

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Wed 09 Apr, 2008 8:15 am

the gascoine family were big coal owners in the leeds area. They lived at Lotherton hallBamber Gascoine of University Challenge fame comes from this family.