Hi,
Very impressed with your site. I am researching Stapleford Colliery (1871-1875) for the Victoria County History series of Nottinghamshire. Managed to get quite a lot from newspapers and am at the moment going through the Middleton papers at the University of Nottingham. Still to do the National Archives. Much of the information corroborates your website. However, there are some details you have which I have not sourced yet. If I sent the references to Mr Bradley would he be able to tell me where he got the details from? When I have finished I will send a copy to you to put on your website if you think it appropriate.
Many thanks Keith Goodman
In reply to your request Keith, sent on via Fionn.
You quote years 1871-1875 but note my info below.
Mineral Statistics etc, copy of a front page attached.
Information regarding Stapleford Colliery obtained from these volumes 1872-1878. It was listed in the 1873 volume therefore probable sinking in 1871-1872, then opened. The colliery began by being owned by Stapleford Company. I have found quite a bit of information listed under closures 1875 when it would appear that part of the mine closed, however a new number 4 shaft was sunk and the mine changed hands in 1876 to Stapleford Colliery Co Ltd. Closed by 1878because mentioned in 1877 when the mine was stood, but not listed in 1878 therefore could have been late 1877 or early 1878. They worked the Kilburn (e) seam. I can't remember all the details now (I have to bed since then as the saying goes). At that period there was a lot of unrest by the miners in the Coalfield and also it is possible that a market for the coal, although a good seam, was not able to be found due to fierce competition around.
Unfortunately info regarding names of Agents and / or Managers were documented from 1883 and Undermanagers names from 1887. Certificate numbers for Managers and Undermanagers were first published 1888. Shaft depths from 1892 but manpower figures were not published until 1894.
Stapleford was closed before those dates therefore little information is known, however I would have obtained most of the information from the abandonment plan for the colliery and possibly other information from nearby colliery abandonment plans as information regarding those were sometimes noted. These plans are at the Mining Records office of the Coal Authority, Lichfield Lane, Mansfield, where I have been researching for about 10 years.
However as I stated in my opening remarks, all the information documented was only for my personal use, and therefore I did not always state where the info came from. However it will be as accurate as possible at the time because being a Surveyor, it had got to be right, or as right as possible from the info researched.
Trusting this is useful
Bob Bradley |