Glasshouse colliery 1885

Examination of No 2 Pit

Researched by John Lumsdon

Report of examination of No 2 Pit, Glasshouse colliery, Chesterton, made on behalf of the workmen by James Lunt and Ellis, on August 21st and 22nd, 1885:

The first Seam we examined was the Hams. Found the working places, dips, and air-ways in good condition and free from gas. There was good ventilation, and everything was in a satisfactory state.

We next went into the Four-Feet Seam. We first examined the west side; passed through the levels, dips, working places; found them in very fair condition and free from gas. Were pleased with the efficient state in which we found this part this part of the seam.

We next went into the east side, examined the air-ways, working places, dips and levels and found them in good condition with the following exceptions:- No.2. Some gas in waste on both sides of the dip. The greater part had accumulated through a fall of roof having interfered with the ventilation. The roof was still on the weight when we passed through, and consequently prevented the taking of immediate steps for restoring the ventilation through the waste. The working face was free from gas and well ventilated.

We also found gas in the waste on both sides of No.3. The bulk of this had gathered in want of a brattice cloth across the road to send the air down in the waste. We understand a sheet was immediately put up and the gas removed. It was quite clear “along the face of the coal.” We also found a little gas at the top end of the Breasting in Waste, the ventilation being rather weak on account of No.3 and 4 dips not being built off. The face was clear. This completed our examination of the Four-Feet.

We should like to say in passing that great care is required, and we have reason to believe is exercised in the use of powder in this Seam.

We next examined the Seven Feet Seam; went through the levels, dips, working places and air-ways on both sides and found them in good condition. This seam on a whole is in a highly satisfactory state and thoroughly well ventilated. The examination of the seams mentioned completed our first day’s work.

On the second day we began with the Five Feet Seam. There is only one place being worked in this seam at present. This is situated on the West side; we found some gas over the timber over the timber at the far end of the level, and also in a pot-hole in the roof at the top end of the drift. The ventilation was rather feeble on account of a door having been placed in the level to prevent the other seams being robbed of air. The thirling of the drift will no doubt make the ventilation quite strong enough for the purpose required.

We next proceeded through the Ten Feet Seam. We then examined the levels, dips, working places drifts and air-ways and found them in good condition, with the following exceptions: found some gas in drift against the fault above No.7. Level, on account of air-way having fallen in. We also found some gas at top of did against fault above No. 9 level on account of brattice not being up. With these exceptions, we found everything in a very fair condition, the ventilation generally being good.

This brought us to the end of our examination. So far as we could see, every facility for examination was afforded to us by the officers and the examination was most searching in its character. The ventilation on the whole was better than at the last examination, and improvements are still being made. We have no hesitation in saying that, with proper care, the pit may be worked with comparative safety.

James Hunt, Ellis, (Examiners)

Glasshouse Colliery 1933 Information

Company Details

Registered Office: / Glasshouse, Chesterton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
Seams Worked: / Little
Class of Coal: / Manufacturing

Company Directors

Directors: / Davies, J., High Carr House, Chesterton, Staffs.
Downing, G. H., Clayton Lodge, Newcastle-under-Lyme

Collieries/Mines Owned

Employees
Name of Mine / Locality / Manager / Under / Above
ground / ground
Glasshouse / Chesterton / J. Davies / 23 / 10

Company Details 1940

Registered Office: / Chesterton, Staffs.
Seams Worked: / Little Mine, Spencroft
Class of Coal: / Manufacturing

Company Directors

Directors: / Williams, J. E., Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent
Wyatt, D. J. L., Stonicroft, Hales, Markey Drayton

Collieries/Mines Owned

Employees
Name of Mine / Locality / Manager / Under / Above
ground / ground
Glasshouse / Chesterton / C. L. Stubbs / 80 / 15

1947 - at the time of Nationalisation

Company Directors

Directors: / Cadman, J., Walton Hall, Eccleshall, Staffordshire
Downing, K. H., Clayton Lodge, Newcastle, Staffordshire
Robins, G. E., Stone, Staffordshire
Williams, J. E., Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent

Collieries/Mines Owned

Employees
Name of Mine / Locality / Manager / Under / Above
ground / ground
Glasshouse / J. Worthington / 98 / 23

Previous Companies: Midland Coal, Coke & Iron Co. Ltd

For more Information, move the flashing cursor on to the link below, hold downCtrl key and Click. This brings the website up then click on names and stories, then click on Old Pits. Then click on C for Chesterton collieries. Scroll down to Glasshouse colliery

North Stafffordshire Coalfield

Below is an extract from the above website

THE GLASSHOUSE COLLIERY O.S. S.J.85 502 827 app.

The colliery took its name from Glasshouse farm (73 acres) which in turn took its name from an eighteenth century glasshouse which was situated on the farm. The availability of coal and refractory seat earths may have influenced the choice of site, the glass industry started to use coal as a fuel in the seventeenth century.

Sometime about 1850/5 William Henry Dutton and Gavin Addie leased the mining rights. By 1865 they were working as the Glasshouse Company as in that year they entered into an agreement with the N.S.R. Co. concerning rail access to the N.S.R. Chesterton branch, ( opened 1866). The Glasshouse Company was a short lived enterprise lasting only about ten years. Walcot Gibson states in the 1905 Geological survey that the Great Row was worked at 400 yards under Roggin Row. The Catalogue of Abandoned Mine Plans gives the seams worked as the Great Row coal and the Red Mine and Red Shagg ironstones and a seam unnamed. The abandonment dates are given as 1865/1867.

By 1866 Gavin Addie was the owner of one of the High Carr collieries but by 1875 his address was given as Rawyards and Western Glentore colliery offices, 25, Robertson Street, Glasgow.

The Glasshouse lease was taken by Robert Heath in October 1867. Heaths changed the method of working from pit to footrail and worked coal and the Blackband and Red Shagg ironstones; this working was abandoned in May 1922.

A small footrail was worked for coal after the war and continued until about 1960. The site was finally opened casted before becoming a housing estate.