Stacksteads Pit

At the bottom of Booth Road was the coal staithe for Stacksteads Coal pit, or better known as th' Hile, Isle, or Hile coal pit which opened about 1834.

 The pit worked the lower mountain mine which was about three feet thick. The tramway from the pit mouth high on the hill near East Hile Farm, was built about 1873, by George Hargreaves & Co. The farmer at the time  who was a Mr Fletcher was paid damages of £5 3s 3d owing to the tramway cutting his land into two pieces.  The mine was worked for well over 150 years, the coal being brought to customers before the tramway was built by horse and cart. The underground workings being very extensive joining up with Grimebridge Colliery.

 

 

After the building of the tramway haulage of the pit was by endless chains driven by a steam engine situated at the main pit buildings near East Hile Farm. This building in it's day was a familiar landmark to walkers on the hills and a time piece for people living in the area, for the pit whistle was sounded at 7.30 am, and again at 3pm the start and end of shifts.

 

In 1934 the owners of the pit were Messrs. Hargreaves Collieries, Ltd. Employing 42 men.  The pit supplied coal to all the local mills, but during the summer of 1934 the pit closed  for a few months due to the slackness of trade and the colliers were dispersed to Old Meadows and Grimebridge. In 1933 a 38 year old coal hewer, Mr Edmund Law Hacking of Blackwood Road, was killed by a fall of roof.

 

 

In 1913 the wages at the pit for miners was 9s 1.5d ( 46p) a dozen tubs, each weighing three and half cwt in coal, and on pillars were the coal was easier to get at 5s 11d (30p)  a dozen tubs. The colliers having to set and remove their own props as he worked. One old collier in the late 1930's was said to have filled 238 tubs of coal in one week equal to nearly 40 tons, all got with pick for which he was paid the princely sum of seven guineas. (£7.35p)

 

 

 

In January for many years the workers at the pit , were given a treat by their employers, at the Commercial Hotel, Stacksteads, to an annual dinner and afterwards having a social evening of singing and games. One family who had connections with Stacksteads pit for many years. Samuel Feber and his son Joe had between them 113 years service. Stacksteads pit closed in 1946 after working more or less continually for 150 years. In 1947 the pit head buildings were demolished. These were the engine house, boiler house, cabins and smith and the local landmark the pit chimney.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Pit

 

Higher up the hill from East Hile Farm was another small pit known as Top Pit and was connected to Stacksteads pit by an incline, part on the surface part underground. This pit worked the upper mountain mine which was only eighteen inches thick. Not many men worked at this mine, sending the coal down into Stacksteads pit to run it down tot he coal staithe at Booth Road.

 

In 1933 a collier by the name of  Edmund Law Hacking of Blackwood was killed when he broke through into some unknown mine workings, the roof collapsed and he was smothered in the shaley ground. Two of the banksmen on the set were Sammy Morgan and Fred Mitchell. Mills supplied by the mine were Farholme mill, Stacksteads mill, Atherton Holme mill, Acre Mill Woollen mill, and Baxter's Brewery.  

 

 

Intake Pit by the side of Rooley Road appears to have been the largest and longest lived of the mines on this side of the valley. It was being worked in 1820 , and at that time had at least four entrances. Little is known of it's early workings but  later in 1867 the mine was owned by John Woodhead, who ran it until 1873. In 1878 it was bought by David Law who ran it until the mine closed in 1885.On the 1st August 1867, the Overlooker Samuel Woodhead, was killed 550 yards in from the mouth of the drift, when a stone weighing 6cwt fell from the roof onto his back crushing him to death. David Law was fined on two occasions, in 1878 and 1879,  for not providing adequate ventilation, a candle not being able to burn in a upright position, being the tell tale sign. Mr Law was fined £5 and costs on both occasions.  He sold the mine and equipment in 1885. The workings from the mine broke through into the quarry  on the opposite side of Rooley Moor road., where the coal was once visible in the quarry face. Almost being hidden from view by falls of stone.

 

 

Across the valley from Stacksteads pit there were five small mines, all working the Sandrock mine which is about fifteen to eighteen inches thick. These mines were the Helm Clough colliery, two Brandwood collieries , Bunkers Hill colliery,  and Intake pit. Helm Clough was worked by James Maden, for many years, then one Mr Greenhalgh worked it for a time. The pit was connected to a staithe by a long haulage road worked by ropes. The staithe was near to Frost Holes quarry.

 

The two Brandwood collieries were owned by two separate companies. The oldest one was owned  in 1867 by one Edward Ashworth, and appears to have been a fairly extensive concern. The workings had a joint boundary with Intake pit on one side and the newer Brandwood on the other side.

 

The newer Brandwood colliery was owned in 1879 by John Brierley and sons, and was a fairly large concern, getting both coal , and the fireclay which lies below it. The firm had it's own brick kiln by the pit head. The main entrance to the pit was by a stone arched tunnel and haulage appears to have been by drawers ( young lads ) pushing the full tubs of coal to daylight, and taking empties back in to the colliers. The tunnel was wide enough to accommodate a double track of rails. The tubs were lowered to the staithe from the pit head by a rope worked incline.