Rawmarsh & Parkgate Collieries
Long before the big pits came into production there had been mining all over the Rawmarsh and Parkgate area. The appellation 'Old Shaft' or 'Old Coal Pit' appears in many places on maps. Coal mining at Aldwarke is documented from the 17th Century with references to tenants rights of way over the grounds and the river Dunne (Don) at Aldwarke ford, on both sides of river; and to any person fetching coals from pits.
In 1828 Fitzwilliam Collieries owned and operated pits at Parkgate (New Parkgate) and Swallow Wood, also one I'd never heard of before, Kent's Main. (NB Old Parkgate Colliery was situated near Scholes Common). A search of old Ordnance Survey Maps shows all three collieries situated to the west of Rawmarsh. There was also a Coal Pit at Stubbing Lane north of Nether Haugh by 1840 and an "Inclined Plane" joined this colliery with Parkgate Colliery. A side branch came from Swallow Wood and another from Kent's Main. These were railways which all ran down what is now called Stubbin Incline or the Old Wagon Line to the Fitzwilliam Canal where there were massive coke ovens, an iron and steel works and the coal could be shipped out by canal barge or loaded onto the nearby railway.
the Ordnance Survey map of about 1840 also shows a colliery, possibly Clerys but I can't actually make it out of the junction of Blackamoor road with Wentworth Road. This may I suppose explain the name Blackamoor.
Aldwarke Main
Aldwarke Main was sunk on a triangular section of land in Parkgate, adjacent to Aldwarke manor house. The site was bounded by the main line of the Midland Railway, the Mexborough to Rotherham line of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway and a local road known as Aldwarke Lane, a toll road across the lands of the manor of Aldwarke linking Parkgate to Dalton. The colliery was linked to both railway lines and to a staithe on the River Don Navigation.
The colliery was sunk in three stages, the first shaft reaching the Barnsley seam in 1867. In 1873 the pit was bought by John Brown And co. It took until 1877 to deepen the shaft to reach the Parkgate seam and it was not until 1884, when the second shaft was sunk that the Silkstone seam was reached. Towards the end of the Second World War and afterwards the shafts were deepened to reach the Swallow Wood seam.
Ownership was in the hands of Sheffield steelmakers John Brown and Co. Ltd. and passed to the National Coal Board on nationalisation. The colliery was closed on 30th June 1961 and there are factory units now built on the site.
(Information from Roger)
Newbiggin Colliery
Newbiggin Colliery was situated to the west side of Parkgate. I think that it was originally called New Park Colliery but I have been able to find very little information about it. It was sunk to mine the Parkgate seam some time in the 1850s. The pumping station on Westfield Road with some associated buildings are now incorporated into Westfield Craft workshops. The smithy and stables are now private homes. The rest of the site was used as works for a while but was cleared and a small private housing estate built there. Now here is a bit of confusion for you. I have found a source that states the pumping station was built in 1828 which would perhaps indicate an earlier date for a colliery here.
Roundwood Colliery
Roundwood Colliery was situated on the borders of Parkgate and Rotherham, old maps showing this as 'Rounde Woode'. More recently it could be described as being a short distance to the north of Aldwarke Main Colliery between the main line of the Midland Railway and the Mexborough to Rotherham line of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. Sinking commenced in the mid-1860's and had connections to both railways and to staithes alongside the River Don.
In 1880 the colliery was listed as being owned by Cooper, Sellars and Company, becoming The Roundwood Colliery Company by 1896. This company was purchased by Sheffield steelmakers John Brown a few years later and became the foundation of the Dalton Main Colliery Company. Dalton Main Collieries were responsible for the sinking of Silverwood Colliery. Roundwood and Silverwood were joined by underground tunnels. In 1947 the colliery became part of the National Coal Board and was closed in the early 1960s. Part of the site is now playing fields and golf course.
(Information from Roger)
According to another source Roundwood Colliery ceased coal production in 1931.
Stubbin Collieries
There were at least three pits at Stubbin which were situated to the west of Rawmarsh. The land on which they stood belonged to Wentworth Estates and the pit was owned by Earl Fitzwilliam's Collieries Co. Ltd. up to nationalisation. The first sod of the new colliery development was cut by Viscount Milton, son of Earl Fitzwilliam, on November 14, 1913 and it took until 1915 to complete the sinking. One source has it that in 1920 Higher and Lower Stubbin Collieries closed. In 1933 Earl Fitzwilliam Collieries Co. registered and sank another pit called New Stubbin which reached the Parkgate seam, with the Thorncliffe seam being reached in 1933.
After 1948 the pit became part of the National Coal Board, later British Coal and the land was land was was leased to them. Between 1953 and 1955 there was a major reconstruction of the colliery which deepened the shafts to the Silkstone seam. It was completely electrified and a new coal preparation plant built.
A single railway line ran down Stubbin Incline to the Fitzwilliam Canal where there were coking ovens and coal wharves. New Stubbin colliery ceased production on 6 June 1978, all the buildings were demolished and the railway ripped up, however remained as an underground store until the mid-1980s.
The tip was seeded and planted with trees to counter slippage. The lease expired more than a decade ago and since then Wentworth Estates have been trying to find ways of making money out of the site. There have been at least three plans to opencast the old pit site but these have been turned down in the face of vigorous opposition from the locals, many of whom remember the dirt, dust and noise generated when the local fields were opencast. There are designated public bridleways across the site which will not be made permanent until the landowners make up their minds what to do with it.
Stubbin is a derelict site much abused by bikie boys, yobs with air rifles, car wreckers, tyre burners, fly tippers and arsonists that neither the police nor the local wardens care to tackle. Having said that it is also a haven for wildlife. Walk up there on a day when the snow has left a good dusting on the ground and you can see the pug marks of many foxes, feral cats, rabbit, hare, and weasels criss-crossing the open areas. The site is home to many species of birds, insects and wildflowers and in my opinion it is more deserving of Nature Reserve Status than many area that have it already.
Comments from Mike 20 Aug 2006 re New Stubbin, Low Stubbin Collieries
"Hi,
I worked for the NCB ( No 3 Area ) for 12 years and have distinct memories of both New Stubbin Colliery, the old workings of Low Stubbin Colliery along with the old workings of the Old John Brown's Colliery. In 1968, I was called upon to investigate a rapid increase in the air temperature rising up the New Stubbin Colliery's Upcast Shaft. After detailed investigation and research it was revealed that the goaf fires reported in 1894, 1901 and 1907 in the Old Parkgate pillar and stall workings of the old Low Stubbin Colliery had re-ignited owing to the under working of the Thorncliffe Seam at New Stubbin Colliery. I found that the underworking, had cracked the numerous stoppings and earlier firewalls that had been put in place, thus allowing air to pass through the old workings and re-ignite the old stall waste. As a result, numerous stoppings had to be re-built in the Old Stubbin workings and it's Addit along with capping the main upcast shaft in Stubbin Village.
It was also recorded that owing to the underground fires, the fields surrounding the Stubbin area were able to harvest two crops per year. Anyone hoping to outcrop this area, I wish them the best of luck. The Parkgate Seam is burnt out in this area. Anything else, they must go deeper, Barnsley Seam extensively worked using pillar and stall methods. Yes pillars are available at 11ft thick, but deep for opencasting in this area. Anything else in this area is a little too deep for open casting.
Regards Mike"
Contact Mike Email mlogan753atbtinternet.com (remember to change at to @).
Swallow Wood Colliery
Swallow Wood Colliery was sunk to mine the Swallow Wood seam. It appears to have been in operation by 1828 although one source states that it was not sunk until the 1850s. This latter source is wrong because it appears on the Ordnance Survey Map from about 1840. It was situated to the south of Back Lane in what is now an open field, but not far from the later deep pits at Stubbin. It had disappeared from the map by 1901.
Warren House & Warren Vale Collieries
in the 1840s and 1850s the pit at Warren Vale was called Rawmarsh Colliery. A wagon line carried the coal down to the wharves on the canal at Kilnhurst.
Warren House Colliery - This information is from Roger -
"This colliery was situated on Wentworth Road to the north of Rawmarsh. It was opened in the early 1800's and closed, I believe in the First World War, or shortly after.( My grandad worked there from 1912 until moving to New Stubbin ). The pit was owned by the Earl Fitzwilliam's Estates and leased to J. J. Charlesworth & Co. It was, as far as I know, never rail or canal connected and possibly the coal was brought up at either Piccadilly or Kilnhurst. The buildings were still in situ in the early 1970's but may have been demolished. There was a small spoil heap adjacent to the pit top but, again, this may have gone."
Warren Vale Colliery - Comments from Roger 2007:–
"Also known as Piccadilly Colliery it was situated alongside Warren Vale Road, north of Rawmarsh in the valley of the Collier Brook, which runs west from Kilnhurst.
Sinking of the colliery commenced in the late 1840's with production commencing towards the end of 1850. The colliery was owned by Earl Fitzwilliam's Estates and worked by J. & J. Charlesworth & Company. Coal was worked from two seams, the 5 ft. seam was worked at a depth of 90 yards, the 9 ft. seam being found at 127 yards. These seams were connected by a shaft.
The colliery suffered a major disaster in December 1851, which was thoroughly reported in the local and national press.
The colliery was rail connected to nother Charlesworth operations at Warren House and Kilnhurst Colliery and so to the main line railway (The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, Sheffield to Doncaster line)
I have no date for closure but I remember some buildings still standing in the 1960's.
Part of the site became the works of Bessacarr Caravans."
And from Roger again:–
"Just a few words of correction for the Warren Vale Colliery bit. The second sentence shouldread:–
"The colliery was owned by Mr. G. S. Foljamb of Osberton, the Lord of the Manor and worked by J. & J. Charlesworth & Company."
In the section relating to the accident I can now add as follows:–
"The colliery suffered a major disaster in December 1851, which was thoroughly reported in the local and national press. A firedamp explosion in the northern section of the 9ft seam killed 51 persons, approximately half being 16 years of age or less, the youngest being 10 years old, some being sons working with their fathers. The cause was given as being a naked flame, a candle by which the miners were working, igniting the gas."
Contact Roger Email roger-milnesatfsmail.net (remember to change at to @).
Another source states that the Warren Vale Colliery, formerly the Rawmarsh Colliery Victoria Pit, was sunk in 1837 and worked until 1897.
Warren Vale Colliery Disaster
The colliery had been operating for less than a year when, in December 1851 an accident took place. The Underground Steward went to inspect the workings just prior to the start of the day shift (around 6 a.m.) and was followed shortly afterwards by the miners. About an hour later an explosion took place which "astounded not only those at the pit but the whole neighbourhood". Two corves (small tubs of coal), one filled with 16 cwts.(approx. 1650 kg) of coal and one empty, were propelled skyward out of the shaft and became entangled in the heargear. Another report pointed out that "Some idea may be formed of the effect of the explosion, when it is stated that a man standing at a door of a cottage, upwards of a mile distant, was completely blackened!"
By 9.30 a.m. repairs had been effected to the headgear to enable access to the mine and 14 injured men and boys were lifted out. By mid-afternoon a further 24 men and boys were brought out alive with the first of those killed.
The cause of the explosion, which took place in the northern end of the 9 ft. seam, was cited as a roof fall which blocked the air flow and caused a build up of foul air which became forced into areas where the miners were working with candles to give light.
In total 51 persons were killed, 24 of these being 16 years or below. In some cases these were fathers and sons, working together. The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death and commented in his summing up of the lack of inspectors for coal mines, there being only 4 of these in the country, and suggested that the Government should increase this number as soon as possible for the benefit and safety of the workers involved in the industry.
More information from I. McJannet
..... "I would just like to offer some information regarding 'old' pits in Rawmarsh (paragraph 2 in your Rawmarsh and Parkgate Colleries page). Swallow Wood Colliery was situated on the Westfield Road side of Greasborough tops almost directly west of St. Mary's church.
Parkgate New Deep (somtimes called Parkgate Deep Pit, Parkgate New or New Parkgate) was situated close to the later New Stubbin colliery but on the south side of Greasborough Lane (further down the old wagon line). The top of an old stone shaft from this pit can still be see today with a little rooting around in the trees and I have attached a picture. This pit was one of the two Rawmarsh pits where children were interviewed in around 1840/1 by the Children's Employment Commission which later led to the banning of women and young children working in the collieries (1842).
The other pit was Mr. Barber's pit which was a collection of workings some as small 2ft high which were spread over the site which now forms the playing fields on Barbers Avenue. The testament of the children can be found in the appendix for Yorkshire of the Empolyment Commission Legislation (part 2 I think).
Kent's Main Colliery was situated close to what is now the roundabout on Monkwood Road (near the north side of Rawmarsh Comprehensive School) and at the south of Kent Avenue. The colliery carried coal up to Haugh Road and down to the wagon line at New Deep (mentioned above). ....."