Picture of nearby Sneyd Colliery in Burslem
In the Goldenhill area Randle Baddeley was digging coal “in the lane in Oldcott between Broadfield and Gill Bank” in or before 1719, while George Sparrow was working in Colclough Lane at the same time. During the early 1730’s Sparrow was mining “coal cannel, and ironstone” on the Yew Tree Farm estate in partnership with Thomas Hatherton and others. Despite great demand for the products operations were not on a large scale, six workmen being the maximum number employed at any one time. Great expense was incurred in drainage, and there were several old workings, 14 yds and more deep and some 150 yards long, which the partners cleared of the dirt and rubbish filling them. James Brindley had an interest in a colliery at Goldenhill to which he constructed a branch canal from the main Trent and Mersey Canal inside the Harecastle Tunnel; this branch was closed in the late 1820’s. In 1793 Thomas Tunstall was working seams of “the big cannel row and little cannel row” on his Colclough Lane estate, and in the late 1820’s William and James Tunstall were mining at Goldenhill. The Goldenhill Colliery (coal and ironstone) in Colclough Lane was being worked by by Robert Williamson in 1841, but though still in operation in the early 1920’s it had been closed by 1931. There was a small colliery at Gill Bank in the early 1890’s and opencast mining on 30 acres of Gill Bank farm from 1943 to 1948. There was still small scale mining in the Gill Bank area in the late 1950’s.
To visit the North Staffordshire Mining History Group webpage follow the link http://nsmg.apedale.co.uk/
To find out more about Goldenhill Mining History follow the link below & click on old pits & click G for Goldenhill http://nsmg.apedale.co.uk/PITLIST2.htm
I can remember a least two Futtrels or drift mines in the area.
One was part way down Chatterley Drive on the first bend on the right and it had used an old American army truck as a winder.
The other was on the very shap bend at Acres Nook where you could take a short cut to Bathpool, can’t remember if the path was called Padwalk or Bassilow.
Hello,
Thanks to a recent Google search I found this page : http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5000043
It shows that between 1947 and 1949 my dad was the owner of Woodstock Colliery. We lived in Biddulph at the time but moved away in 1956. Would you be able to provide me with any info re Woodstock? I would be sincerely grateful.
many thanks, Roger Casstles
Hi Roger,
I have passed your request onto David who is our expert on local history, I hope he can help? If he does would you please update SAGE further.
I don’t know if you have visited Goldenhill lately but when entering the area it say’s “Historic Mining Village of Goldenhill”.
Many thanks for your interest in our area.
Regards,
Tom.
Roger, might be able to help you a little. Is that you on facebook? If so I will message you with my email address.
Does anybody remember a John Blairs? He had an accident in the mine when the roof fell in on him, July 1957
Sorry I don’t Rachael.
If you are on Facebook, go to Goldenhill Memories Group and apply to join.
I will add you then we can do an appeal for you.
David