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Mostyn Colliery

January 01, 1970

53°19′12″N 3°15′47″W / 53.320°N 3.263°W / 53.320; -3.263 Mostyn Colliery was a coal mine in Flintshire, North Wales,[1] that was owned in the later part of its operating life by the influential Mostyn family.[2] The colliery was located at Mostyn on the banks of the River Dee.

Early history edit

 
A sketch of an old engine at Mostyn Colliery, from Pennant's A Tour in Wales 1778

The Welsh writer Thomas Pennant wrote that coal mines at Mostyn were established as far back as 1261, during the reign of Edward I.[3] Records show that in 1294, together with a stone quarry, the colliery had a value of £5 annually, and in 1423 was worth £3 6s 8d.[4]

In the early years, coal was transported from the colliery by boats which approached the quay at high water but the changing river course meant that a partial canal was dug to ensure safe passage.[5]

Records show that Thomas Cowper and Richard Mason of London leased Mostyn Colliery in 1594.[6] Records suggest that by the 17th century Mostyn was possibly the largest colliery on the western seaboard of Britain and probably the most profitable on the North Wales Coalfield.[7]

The Mostyn Family edit

In 1602 Cowper and Mason sold a 13-year lease to Roger Mostyn for £70, beginning the colliery's association with what was to become one of North Wales' most influential families. Mostyn began a programme of expansion, and by 1616 there were three pits on the site. By 1619 the colliery was worth in the region of £700 annually to the Mostyns, which suggests a fairly substantial output.[7]

In 1639 Roger Mostyn's successor, Sir Roger Mostyn ordered the sinking of three more deep pits. At around this time, it is noted that almost all coal shipped from Chester was entered into the city records as 'Mostyn coal'.[8] A serious explosion occurred at the colliery in 1673.[9] Sir Roger Mostyn gave an account of an explosion caused by firedamp on 3 February 1675. The explosion "flew to and fro over all the hollows of the work with a great wind and a continued fire, and, as it went, keeping a mighty great roaring noise on all sides". He described how the blast was heard 15 miles (24 km) away, destroyed the winding gear and felled trees. Mostyn also described how the men who were underground at the time of the blast were singed "as if they had been whipped with rods; some, that had least shelter, were carried fifteen or sixteen yards [by the blast] and beaten against the roof of the coal".[10]

Mostyn Coal and Iron Company edit

When an ironworks was opened to produce iron using coal from the colliery in 1802,[11] the company was renamed the 'Mostyn Coal and Iron Company'. It was prosperous from the start.[12]

In 1806, two explosions occurred causing the deaths of 36 men.[13] In April 1807 a fire resulted in 26 deaths. Several families lost more than one member in the tragedy.[14] Another explosion on 10 March 1809 caused the deaths of 22 men. The 1807 and 1809 explosions killed 50 men, created 26 widows, and left 66 children fatherless.[15]

The average price of coal was documented by Mr Robert Anderson, in his 1839 pamphlet The Present State of the Coal Trade. He gave the average price per ton of Mostyn's 'Best Coals' as 8s 6d, with 'Second Coals' at a shilling less, showing Mostyn coal to be amongst the cheapest available in Britain.[16]

By the 1840s, the approach to the quayside by boat had been improved and was able to take vessels of 300 tons that moved between 50,000 and 60,000 tons of coal each year.[5]

Work started in 1843 on an embankment known locally as the 'cob' that had the dual purpose of reclaiming land from the River Dee, and providing a flood defence. The project known as the Bychan Embankment was funded by the colliery owner Lord Mostyn, and J. P. Eyton. The embankment was 1,974 yards (1,805 m) long—around 1.2 miles (1.9 km). The cost was around £4,500 and about 70 acres of land were reclaimed.[17]

What was, at the time, believed to be one of the largest steam engine cylinders in the world was manufactured for John Lancaster in November 1848 by Haigh Foundry, in Lancashire, for installation in a direct action pumping engine at Mostyn Colliery. It was 17 feet (5.2 m) long, eight feet four inches in diameter, and weighed 22 tons.[18] It was said to have used 30 tons of molten metal in its manufacture, and a sizable crowd of interested observers went to view the casting.[19] Mostyn is also notable in that in 1852, it became one of the first collieries to fit an experimental 'air pump'.[20][21]

Railway edit

With the opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway in 1847, it was only a matter of time before the coal and iron companies took advantage, with the railway passing literally within feet of the site. In 1855, sidings were constructed with access to both the colliery and the ironworks, although the colliery had had its own internal horsedrawn system since the early 18th century.[12]

From 1872 until 1888 the Mostyn Coal & Iron Co, was owned by Joshua Lancaster.[22]

Closure edit

The Mostyn Coal and Iron Company went into liquidation in 1879, in no small part due to changes within the ironworks business, however the full circumstances may never be known, as much of the historical record has been lost. The lease to the colliery was sold as a going concern by the liquidator.[23] The O.S Six-inch map of 1881,[24] shows Hanmer Colliery at 53.31293,-3.25588, and a Copper Works and Ayton Pit where Warwick Chemicals is now.

Disaster beset the colliery in 1884 when the river broke through and completely overwhelmed the pits.[22] The event inspired a Welsh-language song.[25] The colliery never re-opened, despite a takeover in 1887 by a Lancashire company to form the Darwen and Mostyn Iron Company,[22] thus ending over 620 years of coal production at Mostyn.[23] However, by this time, serious explorations were under way at the nearby Point of Ayr site, which would ultimately become one of the last deep coal mines in Wales when it closed in 1996.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Taylor (1848), pp. 349–350
  2. ^ a b "Point of Ayr Colliery". Welsh Coal Mines. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  3. ^ Pennant (1796), p. 133
  4. ^ Hatcher (1993), p. 131
  5. ^ a b Dunn (1844), p. 135
  6. ^ Hatcher (1993), p. 249
  7. ^ a b Hatcher (1993), p. 132
  8. ^ Hatcher (1993), p. 133
  9. ^ Jones (1984), p. 19
  10. ^ Boyd (1879), pp. 8–9
  11. ^ . Merioneth Manganese. Archived from the original on 2008-01-31. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  12. ^ a b "Mostyn History". Mostyn History Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 2007-08-18. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  13. ^ The Monthly Review, Ralph Griffiths, 1818, p. 178
  14. ^ "Mostyn Colliery Fire". Rootsweb Genealogy. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  15. ^ Evans (1812), p. 734
  16. ^ Dunn (1844), p. 204–205
  17. ^ Wiggins (1852), pp. 184–186
  18. ^ "Wigan District Extraordinary casting". Preston Chronicle. British Newspaper Archive. 25 November 1848. p. 5.
  19. ^ Timbs (1849), p. 77
  20. ^ Boyd (1879), p. 117
  21. ^ Williamson (1999), p. 20
  22. ^ a b c . Merioneth Manganese. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  23. ^ a b "Mostyn History". Mostyn History Preservation Society. Retrieved 2007-12-05. [dead link]
  24. ^ "View map: Cheshire XXI (includes: Holywell; Whitford.) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952".
  25. ^ . Culturenet Cymru (in Welsh and English). Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2009-10-17.

Bibliography edit

  • Boyd, Robert Nelson (1879). Coal Mines Inspection: Its History and Results.
  • Dunn, Mathias (1844). View of the Coal Trade. Newcastle upon Tyne, Printed by Pattison and Ross.
  • Evans, J. (1812). The Beauties of England and Wales.
  • Hatcher, John (1993). Before 1700. The History of the British Coal Industry. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-828282-2.
  • Jones, Gareth Elwyn (1984). Modern Wales: A Concise History c.1485–1979. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24232-5.
  • Pennant, Thomas (1796). The History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell.
  • Taylor, Richard Cowling (1848). The Statistics of Coal.
  • Timbs, John (1849). The Yearbook of Facts in Science and Art.
  • Wiggins, John (1852). The Practise of Embanking Lands From The Sea.
  • Williamson, Stanley (1999). Gresford: The Anatomy of a Disaster. Liverpool University Press. ISBN 9780853239024.

External links edit

  • Welsh Coal Mines website - research the history of the local pit

January 01, 1970
mostyn, colliery, coal, mine, flintshire, north, wales, that, owned, later, part, operating, life, influential, mostyn, family, colliery, located, mostyn, banks, river, contents, early, history, mostyn, family, mostyn, coal, iron, company, railway, closure, re. 53 19 12 N 3 15 47 W 53 320 N 3 263 W 53 320 3 263 Mostyn Colliery was a coal mine in Flintshire North Wales 1 that was owned in the later part of its operating life by the influential Mostyn family 2 The colliery was located at Mostyn on the banks of the River Dee Contents 1 Early history 2 The Mostyn Family 3 Mostyn Coal and Iron Company 4 Railway 5 Closure 6 References 6 1 Bibliography 7 External linksEarly history edit nbsp A sketch of an old engine at Mostyn Colliery from Pennant s A Tour in Wales 1778 The Welsh writer Thomas Pennant wrote that coal mines at Mostyn were established as far back as 1261 during the reign of Edward I 3 Records show that in 1294 together with a stone quarry the colliery had a value of 5 annually and in 1423 was worth 3 6s 8d 4 In the early years coal was transported from the colliery by boats which approached the quay at high water but the changing river course meant that a partial canal was dug to ensure safe passage 5 Records show that Thomas Cowper and Richard Mason of London leased Mostyn Colliery in 1594 6 Records suggest that by the 17th century Mostyn was possibly the largest colliery on the western seaboard of Britain and probably the most profitable on the North Wales Coalfield 7 The Mostyn Family editIn 1602 Cowper and Mason sold a 13 year lease to Roger Mostyn for 70 beginning the colliery s association with what was to become one of North Wales most influential families Mostyn began a programme of expansion and by 1616 there were three pits on the site By 1619 the colliery was worth in the region of 700 annually to the Mostyns which suggests a fairly substantial output 7 In 1639 Roger Mostyn s successor Sir Roger Mostyn ordered the sinking of three more deep pits At around this time it is noted that almost all coal shipped from Chester was entered into the city records as Mostyn coal 8 A serious explosion occurred at the colliery in 1673 9 Sir Roger Mostyn gave an account of an explosion caused by firedamp on 3 February 1675 The explosion flew to and fro over all the hollows of the work with a great wind and a continued fire and as it went keeping a mighty great roaring noise on all sides He described how the blast was heard 15 miles 24 km away destroyed the winding gear and felled trees Mostyn also described how the men who were underground at the time of the blast were singed as if they had been whipped with rods some that had least shelter were carried fifteen or sixteen yards by the blast and beaten against the roof of the coal 10 Mostyn Coal and Iron Company editWhen an ironworks was opened to produce iron using coal from the colliery in 1802 11 the company was renamed the Mostyn Coal and Iron Company It was prosperous from the start 12 In 1806 two explosions occurred causing the deaths of 36 men 13 In April 1807 a fire resulted in 26 deaths Several families lost more than one member in the tragedy 14 Another explosion on 10 March 1809 caused the deaths of 22 men The 1807 and 1809 explosions killed 50 men created 26 widows and left 66 children fatherless 15 The average price of coal was documented by Mr Robert Anderson in his 1839 pamphlet The Present State of the Coal Trade He gave the average price per ton of Mostyn s Best Coals as 8s 6d with Second Coals at a shilling less showing Mostyn coal to be amongst the cheapest available in Britain 16 By the 1840s the approach to the quayside by boat had been improved and was able to take vessels of 300 tons that moved between 50 000 and 60 000 tons of coal each year 5 Work started in 1843 on an embankment known locally as the cob that had the dual purpose of reclaiming land from the River Dee and providing a flood defence The project known as the Bychan Embankment was funded by the colliery owner Lord Mostyn and J P Eyton The embankment was 1 974 yards 1 805 m long around 1 2 miles 1 9 km The cost was around 4 500 and about 70 acres of land were reclaimed 17 What was at the time believed to be one of the largest steam engine cylinders in the world was manufactured for John Lancaster in November 1848 by Haigh Foundry in Lancashire for installation in a direct action pumping engine at Mostyn Colliery It was 17 feet 5 2 m long eight feet four inches in diameter and weighed 22 tons 18 It was said to have used 30 tons of molten metal in its manufacture and a sizable crowd of interested observers went to view the casting 19 Mostyn is also notable in that in 1852 it became one of the first collieries to fit an experimental air pump 20 21 Railway editWith the opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway in 1847 it was only a matter of time before the coal and iron companies took advantage with the railway passing literally within feet of the site In 1855 sidings were constructed with access to both the colliery and the ironworks although the colliery had had its own internal horsedrawn system since the early 18th century 12 From 1872 until 1888 the Mostyn Coal amp Iron Co was owned by Joshua Lancaster 22 Closure editThe Mostyn Coal and Iron Company went into liquidation in 1879 in no small part due to changes within the ironworks business however the full circumstances may never be known as much of the historical record has been lost The lease to the colliery was sold as a going concern by the liquidator 23 The O S Six inch map of 1881 24 shows Hanmer Colliery at 53 31293 3 25588 and a Copper Works and Ayton Pit where Warwick Chemicals is now Disaster beset the colliery in 1884 when the river broke through and completely overwhelmed the pits 22 The event inspired a Welsh language song 25 The colliery never re opened despite a takeover in 1887 by a Lancashire company to form the Darwen and Mostyn Iron Company 22 thus ending over 620 years of coal production at Mostyn 23 However by this time serious explorations were under way at the nearby Point of Ayr site which would ultimately become one of the last deep coal mines in Wales when it closed in 1996 2 References edit Taylor 1848 pp 349 350 a b Point of Ayr Colliery Welsh Coal Mines Retrieved 2007 12 02 Pennant 1796 p 133 Hatcher 1993 p 131 a b Dunn 1844 p 135 Hatcher 1993 p 249 a b Hatcher 1993 p 132 Hatcher 1993 p 133 Jones 1984 p 19 Boyd 1879 pp 8 9 Mostyn Coal amp Iron Co Merioneth Manganese Archived from the original on 2008 01 31 Retrieved 2007 12 16 a b Mostyn History Mostyn History Preservation Society Archived from the original on 2007 08 18 Retrieved 2007 12 05 The Monthly Review Ralph Griffiths 1818 p 178 Mostyn Colliery Fire Rootsweb Genealogy Retrieved 2007 12 02 Evans 1812 p 734 Dunn 1844 p 204 205 Wiggins 1852 pp 184 186 Wigan District Extraordinary casting Preston Chronicle British Newspaper Archive 25 November 1848 p 5 Timbs 1849 p 77 Boyd 1879 p 117 Williamson 1999 p 20 a b c Joshua Lancaster Merioneth Manganese Archived from the original on 2008 12 02 Retrieved 2007 12 16 a b Mostyn History Mostyn History Preservation Society Retrieved 2007 12 05 dead link View map Cheshire XXI includes Holywell Whitford Ordnance Survey Six inch England and Wales 1842 1952 Song about the Mostyn Colliery Disaster 1884 Culturenet Cymru in Welsh and English Archived from the original on 2011 06 05 Retrieved 2009 10 17 Bibliography edit Boyd Robert Nelson 1879 Coal Mines Inspection Its History and Results Dunn Mathias 1844 View of the Coal Trade Newcastle upon Tyne Printed by Pattison and Ross Evans J 1812 The Beauties of England and Wales Hatcher John 1993 Before 1700 The History of the British Coal Industry Vol 1 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 828282 2 Jones Gareth Elwyn 1984 Modern Wales A Concise History c 1485 1979 Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 24232 5 Pennant Thomas 1796 The History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell Taylor Richard Cowling 1848 The Statistics of Coal Timbs John 1849 The Yearbook of Facts in Science and Art Wiggins John 1852 The Practise of Embanking Lands From The Sea Williamson Stanley 1999 Gresford The Anatomy of a Disaster Liverpool University Press ISBN 9780853239024 External links editWelsh Coal Mines website research the history of the local pit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mostyn Colliery amp oldid 1170279305, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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