The following is a collection of letters and emails with reference to street names in the East Greenwich area
FROM TYNE&WEAR MUSEUMS
Dear Mary Mills. Thank you for your letter of 18th September. The Pelton and Waldridge collieries were both adjacent to the line of the Stanhope and Tyne Railway; however I cannot at present confirm whether Derwent refers to the name of a colliery. R.G.Braddyll was the proprietor of South Hetton Colliery, which exported coal via Seaham Harbour from the 1830s via the South Hetton Waggonway. We too are interested in the associations between the Thames and Tyne & Wear so far as the seaborne coal trade is concerned; a particular line of research at the present time is to identify to what extent the term ‘Wallsend’ (sometimes ‘Wall’s End’) was used in the London area from the late 18th century onward to market the best household coal to individual customers. I shall be in touch with the Museum of London fairly soon, but I would be glad to learn of any other leads you can suggest which may be worth following up. DIRECTOR OF TYNE AND WEAR MUSEUMS: DAVID FLEMING OBE, MA, PHD, AMA, FRSA.
From RICHARD ELLAM 1998
Northumberland County Or Earl of?
Longstone. Personal name: not a place name listed in my Ordnance Survey road atlas.
Newcastle Place or Nobleman?
Thornley. Colliery village between Durham and Peterlee. There’s another, much smaller, Thornley up in the Pennines near Tow Law, which puts it right on the edge of the Coalfield.
Whitworth. Probably not a colliery name, at least not in the North-East. Whitworth the place, is in Greater Manchester, and so lies on the Lancashire Coalfield. By 1856 Coal from a colliery in that place (if one existed) would be reaching London by rail, However, I think that the name may refer to Sir Joseph Whitworth, an engineer and arms manufacturer from Manchester whose name would have been quite well known in the midst of the Crimean War as an inventor of a system of rifled artillery. Whitworth is remembered today as a pioneer manufacturer of machine tools and as the progenitor of the system of British Standard screw threads which bears his name.
Paddock. A Paddock Colliery would not be unheard of, but I think you might well find that this name is of more local origin: did this street lead to a paddock, or was apaddock there before the street was built?
I hope these thoughts are of some use to you. They may help in pursuing future researches but because it is some ten years since I last did any serious work on the Coal Trade you should not take any of this as gospel. I think that if you want to try and tie down the coal trade references exactly you will have to make a trip to the North-Fast and dig in the archives up there. Unfortunately the mining archives are spread between three record offices, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Durham, and the holdings of the record offices do not match the geographical areas they claim to cover. The best holdings of mining records (are in the Northumberland Record Office, which now holds the extensive archive of the North East institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. This contains extensive collections of ‘Views technical reports on collieries, which are all invaluable source of information on colliery ownership. From the late ISSOs, 1857 I think, there are published reports of the Government Mines Inspectors, which list collieries by owner and also give an indication of whether they are working or not. These annual reports will be available in the British Library, if nowhere else in. London, and the Science Museum Library may hold some of them, too.
From Alan Vickers, December 2000
Subject: Types of coal sold on the London market between 1852 _ 59.
Hi – I have extracted all the types of coal which were sold on the London
market which I can find in my copies of the Illustrated London News between
1852 – 59.
Acorn Close. Bate’s West Hartley. Bell’s Primrose . Benson, Braddyll’s Hetton. Caradoc Cassop, Eden, Framwellgate, Hartlepool, Hartley’s, Hasting’s Hartley, Haswell Gas, Hedley, Hetton, Heugh Hall, Hilton, Holywell, Johnson, Kepier Grangem Lawson, Nixon’s Merthyr, Northumberland, North Percy Hartley, Redheugh Main, Russell’s Seaham, Sidney’s Hartley, South Hetton, South Hartlepool, Stewart’s, Tanfield Moor, Backhouse, Bell, Belmont, Braddyll, Buddle’s West Hartley, Carr’s Hartley, Cowpen Hartley, Eden Main, Gosforth, Hartlepoolm Hetton, Harton, Haswell, Hebburn, Hervey, Hetton Hartley Main, Hilda, HIlton Hyons, Hunwick, Kelloe, Lambton, Lyons, North Hartlepool, Northumberland East, Pelton Main, Riddell, Russell’s Hetton, Shincliffe, Smith’s West Hartley, South Durham, South Kelloe, Stewart’s Hartley, Tanfield Moor Butes, Tees, Thornley, Towneley, Trawell Gate, Victoria Steam
Ward’s West Hartley, West Hartley, West Kelloe, West Tees, Whitworth, Tees Eden, Thorpe,
Tramwellgate, Tyne Main, Walker’s Primrose, West Hartlepool, West Hetton, West Lumley, Whitwell, Wylam
Pelton Colliery .Pelton, nr, Chester le Street. 6 miles [9 km] NNW of Durham. (Sheet 88) NZ253517, 54° 51′ 34″ N, 1° 36′ 20″ W, 1898 from Reid’s Handy Colliery Guide. 1928 from Reid’s Handy Colliery Guide. 1951 from the Guide to the Coalfields (Colliery Guardian)
1835. Feb 1965. Brow Pit,: (Sheet 88) NZ251521, opened: 1867
Busty Pit. (Sheet 88) NZ251518. Fan Pit, opened: 1867. North Pit, opened: 1867
1835 – Messrs. KingsCote & Co. ???? – James Reid & Partners ???? – Messrs. Swabey & Co.
???? – Messrs. W. C. Curteis & Co. 1869 – Lord Dunsoney & Partners 1901 – Owners of Pelton Colliery Ltd. Output: 1929 – Mid Durham Coal Co. Ltd. 1947 – National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
1896 – Coal: Gas. 1902 – Coal: Gas, Steam. 1930 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Household.
1940 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. (215000 tons) 1947 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Household. (175000 tons) 1950 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam 1955 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam.
1960 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. 1964 – Coal: Coking, Gas, Steam. Seams Worked: 1894 – Maudlin, Low Main, Hutton, Busty 1930 – Hutton, Towneley, Tilley, Busty 1940 – Hutton, Towneley, Tilley, Busty, Low Main, Shield Ro 1950 – Low Main, Hutton, Towneley, Tilley, Brockwell [inv: Ne 1955 – Shield Row, Low Main, Hutton, Brockwell, Tilley, Tow 1960 – Harvey, High Main, Tilley, Hutton, Five Quarter 1964 – High Main, Hutton, Harvey, Tilley, Bottom Brockwell 1857 – A boring was put down from the hill of the Busty Colliery, proving the Brockwell and lower seams. 1867 – The North Pit, Pelton Colliery, sunk from the surf
Seam. 1893 – A boring was put down at Pelton Colliery below the Seam, proving the Brockwell Seam too thin to work. The pumping engine is a high pressure of 80 horse power. The winding engine is also a high pressure of about 40 horse power. The coals are transmitted by the Stanhope and Tyne Railway to the drops at South Shields, a distance of about 14 miles.
PELTON COLLIERY.
This colliery is situated about 2 miles west-south-west from Chester-le-Street It was commenced by Messrs. Kingscote and Co., but is now carried on by James Reed, Esq., and Partners, who have, since they came into possession, effected many valuable improvements in the concern. The ground was broken for the air-shaft on August 12, 1835. The depth of this shaft is 64 fathoms, and that of the working shaft 52 fathoms. The seam wrought is the Hutton, which is here from 4 feet 4 inches to 4 feet 6 inches thick. The winding engine is of 25 horse power, and the pumping engine 100; but it has not yet been found necessary to exert the whole power of the latter. The coals are transmitted by the Pontop and Shields (the Stanhope and Tyne) railway, a distance of about 13 miles to the staithes–at South Shields.
From Mike Syer Subject: Re: Chester le Street Collieries date 2000
I don’t know if any of this is useful. ‘Hope it is!
1843 Deacon There was a Deacon Drift at Eden Colliery, Leadgate. This was owned in 1844 by E. Richardson. Edward Richardson & Ptnrs of Sunderland owned Sacriston Colliery from 1839 and also Charlaw Colliery (m. Sacriston) and Medomsley Colliery. , E. Richardson owned Eden Coliery, Leadgate in 1844, and possibly Derwent Colliery, Medomsley in the 1850s . Lord Howden, Cargills, Horsington & Richardson owned Wingate Grange Colliery in 1843. I’ve no idea whether this is the same Richardson.
1843 Lambton.Obviously too many references to mention. I’ve had a quick flick through such information as I have about the Earl of Durham’s collieries and found no obvious link (or coincidence!) other than geographical proximity with the others you enquired about.
1843 Lime Tree It’s probably total coincidence, but there are only six streets in the old part of today’s Waldridge. One is Lime Street and the others are all named after trees: Oak, Poplar, Pine, Olive and Cedar. I’m not sure how old these terraces are – but they certainly are’t 160 years old. Early 20th Century, probably.
1843 PeIton Pelton Colliery was owned by Jas. Reed [or Reid?] & Co.lPtms in 1843. There were other collieries in the Pelton area but I don’t have any other relevant information about ownership etc. at that time.
1843 Standard ??
1843 Stanley I have no special references though there were a lot of pits in the Stanley area. It was James Joicey country,
1843 Waldridge You know a bit about Waldridge Colliery already! Geo. Sowerby & Partners leased Waldridge Colliery from Joliffe & Byron in the 1830s + 1840s. Sowerby, Philipson & Co. owned Chester Moor Colliery, which was a mile or so away from Waldridge, in the 1880s. Messrs Sowerby & Fletcher operated Burnhope Colliery, Lanchester till 1881.
1843 Wellington There was a Wellington Pit at Edmondsley Colliery, which is a mile or so from Waldridge. It’s owners in the 1850s were Samuel Tyzack &Co. There was also a Wellington Pit at Usworth Pit, Washington, which is four or five miles from Waldridge.
1845 Chester (Chester le Street) I have no special references though there were obviously a lot of pits in the area, including most ofthose mentioned here.
1846 Derwent E. Richardson was the sinker of Derwent Colliery, Medomsley, between 1853 and 1856. Derwent Iron Co. was the operator.
1849 Durham Obviously too many references to mention.
1850 Kent??
1850 Marlborough ??
1850 Trinity}?
1851 Gibson T.C. Gibson owned Sacriston Colliery in1843. He may have obtained it from Mr. Richardson, or they may have been in partnership. Sorry, I don’t know. I think TC Gibson & Ptnrs became the South Hetton Coal Co. who, apart from South Hetton Colliery, also owned Trimdon Grange and Murton Collieries. Another of the partners in this company was Colonel Braddyl.
Gibson’s Pit at Newfield Colliery, near Willington, was sunk in 1841, when it was operated by John Robson and partners. I did wonder, in looking into your enquiry, whether I had confused this Newfield with the one that is near Chester-le-Street (near Pelton). But John Robson’s links with the Willington area are clear, including collieries at Hunwick and Byers Green, all in the 1840s. There may, of comse, have been more than one John Robson and the same goes for many of the other links I am suggesting in this note. In the 1840s there was also a Robson involved in Whitwell [Grange] Colliery and possibly at Bowburn – and I would love more information about them …
1852 Braddyl Braddyl, Walker, M. Foster, Green, Rawsthome, and partners owned South Hetton Colliery in 1843 and Col. Braddyl was one of the partners in the South Hetton Coal Co. Messrs Braddyll & Co. also then owned Dalden-(i.e. Dalton?)-le-Dale Colliery.
1852 Caradoc ??
1852 Northumberland A big area …
1853 Longstone ??
1853 Newcastle A big area …
1855 Thornley Apart from Thornley Colliery, the Thornley Coal Co. also owned Ludworth at 1860 and Cassop and possibly Cassop Moor in the 1840s. Partners in this company included Messrs. Chaytor, T. Wood, Gully & Burrell. I’m not sure whether R.D. (or R.P.) Philipson was a partner then. Nor do I know whether that Philipson was the one associated with Waldridge’s Sowerby
(or the Philipson involved in the Herton Coal Co.). But he did at one time in the 1850s own the Cassop collieries. And his manager in 1852 was one John Robson.
1856 Whitworth Whitworth Park was owned in 1851 by Messrs Richard S. Johnson & T. Reay [et al.?].
1864 Paddock Paddock Myers Colliery was sunk near Evenwood Park in 1845. Another coincidence, perhaps, but Messrs. Charlton were one-time owners of Even wood and Tees Hetton Colliery, at Evenwood. And there was a Martin Charlton’s Pit at Whitworth Park.
Letter from Brian Hilsdon – hilsdon letter0001
Greenwich Peninsula History 