Billingsley Colliery

A short history of Billingsley Colliery with related documents

A short history of Billingsley Colliery

Mines around Billingsley [+]
This map shows mines in the vicinity of Billingsley, with local roads and railways

Billingsley Colliery
In the 1860s a number of individuals began prospecting for coal in Billingsley. The most successful of these was William Birchley, landlord of the Cape of Good Hope, who found a good seam of sweat coal on the land of the Duke of Cleveland in December 1872. As a result of this, the Billingsley Colliery Company was formed in 1875, largely financed by a group of Worcestershire business men. However, they struggled to make a success of the mine and in 1879 it was taken over by Samuel Dimbelby. Dimbelby, with the help of some of the original partners floated a series of companies to work the mine and also started work on a railway to link the colliery with the Severn Valley route from Shrewsbury to Hartlebury and Kidderminster. These companies were no more successful than the original Billingsley Colliery Company (now trading as the Severn Valley Colliery Company) and in 1883 the colliery was bought by Alfred Gibbs, chief clerk at the mine.

Gibbs ran the colliery successfully for many years as a small mine, employing around 20 men. However, in 1910, following the opening of the Ditton Priors and Cleobury Mortimer Light Railway, he tried to expand operations. He was joined by a number of experienced colliery owners (many connected with Powell Duffryn, a mining company in South Wales). A railway connection was completed, although eventually it followed the 19th Century plan to link with the Severn Valley. New housing developments were built for the prospective miners in Highley, at Clee View and Garden Village and the company was involved in laying out an expensive sewage treatment works at New England, in Highley. The colliery itself was expanded and modernised. However, mining conditions proved very difficult and the outbreak of the First World War proved fatal for the company. They sold the mine to the Highley Mining Company in 1915. The latter worked it whilst it remained profitable, but following the national strike of 1921, it was closed.


BT 31/2081/9268: Billingsley Colliery Company 1875-1904
This consists of notes made from the Board of Trade company files (BT31 series) kept at the National Archives on the various companies that worked Billingsley.
Company registered 3rd March 1875 with office at 7 Pierrepoint Street Worcester. The first lease of land had been on December 30th 1871, from Duke of Cleveland to Wm Birchley. On 28th January 1875 agreement was reached between Wm Birchley, Evan Birchley & George Henry Page to sell the concern to Samuel Taylor & Billingsley Col Co was registered as above to work coal, clay, iron ore, to make bricks, pig iron etc, to burn lime, to make bituminous products and chemicals. Initial purchase included colliery machinery and land to make a tramway to the River Severn and the Severn Valley Railway. Purchaser had until May 1876 to pay for colliery or afterwards pay interest at 5% p.a. The new company was set up with £60,000 of capital in £10 shares, £3000 to be preferential. Only 3021 of the initial shares were to be offered for sale at the start. Each of the three vendors was to accept £5000 of fully paid up shares. Agreement made between Samuel Taylor, Thomas Lee Pilbitch, Civil Engineer of Dorset. This recognised the services that Pilditch had performed for the Company & appointed him as Managing Director for 3 years on a salary of £250 p.a. He was also issued with 100 fully paid-up shares, not transferable for 7 years. The first directors of the Company were Pilditch. Wm & Ed. Birchley, Ed. Mellor, Geo. Page, Sam. Taylor, Wm Mellor (chairman), John Badger, Wm Wink & John Thompson (secretary). Company and subscribers mainly Worcester men; Wm Mellor (sauce maker) John Badger (Ironfounder), Wm Wink (Hotel Keeper), Ed Mellor (Draper), Sam Taylor (Stockbroker), Geo Page (Solicitor), John Thompson (Solicitor).
Director’s qualification = 100 shares. 1 vote/ 15 shares.
16th July 1875 company had 1500 vendors’ shares, 501 ordinary shares. £10 called up on each vendor’s share, £8 on ordinary shares. £16404 calls paid, £2710 calls unpaid.
2nd May 1878 agreement between John Thompson & the Company. The Company owed Thompson £1990. This was to be settled by giving Thompson 199 shares.
13th February 1879: Name of Company changed to Severn Valley Colliery Company. Geo. Taylor now secretary. 31st December 2400 shares taken up. Wm Birchley no longer a shareholder.
16th March 1883: Petition by Alfred Gibbs, supported by Wm. Mellor, Wm. Winks, Sam Dimbleby (shareholder) to pass the Company into the hands of a liquidator. Wm. Parker, accountant of Derby appointed 9th August 1883. He was still liquidator July 19th 1904 when the Company was finally dissolved.

BT31 19547/110525 Billingsley Colliery Company 1910-1919
Colliery dated from lease made to Alfred Gibbs giving him pit for 21 years from 25th March 1894. The new Billingsley Colliery Company was incorporated on 1st July 1910 to take over the Severn Valley Colliery Company. It could raise coal, iron, make bricks, subscribe to any railway scheme, make coal by-products, supply electricity and act as shipowners. Company set up with £75000 capital, £50000 to be issued to the public. First directors were Shaw, Childe, Bailey, Glasbrook & Strain. Agreement made between the Co & Wm. Foxlee 5th July 1910. Foxlee appointed managing dir. for 5 yrs at a salary of £500 p.a. payable quarterly. In consideration of Foxlee’s services in obtaining the grant to the company of leases of mining properties from Lord Barnard & Mrs Childe, he was to be paid £2000 in cash & allotted £1000 of shares. These conditions were agreed on the understanding that Foxlee would make an agreement with the Stottesdon, Kinlet & Billingsley Light Railway for which he was to be appointed engineer and was to be paid for this. If railway constructed, his salary from the company would commence when it opened for traffic, but if the agreement with the railway should not be completed, the company would pay to Foxlee by way of compensation, a sum that would make good the profit he would expect to make on the railway, provided Foxlee agreed to act as engineer for an alternative railway. On the same date, there was an agreement between the company and Alfred Gibbs. Gibbs agreed to sell the colliery for £6000. £1500 to be paid in cash & £4500 in shares. Gibbs appointed director & Fredk Walter Gibbs his son, at present a certified colliery manager, was to continue for 3 years at a salary of £200 p.a. . Arthur Duesbury first secretary of the Company. The prospectus stated company was to develop new works & provide a rail link to the colliery. Hoped to make agreement with the GWR for construction of branch from SVR to the colliery. With money from the present share issue the company would purchase the Stottesdon, Kinlet & Billingsley Railway Co and if the suggested agreement with the GWR could be completed, subscribe £20,000 to the capital of the light railway. (This has £30,000 capital & £10,000 borrowing powers). A report by E. Hann estimated the cost of equipping the present pit to produce an output of 300-400 tons per day would be £10,000. Total capital expenditure on the present pit would be £50,000, but £20,000 needed for proposed 2nd shaft on the Kinlet Estate. Leases entered into with Lord Barnard (800 acres) and Mrs Childe (200 acres) for mineral rights for 60 years. (Needed to lease a further 200 acres from Chorley Estate). Report by Hann stated that Stanley Coal 3’6” thick (91 yds), 5’ seam, 4’ seam (161 yds) 2’ seam (163 yds) all present and 2 ironstone seams (dark & light clod) & 2 fireclay seams (2’ & 5’). 35 acres had at present been worked in the 5’ seam with a few acres in the Stanley & 5’ seams. There was a 1 in 7 dip to the South-east. These seams had previously been worked from 120 yard shaft at Harcourt where the working extended north into the Chorley property. The colliery is abandoned for lack of funds and railway connection. In North-east of Kinlet estate, a borehole, has proved coal, probably Stanley seam, at 178 yards. Estimated 30 million tons under 220 acres, sufficient in 5’ seam alone for a production of 100,000 tons for 20 years. 5’ seam at present worked with 4’ & 2’ just driven into. No water or gas. Colliery worked with naked light. Roof of 5’ seam is good. Coal can be worked at 6/6 a ton (32½ pence). At present coal selling prices at the pithead are: best large 15/- (75 pence) a ton, seconds 13/4 a ton (67p), Batts 7/6 Slack 6/8 (33p). Therefore pit will give profit of approx. £10,000 p.a. The pit has two 190’-deep shafts 7’6” diam, with 1 cage in each shaft. Winding engine at present can deal with 20 tons per hour but can be increased up to 30 tons. At present no screens, nor ventilator. Ventilation produced by exhaust steam via pump in the upcast. To increase output, boilers, machinery & screens must be installed. Without railway this will cost £10,000. At present colliery produces 5- 6000 tons p.a. due to lack of railway. Other shaft should be sunk to get output of 1-2000 tons per day. One of the conditions of the Kinlet lease was that a pit should be sunk on that property with winding capacity of 600 tons/day. These shafts will be approx. 150-180 yards deep & cost £16,000-£20,000.
Report 1910 stated that 51,405 shares had been allocated, 5500 fully paid up (Gibbs & Foxlee) Total amount of cash for shares was £11,491-5s-0d. On 20th Sept 1910 payment stood at £3000 to Foxlee, £6083-ls-8d to Gibbs, £494-1s-8d for equipment for colliery, £769-9s-ld for preliminary expenses.
Report Dec 31st 1911. Satisfactory exploration made at Billingsley. Contract for construction of line to S.V.R. let and work has been proceeding for last 5 months and should be ready by August, by which time the colliery will be producing coal. Borehole being sunk at Rays Farm near to the site of the new shaft to prove the position of the coal. 5500 shares fully paid, 45965 shares 12/6d paid. Total=£34,228-2s-6d. Trade and sundry creditors owed £1892-19s-6d. Sundry capital £33,30510/10. Recoverable royalties £1007-4s-3d. Sundry debtors £152-6s-9d. Cash at Lloyds £1626-0s-2d. Petty cash £30-0-0. Most shareholders from South Wales, Scotland & Home Counties, except Fred. Wilson bank cashier, Lloyds, Bridgnorth who had £10. Glassbrook had 1500 shares, Childs 500, John Beale (Co. Solicitors) 1000 and Wm Cuthbert 3000.
Report Dec 31st 1914. Difficulties in gaining possession of Garden Village. Liabilities: £144,880 share capital, £1940-8s-1d creditors. £9740-18s-8d owed to Lloyds. Assets: Colliery £85,276-17s-ld, railway £32,284-1s-8d, Brickworks £4955-10s-7d. Freehold land £1140. Officials & Workmen’s houses £8838-1s-11d, Ropeway £2200-5s-4d. Deposit on railway siding at GWR £755-18-l0d Investments £14650. Royalties £4413-l5s-10d. Debtors £1976-8s-4d. Petty cash £70.
Outbreak of war had taken away 63% of underground men, nullifying benefit of the houses; only enough men for output of 800 tons/week. Sinking of new shaft not proceeding because of labour shortage. Charles Lewis appointed Director to replace Gibbs who died in 1912.
Oct18th 1913; Colliery mortgaged for £16000.
August 26th 1915 Capital increased to £180000 by creation of £30000 of £1 preference shares with preferential dividend of 10%.
1913 Russ had £100 of shares. 3rd January 1919 Company dissolved.