Another concern which loaded coal at Fetterhill was the Hopewell Engine
Colliery. In 1836 Messrs. Thomas and James Bennett were applying to erect
a steam engine at ëHope-Well Pití, it was to be of 12-16 horse power and
for winding purposes only. The 1841 Coal Awards stated that the gale was
held by James and Robert Morrell as assignees of a lease granted by James
Prout, a Free Miner, for 1000 years, from the 29th July 1822. It is possible
therefore that the Bennetts were leasing the concern from the Morrells
who were Oxford bankers.
A list of the coal works in the Forest dated 1st March 1841 stated
that Hopewell was held by Messrs. Morrells ëlate Thos Morganí, possibly
another lessee. The coal being worked was the High Delf and it was
raised by a steam engine from pits 46 yards deep. The coal was dispatched
by the Severn & Wye tramroad and an output averaging about 47 tons
per day was achieved.
[Morrells and the Miles Level connection]
During the 1840s it would appear that Messrs. Morrells were working
the gale as the following tonnages stand to the gale against their names:
1841 5135 tons
1842 7477
1843 7035
1844 5411
1845 6201
1846 3873
By October 1862 the gale was being worked by Messrs. Blanch and Bower
whilst in April 1863 the registered owners of Hopewell were John and Thomas
Blanch who were applying to make a tramroad connection. Permission was
granted for this as the pit was open to the coal. In June 1869 the gale
was being worked by the Western Counties Colliery Co. of Whitecroft, the
proprietors of which were Henry Richards Lückes and Francis Nash,
(Lückes & Nash also had interests in the Patent Fuel Works at
Whitecroft and in the Speech House Hill Colliery) although the registered
owners were still the Blanches. They had, however, by November mortgaged
the concern to a Mr. Thomas Bower.
In May 1878 the property was assigned to Mr. George Oldland, who also
owned half of the Maplefold Engine gale and of Miles Level. By November
1879 he had sold out to James Rosser for £500 and he leased the colliery
to Mr. George Roberts. It is likely that Roberts was only working part
of the gale as by January 1884 Rosser had obtained permission from Trotter,
Thomas & Co., owners of the Success Level gale, to use an old shaft
on the south side of the Coleford branch in order to work the coal on the
north side of the railway. Rosser also applied to the Severn & Wye
for permission to use the shaft as it was situated within the railway boundary
fence. This application was granted on the conditions that:-
1. No coal should be worked underneath the railway land.
2. That the necessary heading underneath the railway should be
lined with masonry.
It is unknown, however, if the shaft was used at this time.
Rosser was obviously loading coal on the Fetterhill Siding as in January
1886 it was reported that ëa truck or trucks down to Rossers level to be
laden with coal for Rich. Thomas, tinplate works at Lydneyí. Work, however,
must have been going badly as financially Rosser was in great difficulties.
His effects were being sold off in distraint for rent, although he intended
to continue working Hopewell Engine. In 1888 an output of 1,883 tons
was achieved from the colliery.
Rossers proposed use of the old shaft in the junction of the Coleford
branch and the Fetterhill Sidings may have been interupted by the state
of his financial affairs as in August 1889 it was again reported that he
intended to use it. This time the S & W were concerned that, even if
Rosser had the right to use it, it could not be worked without considerable
damage to the railway. These fears were confirmed in January 1890 when
Rosser was said to be working coal under the Coleford branch ëin a manner
dangerous to the railwayí. Rosser was asked to secure the heading for which
the Severn & Wye were to contribute £10 if necessary.
In April the same year Rosser was stopped from loading coal on the
ëDarkhill Branch, it being dangerousí. It was added that the practice also
involved unnecessary shunting. From this it would seem that coal was being
loaded directly from the shaft in which case Rossers wagons would block
the entire siding. To avoid this inconvieience the siding had been extended
for Rosser to load his wagons but it would appear that he was not using
this facility. Work had evidently ceased at the colliery by January
1892 as in that month Rosser was summoned for not fencing his shaft at
Hopewell.
Rosser had died by 1895 and his wife Elizabeth was the registered owner
with the colliery being said to be in full work, indeed in 1894 the output
was 4,412 tons.
In June 1909 it was reported in the Dean Forest Guardian that
the Hopewell Engine Colliery was for sale on the 30th on the instructions
of Messrs. M. & J. Smith. The machinery was listed as including a nearly
new portable single engine of 10h.p. with a 3ft. 6in. drum, together with
100 yards of 3/4" rope, chain etc. There were also six new pit carts and
six nearly new, to carry 5cwts. each.
The outcome of the sale is unknown but by 1913 the owners were the
Parkend Deep Navigation Co. who were not working it but were holding the
gale to protect their other interests from the dangers of flooding such
as had happened at the Union Colliery disaster of 1902.
In 1928 the gale was transferred to Mr. W.C. Bounds and Miss P.M. Marshall
who transferred it to the Mapleford Collieries Ltd who still held it in
1954 but it is unknown if any work was done.