1 March 1841  High Delf.  Raised by one horse whim
Depth of pits 30 yards
How disposed of:  Country sale
Daily quantity raised:  8 tons, quarter being lime coal
At 300 days annually: 2,400 tons
Amount per ton including royalty 9d.
Amount annually: £90. 0. 0.

1841  John Nelmes of Berry Hill, John Davis of Five Acres and Richard Elly of Berry Hill as Free Miners in equal undivided 3rd parts.  Coal in the Coleford High Delf.

F3 286
Cross Knave  John Nelmes & Thos. Davis.  Outputs:  1841 140 tons
 1842 244
 1843 250
 1845 612
 1846 194

31 October 1862  Mary Nelmes & others.

F3 270
1 June 1866  Benjamin Davies had acquired sole interest from his father.  A pit on the gale was situated in a garden close to Fiveacres Farm.

24 May 1873  Gloucester Journal
COLLIERY PROPRIETOR COMMITTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER.
On Thursday evening, an inquest was held at the Globe Inn, Five Acres, near Coleford, touching the death of a youth, 15 years of age, named George Nelmes, who was killed by falling down the shaft of the “Knave” Colliery, belonging to Mr. Benjamin Davis.
Mr. Brough, one of H.M.’s Inspectors of Mines was present on behalf of the Crown; Mr. Hulbert, of Coleford, represented Mr. Davis, and Mr. Mountjoy watched the case for the friends of the deceased and the Association of Miners.
John Harris, banksman, at the pit, said that on the 16th inst, he was hauling coal to Coleford, and used the horse generally employed at the “ gib “ of the colliery. On leaving the colliery he left word with Mr. James, who worked at a quarry about 50 yards away to pull the men up. The custom was that any person hearing the “signal,” should pull the men up when no horse was there. No person was regularly appointed; he did it when there. There were no guides to the pit, or signal time. The signal employed was a knock at the side of the pit cart. In answer to a juryman, witness said the owner was not aware that passers-by pulled the men out of the pit.
Thomas Jones, a lad, of Hillier’s Land Farm, said he was near the colliery on the afternoon in question, and on hearing some one knocking he went to the pit and asked where John Harris was. Somebody from the bottom said “ is he not up there?” He replied ‘ No, there is nobody here.” After going away he heard a noise like the “‘gib” going; there was at the time nobody on the top, and he (witness) did not go near the ‘gib.’ He did not see the accident, but saw Mr. Brown, who was about 100 yards away.
Thomas Brown gave evidence to the effect that he saw the last witness on the top of the pit.
Hubert Miles, who was present in the colliery, saw deceased hitch himself in the chains, watched him ascend half way up the pit. He heard him ask if any body had hold of the gib.’ Somebody answered “ No.” Deceased then said “ Go and catch hold of it.” The empty cart then came down with great force, and almost immediately afterwards the deceased fell down the pit, and did not see any body start the “ gib “ from the bottom. Saw the deceased hit the cart three times as a signal; he did so before placing the chains round him. After the knocking somebody asked if John Harris was there, and he and deceased both said he was not. They said “ Fetch William Brown from the quarry.” After waiting nearly ten minutes the slack rope came down, and deceased put the chains round him; he (witness) jumped on his lap and went up a little way and then down again. Deceased told him to get off, but he did not do so until they had gone up a little distance twice. Deceased held the chain, and on his (witness) telling him to go on he immediately went. He knew on several occasions himself and others had been brought up by passers by, but had never known a woman or boy by themselves do it—George Nelmes, the father of the deceased, said he was four yards from the bottom of the shaft when he heard three or four knocks. Heard somebody on the top ask for John Harris; deceased said he was not down in the pit. and asked the person to go to the quarry and ask William Brown to come and pull them out. The rope was then perfectly tight. Before the slack rope could come down some power was necessary to pull it from the top. Deceased sat on the tackle and the last witness sat in his lap; there was nobody to pull them up Mr. Davis occasionally visited the colliery, and knew how the coal was raised, but he was not aware he had ever been present when ther had been pulled up by passers by. Deceased attached himself in a chain.
Mr. Lionel Brough said he had examined the pit framing and machinery of the Cross Knave pit. Tbe whole of it, in his opinion, was most antlquated and the worst he had ever seen. He did not think the pulley could be set in motion from the bottom, only from the top. The mode of raising men and boys described in the evidence, he considered most dangerous.
The coroner having addressed the jury, they, after a long consultation, returned a verdict of manslaughter against Mr. Davis by a majority of l3 to 10. He was then committed for trial on the coroner’s warrant, but admitted to bail in his own recognizance of £50.

1894  Thomas Jones the then galee had sold the whole gale to Henry Hale.

2 April 1906  Lessee of Speedwell, Mr. Edward Hughes, had purchased a part of Cross Knave.

1908 Potts Mining Register  Henry Hale & Smith.  Five employed below ground and three above.

29 October 1909  A steam engine erected at Slopes Farm, owned by Mr. Charles H. Morris, in an orchard.  Morris wished it removed.
The engine was working a pump - would have been alright if it was an oil engine.

1 November 1909  Agreement reached between the two parties.

11 November 1909  In dispute again.  The galee had applied for leave in 1902 to re-open an old level the mouth of which was in Morris’s orchard.  Tramway access through orchard.  They erected an engine and boiler and arranged with Morris to make a new opening in the orchard.  Morris now wished everything removed and the drift was drowned out.  Galees wished to re-open a pit in an adjoining field, belonging to a different farmer, and extend their tramway.

10 June 1910  Cross Knave for sale 24 June.  Not sold.  Auction at Angel Hotel, Coleford.  Alfred J. Smith of Bristol consented to purchase from 2 August 1910.

1 August 1911  Morris still playing up!

8 September 1932  Notice from Mr. William Miles to surrender his portion of Cross Knave and Speedwell on 8 March 1933.  A portion of Speedwell had already been surrendered (below).  The Crown was not aware that Cross Knave was worked in two portions, they thought that the gale was in two portions.
The other portion owned by a Mr. Nelmes, it had first been divided by conveyance 31 January 1903.
 

9 March 1933  804 applications for re-grant of Miles’ portions.

6 February 1936  Late W.G. Nelmes of W.G. Nelmes & Son.  Builders and contractors, Berry Hill.