1841 That George Meek and
James
Meek, Free Miners, did after 9 April 1832 apply for the gale but were
refused;
and that certain persons carrying on trade under the firm of ‘The
Cheltenham
Forest of Dean Coal Mining Company’ (as claiming through or under
George
and James Meek) acted as if granted.
Coal in the Hill Delf vein
commencing
at the deep pit at East Slade.
Ruardean Hill: Depth
East Slade 70(H) High
pressure engine in two pits.
(Cheltenham & Forest
of Dean Coal Company) idle
(Extensive
and offered for sale)
Ruardean Woodside 60(H)
F3 286
c1847 Cheltenham & Forest
of Dean Mining Co. Outputs:
1842 1,845 tons
1843 587
1849? Surrendered.
21 November 1849 Re-galed to Isaiah Stephens of Shortstanding, near Coleford, a colliery situate on Ruardean Hill.
30 April 1850 Gloucester
Journal
To be sold by private contract (by order of the Official Managers
appointed
to wind up the Cheltenham & Gloucestershire Bank.)
A valuable Gale or Coal Field, in
the Forest of Dean known as the East Slade & Newham Bottom
Collieries,
containing about 140 acres of unwrought coal and having 4 shafts sunk
the
required depth. The collieries are contiguous to railways
communicating
wirh Hereford, Gloucester, Cheltenham and the Metropolis. A
Tramway
extends from the mouth of the principal pit to a branch of the South
Wales
Railway. The coal is the celebrated High Delf Vein, varies
in thickness from 5 to 6 feet, & yields about a ton & a half of
superior coal in every square yard. The facilities for conveyance
are great. The reserved royalty is 2s. per ton. The title
is
indisputable...
13 August 1859 Gloucester Journal East Slade & Newham Bottom Collieries, being offered for sale at Auction at the Kings Head, Gloucester 3rd. September 1859 without reserve - had been previously offered on two previous occasions but had not reached reserve. Late owners had expended upon the works in excess of £16,000 for sinking four pits and erecting buildings etc.
22 October 1859 Gloucester
Journal Ruardean Collieries. the Public are
respectfully
informed that the above (or True Blue & Newham Collieries are now
being
worked, and the COAL, admitted to be the BEST NESH COAL in the Forest
can
be obtained at the following Ready Money Prices
AT THE PITS 7s. 0d. per ton BEST
BLOCK
AT CHURCHWAY 7s. 6d. per ton BEST
BLOCK
October 19th. 1859
1871 Bought by Messrs. Holden & Illingworth from the receivers of the New Bowson Co.
F3 694
12 June 1872 Letter from GWR
Engineers Office, Gloucester.
‘I now send you a tracing showing
the cheapest mode of junction practicable for a locomotive. The
red
open lines show the sharpest curve practicable’
When plans are complete 3 or 4 lines
will extend from the loading stage to the GWR.
17 June 1872 The New Bowson
Coal Company.
‘We have laid in our Railway from
the old points and crossings @ the Churchway Siding of the Great
Western
Rly. up to the Wooden House but we find the locomotives cannot go round
the curve. [!] Mr. Owen the GW Rly. Engineer proposes for us to
make
a separate or additional branch according to the given radius for the
Engine
to travel round with the empty trucks.
We have decided to do so.[!]
10 September 1872 William Burdess, manager. Had a plot at Brierley for a water wheel and small engine to pump water up to the colliery.
October 1874 We leased 21/2 acres for East Slade but after working the colliery 2 years found we could not make it pay and it was arranged to work coal from Brittania and Favourite Gales through East Slade.
2 October 1880 Gloucester
Journal
FATAL BOILER ACCIDENT IN THE FOREST.
On Thursday, an accident occurred
at the East Slade Colliery, Cinderford Valley, belonging to Mr.
Illingworth
MP. and others. There are two boilers in the pit, one of which
was
under repair by R. Cooper of Cinderford, William Hurst, and Cornelius
Mason.
A pipe had been connected with the employed boiler and this burst,
killing
Cooper and severely injuring the other men.
18 February 1881 Dean Forest
Mercury
Accident on Friday night, a serious accident befell a man named Arkell,
engine driver at the East Slade Colliery whereby he sustained serious
injuries,
whilst attending to his duties. He stepped into a hole and fell,
coming into contact with the fly-wheel which threw him against the
wall,
injuring his head and hip, and breaking two of his ribs. Dr.
Fletcher
of Lydbrook, was promptly in attendance, and under his care Arkell is,
we believe, progressing favourably.
6 April 1889 Interested in
Arthur & Edward.
9 January 1890 Mound at East Slade on fire, also that at Hawkwell.
8 April 1892 Messrs. A. Bright & Co. to have a small portion of coal unworked at the east end of East Slade for them to work through New Bridge Engine Colliery or Small Profit Colliery.
20 December 1892 Smoke
damage
to trees from tip fire.
Trying to work Favourite through
Brittania. Trying to get Arthur & Edward opened to work
Favourite.
13 January 1893 The New Bowson Coal Coy. wishing to work barriers between East Slade and Woodside. Thos. Burdess.
9 February 1895 Gloucester
Journal
Colliery Accident in the Forest of Dean.
58 men and boys imprisoned for 32
hours at the East Slade Colliery belonging to Messrs.
Illingworth.
Colliery situate at Ruardean Hill ‘one of the most out-of-the-way
places
in the Forest’. On Wednesday morning the two cages which work in
the down-cast shaft got jammed some considerable distance down the
shaft.
Could not be made to move. The intense cold began to freeze the
dripping
water that was in the shaft, and every minute the block became
worse.
There were 58 persons working down the colliery and so effectively was
the way sealed that the men were kept in the colliery for 32 hours
before
any of them could be communicated with or rescued. This was
succesfully
accomplished by 3 o,clock on Thursday afternoon. When the poor
fellows
came to the bottom of the shaft to be drawn up they found something was
wrong and unable being in any way to communicate with the top quickly
retired
to the engine room at the up-cast shaft hoping that a way out might be
found there, but, unfortunately, as the furnaces were being used, this
means of egress was cut off. The cages still could not be moved
and
so the engine which hauled the tubs from the tips was requisitioned and
after rigging up a small ‘cowl’ this was attached to a special rope and
pully. This having been let down the up-cast shaft a start was
made
in drawing the men up. Very slow as great care was needed, only
three
persons at a time could be brought up. The New Bowson Colliery
manager,
Mr. J. Burdess, who was at the works at the time, remained at his post
until the work was complete. Every man and boy was brought up
without
a scratch but having done without food.
When the matter became known in
the district wives and relatives made for the pit. Welcomed the
men
with open arms. Nothing of the kind has happened in the Forest
before.
March 1899 Owners, Angus and Edward Holden, Alfred and Henry Illingworth.
5 April 1899 East Slade and Woodside gales nearly worked out. To be given up?
21 August 1899 Tip at East Slade a very low one, covered 21/2 badly on fire. Line of pipes from pump at Brierley.
30 May 1902 Dean Forest Guardian CLOSING OF A COLLIERY The men, numbering 150, employed at East Slade Colliery, were all given notice on Saturday last that their present contracts must cease on the 31st inst.
31 October 1904 Woodside gale given up.
30 June 1905 East Slade surrendered.
20 June 1907 Lydney & Crump Meadow Collieries Co. Ltd. ‘ We bought from the New Bowson Coal Co. their East Dean Deep and New Bowson Gales and also all their plant at the East Slade Colliery, and we thought, the Wooden Structures comprising the Carpenter and Blacksmiths Shops.
F3 928 EAST SLADE No. 2.
22 February 1904 Application
by John Harris. Granted.
10 July 1908 Gale for sale. Great difficulty in getting Harris to pay rent.
23 August 1909 Some connection with the Dean Forest Coal Co.??
20 September 1909 Forfeited for non-payment of rent.
East Slade produced 497,199 tons in three production eras from 1872 until 1905.