1841 John Hale and Richard Cooper
(Free Miners) did after 9 April 1832 make applications for the gales of
coal now forming Invention Colliery. Application not granted but
work commenced by Thomas Bennett
Coal in Churchway High Delf
Surrendered.
23 April 1869 Re-galed to George Matthews of Drybrook
F3 163
8 February 1869 Mr. Ephraim
Brain, Drybrook Villa, applying on behalf of George Matthews - had applied
on 19 February 1857.
To get coal from Churchway High
Delf and Rockey veins at a spot near Cinderford Woodside
Contention that a Thomas Hawkins
of Lane End and a Richard Harrison of Ruardean had previously applied.
Mr. Langham contended that Harrison lost his claim because of the joint
application and the death of Hawkins. Hawkins and Harrison had applied
26 August 1856. Gale situate near to Upper Bilson.
Case law qouted was the conflicting
claim of Mrs. Cowmeadow and her son, John Davies and John Baldwin to a
gale of iron work at Deans Meend. By the death of an applicant where
in joint names then it becomes null and void.
9 June 1876 George Matthews
- I have been working the colliery for 12 months of which I am the registered
owner by the aid of shafts. One is in a garden which belongs to Joshua
Matthews - air shaft. George Matthews not in a position to buy property
and so Joshua Matthews stopped pit.
Property in the possession of Charles
Goode [Goold?] and another
Pit about 60 of 70 years old.
At time of sinking it was supposed that their was no garden. This
was encroached subsequently as far back as 1834
11 July 1876 Colliery stopped,
had tried to convey air by trunks but failed. Pit worked by Messrs.
G. Matthews and Morse.
Encroachment No. 199 in Littledean
Walk
22 August 1876 Summons of Joshua Matthews and his man Timothy Trigg. ëEnvention and Uperbelson Coaleryí ëhair shaftí ëway may hopen the shaftí.
28 November 1876 Joshua Matthews
before purchasing property ascertained that the shaft could not be used
withiut the consent of the owner of the property and then he entered into
a contract (under which my client claims to be entitled to a moiety of
the gale) for working the gale and to enable Joshua to do so more convieniently,
he with the cognizance of Mr. George Matthews purchased the premises including
the garden and they opened up and used the shaft but which did not, and
does not, belong to Invention Gale nor is it within the boundary of that
gale...
The garden is also claimed by my
client to be his freehold.
George Matthews appears to be trying
to get sole rights. Joshua had expended about £150 excluding
premises. Case had gone to Gloucestershire Assize for felony in stopping
up shaft where Mr. Justice Brett acquited.
Pit was used about 70 years ago
for Upper Bilson.
2 September 1878 Had recommenced
colliery 1 July by means of air trunks at considerable expense and now
we have drove for two months into the Paragon workings from which we get
air to supply the said colliery by paying the owners of Paragon the sum
of 1d. per ton for all coal we take out and we think it very hard to pay
for air after we have spent about £950.
Out opponents are wealthy or we
should long ago have had our rights. The Messrs. Brain, colliery
owners are interested in Joshua Matthewís property and are mortgagees for
the cottages and garden.
Joshua Matthews commenced to fill
up the air shaft in the garden on 18 June 1879 and filled in about 72 cubic
yards of earth etc.
Joshua Matthews entered into an
agreement as partner with George on 18 february 1873 but in consequence
of Joshua failing to fulfil his part of the agreement it was cancelled
by the late Mr. Tom Goold after the work had been stopped one year and
seven months.
George Matthews and Stephen Morse
It appears that Joshua did a large
amount of work in re-opening and repairing the pit for which George never
repaid him and there are questions of partnership accounts mixed up with
this claim by Matthews and Morse to the pit.
Matthews and Morse should pay £220
to Joshua for his cottage and garden.
31 December 1885 Not worked for five years, threat of surrender
22 October 1898 ëRegulator Collieryí I give six months notice to surrender Invention Colliery Gale as I know of no coal. Robert Simpson
1 November 1898 Gale stands in record books in name of R. Simpson
24 April 1899 Surrendered