The Rise and Fall of Bolsover Colliery Company

Bolsover Colliery Company was a major player in the UK's coal mining industry, but its story is also one of decline and closure.

The company's history dates back to 1908 when it was formed by the amalgamation of several smaller collieries in the area.

Bolsover Colliery was initially a small mine, but it expanded rapidly in the early 20th century, becoming one of the largest and most productive in the region.

The mine's peak production was reached in the 1950s, with over 1 million tons of coal being extracted annually.

The Bolsover Colliery Company has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1889 by Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge, the company was initially based in Derbyshire and secured a lease from the Duke of Portland for land at Bolsover.

The company's first shaft sinking at Bolsover began in 1891, under the direction of John Plowright Houfton, who would later be knighted for his work in the local community. Houfton played a crucial role in the company's early development, overseeing the sinking of the first shaft at Creswell Colliery in 1894.

By 1896, the model village at Bolsover was completed, featuring 200 houses for miners and colliery officials. The village was built with the aim of improving the lives of workers, and it included a school, a Cooperative store, and a village institute.

The colliery company expanded its operations in the early 20th century, securing leases for land at Crown Farm near Mansfield and establishing collieries at Rufford, Clipstone, and Thoresby. By 1933, the company's collieries employed 9,369 men and extracted 4.5 million tons of coal from the Top Hard, Waterloo, and High Hazel seams.

Here's a brief overview of the company's major milestones:

The model village remains in good repair, with its houses either privately owned or owned by the local authority.

Bolsover Colliery Company's demise began with the nationalisation of its collieries in 1947, marking the end of the company's independent operation. This significant event led to the transfer of ownership to the National Coal Board.

The company's decline continued with the closure of Bolsover Colliery in 1993, followed by Creswell Colliery in 1991. These closures were a direct result of the company's struggles to remain viable in a changing industry.

The company's history as a coal company in England dates back to its establishment in 1889, a time when coal was a vital energy source.

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In 1888, Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge acquired leases of the coal beneath the Portland estate at Creswell and Bolsover, marking a significant date for the area.

Bainbridge went on to promote the Bolsover Colliery Co. Ltd, with J.P. Houfton as general manager, and the company's capital was fully subscribed by the beginning of 1890.

Sinking began at Bolsover in June 1890, and the Top Hard coal was struck in September 1891 at a depth of 365 yards.

A second colliery at Creswell was sunk in 1894-6, and work began on a pit at Crown Farm in Mansfield Woodhouse in 1905.

By 1895, output at Bolsover colliery had reached 1,800 tons a day, and the pit was employing about 850 men.

Bolsover colliery remained an important part of the coal industry in north Derbyshire for half a century after nationalisation.

The colliery was still employing between 900 and 1,000 men in the late 1970s, who were breaking all previous output records and picking up large bonuses.

Bolsover Colliery Company's decline began after a dispute in 1984-5, leading to a significant drop in output and workforce.

In 1987, the colliery's output was 650,000 tonnes, but the number of employees had already decreased to 750.

Three years later, only 600 men, including 150 contractors, remained at the colliery.

In 1992, British Coal announced that over 450 miners would lose their jobs the following spring when Bolsover was due to close.

Ironically, in 1993, the remaining 350 men were producing coal very cheaply and breaking output records.

After the colliery closed, some of the surface buildings were repurposed to create an industrial estate for small businesses.

Health and environment issues at Bolsover Colliery Company were a major concern by the 1990s. The company's doctor claimed that cases of chloracne among workers and their families were due to poor personal hygiene.

In 1981, a county council tribunal found dioxins in opencast coal and clay workings in north-east Derbyshire. This was after an explosion in 1968 killed one man and left 79 others with severe chloracne.

A report in 1989 concluded that most pollution in Bolsover was caused by domestic fireplaces, but this was disputed. The National Rivers Authority took the company to court over dioxin levels in the river Doe Lea near the works, which were 1,000 times higher than normal.

By 1992, the county council was demanding an inquiry into the plant and MAFF was concerned about dioxin levels in milk, eggs, meat, and herbage around Bolsover. The National Union of Farmers planned to sue Coalite on behalf of three of its members who had been banned from selling their produce due to contamination.

In 1995-6, Coalite Chemicals Ltd pleaded guilty to charges brought by HMIP and were fined £150,000 with £300,000 costs.

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