THE COLLIERY’S EARLY YEARS
Firstly, the pit bottom area needed to be opened up and fitted out. Secondly, adequate surface facilities were required – particularly railway sidings, which were connected to the main-line and a canal basin complete with loading staithes was installed. The getting of coal commenced in earnest in June of 1859. The first steam winding engines consisted of two pairs of coupled vertical engines, each being of 300 Horsepower - a total of 1200 Horsepower. These engines served the pit for 97 years before replacement. More than 300 men were now employed at the colliery, and by 1861 production averaged 300 tons of coal daily. In October 1861 the colliery broke its own previous record by producing 800 tons in a single day. In this period coal was mainly extracted from the Top Hard seam, but for a short period the Furnace seam was also mined. This was all worked by pick and shovel at faces reached by roadways radiating to the east, south and west from the pit bottom, some of them up to seven hundred yards away.
Some of the new workforce had been recruited locally, but most were experienced miners who migrated in from the neighbouring counties of Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Some came from as far as North Wales, Lancashire and Staffordshire. This was quite usual at the time, a new colliery in an expanding coalfield drew miners from older mining areas where seams were becoming worked out, conditions more primitive, with short-time working, poorer housing and little future prospects.
The first colliery manager to be appointed in 1858, was Mr. Charles Tylden-Wright. Only 26 at the time, but highly qualified, he had been recommended by John Lancaster, who had overseen the shaft sinking. He had previously worked for Lancaster in the Wigan coalfield in the company that formed the Wigan Coal & Iron Company – one of the largest joint stock companies in Britain and later to sink Manton Colliery. It proved to be a good choice, Tylden-Wright’s association with the colliery lasting all his life – he was manager until 1886, thereafter maintaining contact as a director and finally as chairman of directors. Unusual among his contemporaries for his philanthropic nature, there is little doubt that he was well respected by the men. Showing a good understanding of the men’s concerns he placed great emphasis on conciliation rather than confrontation. He also placed a high importance on safety. For instance, though the seam contained little gas, the pit was worked exclusively with Davy safety lamps – unusual for the time, as it would have been possible to use naked flames.
Additionally, Mr Tylden-Wright had excellent business prowess, enhancing the colliery’s commercial interests. He appears to have been particularly adept at ensuring contracts and sales during times of downturns in the economy – securing long-term deals to supply the Sheffield steel industry, the admiralty and several railways and was negotiating lucrative export trade.