A Lovely photo of Port Mulgrave’s docks of years gone by.
(photo courtesy of Neil Suckling)

1939, Sorting shale from ironstone on the large convetor belt at Loftus where the ironstone mine re-opened after being closed since last August. This will mean employment for several hundred men, the ore extracted will be supplied to Skinningrove Iron works where 2 addition calcing kilns are ti be re-lighted. The second picture is the first load up at Loftus.

How many times did Loftus mine close and then re-open?

A Skilbeck postcard of Liverton Mine, sunk by the New London Company about 1871  and closing in 1923, the eventual owners were Cargo Fleet Iron Co. Southbank. This answers the question, why Liverton Mines was often referred to as New London.

Yes 1936 and the workmen were given milk, gladly accepted by the men.

Well I couldn’t go wong with this photo could I? The name of the mine and the owners in plain site on the photo which was loaned to us by Eric Johnson. The mine was situated close to Boosbeck and closed in 1954.

Eston Mine – with    the Hauler which hauled the wagons (trucks) up, or let them down, part of the incline. One can see the rope attached from the Hauler Drums and the Hauler man on the left side on the Drum bridge. Note the square opening on the building behind. This was where the Hauler or Winder man looked out over the proceedings. Note there are also more trucks under the bridge going further up to the left and next section.

(photo courtesy of Derick Pearson and the supporting information)

1895 was the date on this photo and who am I to argue?
(photo courtesy of Derick Pearson)

A lovely photo of the mine, but I think it may be a postcard. Someone has cropped the card (not guilty) but part of Geo. Skilbeck’s name can still be seen.
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

Now the fan falls into disrepair as the mine is no longer working.
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone mining museum)

A different photo of the mine showing the ’buckets’ taking the shale to the tip behind the mine. The ironstone went to the works via the shaft for North Loftus mine (the head gear was inside the works). This image is probably dated c. 1930.
(photo courtesy Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, update from Eric Johnson)

Although it says Bell Brothers Brownlee Collery on the side of this ambulance, it is housed at the mining museum at Skinningrove. If I remember rightly it was restored by some apprentices at the I.C.I. at Wilton. Another memory recall is that the body of a rescued man was put in in a certain way, one way he was alive and another way he was dead, but which way was it?

(photo courtesy Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum.)

This was the ventilating fan at Lumpsey mine. It was installed in 1925 and made by the Waddle Fan Engineering Co. of Llanelly in South Wales. After working until 1964 it was left to decay until somebody stole it.”

(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

Thanks once again to Simon Chapman for keeping me right on the fan at Lumpsey.  joanj

That’s what it says on the photo and this has been confirmed by Simon Chapman who tells us: ”This was a fire at Port Mulgrave about 1911. You can see it has burnt out the engine room and boilers for the rope haulage system through the tunnel to Dalehouse, exposing a section through one of the bunkers for loading ironstone into ships in the harbour. The big mound of ironstone to the right was usually built up when sea conditions prevented ships docking and taking normal shipments away. The damage was later repaired and the harbour got back to normal operations.”

(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum and many thanks to Simon Chapman for the supporting information)

The port with the boats there waiting to be loaded, how busy it is.

Now positively identified as the jetty at Port Mulgrave and is a different view of the ”Boats waiting to be loaded” also on the site. Thanks to Bill Danby for the update.

A different view of Duckhole pit taken from Carlin How.
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

Eston New Bank (or California Bank as it was known to the locals) was one of the inclines used for transporting ironstone from the mines down to the ironworks. The view gives the impression of an incline similar to Ingleby Greenhow, being a form of cable railway system.

Thanks to

(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

The calcining plant at Rosedale Mines. We are told by Simon Chapman: ”This is the plant installed in the 1920s to recover a mound of calcined ironstone dust tipped below the kilns at Rosedale. It had been dumped there in the past because it was unsuitable for smelting originally but later could be used because of improvements in metallurgy. Similar equipment was installed below the other kilns at Rosedale East but the dust mound in front of the West kilns still remains. Recovery of this material kept the railway open for a couple of years after the mines closed in 1926.”  

(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum and thanks to Simon for the information)

Julie Riddiough has kindly sent us a set of photographs that she took from the top end of Brotton just last month, in the afternoon of 27th August. 

This is a view over the golf course to the remains of the Huntcliffe mine, Guibal fan house, beside the railway at the top of the cliff.

Thanks to Joe Ward for this photo of the remains of Liverton Mines Pit.  Has it been taken from the shale tips?  I can see the lower end of Graham Street and of Downe Street.  Loftus is in the background at the other side of the valley.  When was it taken?

Thanks to the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum we can show a plan of the workings of Boulby Mine.

Simon Chapman points out: ”If you read the small print at the bottom you will see that this is a plan of the workings of Boulby Mine. Grinkle Mine was to the south and much more extensive.”

Thanks to Simon for the correction.

As the caption says Rosedale Mineral Railway 1860-1926, what more can I say?
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

The locomotive is an “p” class North Eastern Railway engine. built at Gateshead. the tender has L.N.E.R. painted on, so photo is after 1923. Bloworth crossing is near Ingelby Incline (Battersby to Rosedale mineral line).  Eric Johnson

(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum)

A rather cold and lonely spot where was Blakey station?

Russ Piggott tells us: ”

Blakey station was near where the Farndale road turns off the ‘Blakey Road’ There is still the wall of one side of the bridge which took the road over the railway. The ‘station’ was the junction where the Rosedale East and West Branches seperated. Nothing now remains of the buildings on the site.”

Thank you for that Russ I was hoping no one would say Blakey or wrists would have had to have been smacked joanj
(photo courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, thanks to Russ Piggott for the update.)

North Eastern Railway Terminus 1,000 feet above sea level and that is as much as I know about it and I read that off the caption. Now believed to be on the Rosedale end of the Rosedale to Ingleby Greenhow railway system. Thanks to Mark T for the update.

(photo courtesy of cleveland ironstone mining museum)

A busy day at Rosedale works I am informed thst the west works started in 1857 and the east side in 1859. Simon Chapman provides us with the following: ”This is a view of the Rosedale East Mines in the 1920s. Central in the picture is a chute for loading ironstone direct into railway wagons, while in the background, behind the white hut, a gantry spans the railway; this was the apparatus for recovering the calcine dust from below the iron-fronted or New Kilns. The wagons in the foreground are empty tubs from out of the pit.
Right in the background, behind the ramshackle tipping huts, can be seen the cottages and workshops at High Baring.
The Rosedale West Mines opened in the mid-1850s and the East Mines about 1865.”
(photo courtesy of Cleveland ironstone mining museum and grateful thanks to Simon for the dating information)

When it actually was a port, built around 1856-57, it was a very busy place serving the surrounding mines.

(photo courtesy of Cleveland ironstone mining museum)

At Huntcliff again and this time the sidings above the main drift are being dismantled in 1906

As the caption says it’s Huntcliff mine 1906.

One of the pit horses at the Boulby ironstone mine.  I believe it is by the Travelling Drift.

One of the men to be seen working behind the horse was known as Pidge.

(Image courtesy of Mr. R. Conn)

Not a very clear picture, but as we don’t have many of Grinkle mine we felt we had to publish it. We know the mine was abandoned in 1934, hence very little survivves to this day. Has anyone got any more photos or information they would like to share with us?
(photo courtesy of Pem Holliday)

We haven’t many photo’s of this pit not as well known as many of the others in the area.
(photo courtesy of Derick Pearson)

Once again a lovely drawing of a mine I must admit I hadn’t heard of before, are there any other photographs of this mine out there?  Please share
(image coutesy of Joan Webster)

Preserved K1 Class, 62005, rounds the bend at Huntcliff, passing the remains of the old Guibal Fanhouse on a Trainspotter’s Special on the 10th May 2008
(image courtesy of Raymond Brown)

Once again a photo believed to have been taken between 1880 and 1895, but it is not as we know Saltburn today.
(photograph courtesy of Pem Holliday and thanks to David Richardson for the update)

Another photograph relating to the dismantling of Huntcliffe Mines after the closure in 1906. This picture is of the dismantling of the tipping gantry.

Grateful thanks to Simon Chapman for the information.

The photograph shows the last ”working” day of Huntcliffe Mines, 30th June 1906. The photograph was taken outside the workshops, alas now longer with us. All that remains is the Guibal Fanhouse beside the mineral railway line, towards the cliff edge at the bottom of Warsett Hill. The writing on the door of the wall behind ”Are we downhearted?” is from a song popular at that time, perhaps relevant to the situation!  With Simon Chapman’s assistance we can identify some of those present.

Back Row: ?? , Mr Stephens (later Cashier at Lumpsey Mine), Ralph Clough (engineer-later at Lumpsey Mine), ?? , ?? , ?? , ??.

Middle Row: Jimmy Dower (partially cut off), ??, ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , William (Bill) Garbutt (baby – who later worked at Kilton Mine, one of the first men to drive a locomotive underground and later Miner’s Lodge Secretary), ?? , ?? , Mr Matson (possibly a Manager).

Front Row: ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? .

Paul Garbutt tells us: ”The baby in the photo, Bill Garbutt, was my grandfather and this is the only photo of him as a baby, he went on to work in the local mines and he was one of the main rescuers after the Kilton Mine explosion in May 1954. He never commented on the explosion and his subsequent actions in saving the injured miners, my father remembers that he came home that night and was a bit groggy and not his usual self ( the after effects of the gas explosion presumably ). The Evening Gazette reported on the disaster but my grandfather would not be interviewed, regarding the matter to be not worth discussing. My grandfather was an intensely private man and these few snippets of information are pretty much all we know about him, i just knew him once he was retired from work so never had the opportunity to find out about his employment history. He would never talk about himself much at all and especially not the Kilton Mine incident even though he helped save many of the miners, he was my hero regardless.” Similarly Alan Found tells us:”My grandfather worked at kilton mine he would have been there in 1954 he never talked about the explosion.”

Thanks to Paul and Alan for these details, as well Simon Chapman for his assistance, any further any help would be much appreciated.

Bell’s pit, due to its ownership by Bell Brothers, at Carlin How, more popularly known as ”Duck Hole” (because of the very wet working conditions), was towards the end of its working life known as North Loftus Mine.

Nice photo, taken this time from Mill Bank. Glover’s Path can be seen as can the buildings to the left of the photo belonging to Whitecliffe mine.  The old railway bridge is very clear, as are the steel works back right.

Carlin How mine was known to the miners as Duck Hole owing to the wet working conditions.

Don’t think the date is 1935 though. Duckhole closed in 1944 and as you can see the headgear has been demolished. The chimney for North Loftus pit can still be seen so my guess for date is about 1950.

Thank you for that information Simon, don’t know what I would do without your input.

Another photo of Duckhole mine and once again we can clearly see the works on the hill, come on you people out there what date would this be taken, help a lady (I use the term loosely) out.

My guess would be about 1930.    Thank you Simon what would I do without you?

The image is taken from a series of photographs produced by Bruce who was a Loftus photographer, producing lots of images around old Cleveland. Many considered the name was emphasised because of the link to de Bruce of Skelton Castle and Kilton. THanks to Derick Pearson for the update and information. John

Not a very clear picture but we can make out Glover’s Path and Kilton Mill and on the hillside ’Duck Hole’ pit. It got this name because of the working conditions; it was so wet the men could be ankle deep or more in water while working down there – it’s real name was North Loftus Mine.

Also to be seen in the picture are the remains of the original Whitecliffe mine. North Loftus mine was completely separate and only worked as an independent mine in the 1870s’. Later the shaft was acquired by Skinningrove Iron Co. and used to raise ironstone from Carlin How and Loftus mines, only being infilled about 1947.

Thanks to Simon Chapman for the addition to this post

A rather good shot of Liverton Mine, waiting for someone out there to tell me where it was taken from.

(photo courtesy of Mike Holliday)

Taken from the railway lines above, the picture clearly shows Duckhole in the foreground with Skinningrove or Loftus pit farther down in the valley.

The caption on this photo says ’Mine horses  out to graze during holidays near Claphow, North Skelton mine in the backgound.  So who am I to argue?

A lovely clear shot of the mine, looks as though it’s in full production.

One in a series of photographs of North Skelton mine, the caption says taken from the north about 1900.

A photograph taken in the 1960’s before the closure of the mine.

A shift of miners outside the clock office at Morrison’s Pit.  Can anybody name them?

Calcining Kilns and materials hoist at Lingdale mine.

Eric Johnson informs us: ”this drawing of the calcining kilns and materials hoist. The 3 kilns were originally on the island of RAASAY in the Inner Hebrides, dismantled in about 1943, each part carefully numbered and loaded into ships. One local man John Macleod was killed in the hold when the sling broke. The kilns were taken to Lingdale and re-erected shortly afterwards.” Thanks to Eric for the information.
(image courtesy of Joan Webster)

How clearly the pit wheel shows up.
(image courtesy of Joan Webster)

A wonderful drawing of Skelton mine by H Harrison,
(image courtesy of Joan Webster nee Robinson of Skelton)

This one of a series of photgraphs which are now starting to appear of the dropping of the boiler house chimney, at Brotton Mine in 1921.

Many thanks to Simon Chapman for the information – John)

A working photo of the aerial ropeway, locally known as ’the buckets’. We can see a full bucket of ironstone being taken up to the iron and steel works, with the mine in the distance at the bottom of the picture.

Loftus mines ironstone was transported up to Skinningrove Works from 1895 by connection into the abandoned workings of the North Loftus mine to avoid paying haulage charges to the N.E.R. By 1932 the North Loftus shaft steam winding equipment was thoroughly antiquated so the aerial ropeway was built to avoid using the shaft which was later filled in.

Thanks to Simon Chapman for information in the last paragraph.

At some point in the history of the ironstone industry in the Skinningrove valley the NER tried to raise the carrying costs for iron ore.  As a result the NER lost the business (for good), an aerial ropeway (known locally as ”the buckets”) was constructed to take the stone from the valley floor up to Skinningrove Ironworks on the cliff top.  This is the middle stanchion, the roofed structure over the road was to catch any falling stone jerked out of the buckets as a result of passing over the stanchion pulleys.  This system was in use until local stone was superceded by cheaper foreign ores. (The topmost stanchion was still in place at the top gates of Skinningrove Iron and Steel Works when I worked there, adapted as a floodlight tower!)

As the caption on the photo says – Liverton Mines chimney stack felled on Tuesday 24th August 1926

Nice dog wonder who it’s owner is, does anyone out there know?  I am sure someone will.

Mr Brown arriving at the mine, who was Mr Brown?

Now I do know that these are some of the workmen from the mine but what date would it be?

Here’s a view of the bottom pylon of ’The Buckets’ complete with protective screen above the road. Just to the left of the pylon can be seen the air shaft for the mine.

This is the sight you would have seen entering Skinningrove,  Loftus mine was to the right and the ropeway took ironstone from the mine to the steel works on the top of the hill, on it’s return it brought shale which was tipped at the back of the mine.  This ropeway was known locally as ’the buckets’.

Liverton works, with the spray bars in the right-foreground

Underground at North Skelton, I am not going to hazard a guess at to what is going on in this photo, I am going to wait for someone out there to tell me.

I believe its a Walker compressed air drill. This information came from Chris Twigg, thank you Chris.

Here’s a good image of a Cranner Loader in action at North Skelton Mine.  Quite a late image, judging by the headgear and electric lamps.  North Skelton Mine was the last of the Cleveland Mines to close, so this image could be as late as 1963.

A newspaper cutting showing the underground stables at ”Duckhole” pit (so named because it was one of the wettest pits in the Cleveland System) about 1930-40.  This pit was eventually worked from Lumpsey mine at Brotton.

The horsekeeper was Bob Robinson, who has specially put on his helmet for the picture. That round object at the bottom right of the picture is his cap! (words by Simon Chapman)

To the bottom left are the stables, then comes Overman’s Cottages (hoss muck terrace, as it was known by the locals) then what looks like a bridge is where the stone from Loftus mine was taken to Duck Hole and up the shaft to the works at the top of the bank.  This happened when the railway put up the charge for the mine using the zig zag line.  Kilton viaduct can just be seen and Mill Bank snakes it’s way to the top of the photo.  We must not forget the children posing in the front of the photo, it was wonderful how the word got round when the photographer was coming.

  Loftus Mine at full production.

At the right hand side is what was known as the wood yard where the wood for the pit props was stored.

Mill Bank is just visible at the far right and in the foreground are the stables.

A serene snow-covered image taken from Carlin How, probably from near the entrance to Skinningrove Iron and Steel Works, belying the gritty industrialised nature of the area.

Salient features are The Stables, Overman’s Cottages and the Woodyard in the valley, the shale tip next to Deepdale Wood and Loftus Mill Bank.

(A light dusting of snow, but you can still make out Overman’s Cottages, with the mine to the rear and  Mill Bank snaking it’s way  to Loftus.  The shale heaps look almost like mountains with their covering of snow. – Joanj)

The caption says where it is and what date it is so who am I to argue?

Three men in rather a dangerous position, does anyone know when the minehead gear was replaced?

Simons book dates this photo to around 1900

This picture shows work being carried out on the upcast headgear about 1900 which was a wooden construction. It was replaced by a smaller steel structure in 1937.
The headgear over the main drawing shaft was also wooden until 1918 when it was replaced, again by a steel headgear.

Thank you Simon chapman for this information

A lovely clear photograph of Lumpsey mine at Brotton. Some ruins of the buildings still remain with the shaft being capped off.

A lovely clear photo dated and named.

A lot of tubs waiting to go to the Iron and steel works and the pit props waiting to go down into the mine.

Another dawing by Mr Harrison, look at all those pit props carefully drawn.
(image courtesy of Joan Webster nee Robinson)

One of Brotton Lumpsey Mine in 1920s. Police and Mine security out in force. Possibly linked to the General Strike in 1926, except that after World War I, Constables and Sergeants wore helmets. Eric Johnson suggests they could be Special Constables.

We have been advised by Simon Chapman: ”The pumphouse between the shafts was built in 1908, the main heagear was replaced by steel in 1918, so the picture was taken between these two dates. My guess is 1912.”

(photo courtesy of Derick Pearson and thanks to Simon for that update.)

A lovely photo showing some of the buildings of Lumpsey Mine with four of the workmen.

From Carlin How once again (this time captioned ”Loftus Mines”) the stables are centre foreground with Overmen’s Cottages behind them (lovingly named ”Hoss Muck Row” by the locals, for obvious reasons).  Behind that the picking belt and heapstead.

Another shot of Skinningrove Mine, looking straight onto it from Carlin How.  The ”Zig-Zag” in the foreground with Duckhole just on the right.  The stables left middle with Overmen’s Cottages next to them.  Deepdale woods and the shale heap are right background.

I’ve never seen a view from this angle before and I’m still trying to get to grips with it.  Carlin How in the background, with the ”Zig-Zag” cutting across the middle of the picture. The building directly in front is the loading shed where the iron ore was loaded into standard gauge wagons. I think I need help with this one please!

I think the image was taken from the road from Deepdale woods to Skinningrove village.

A good image of Skinningrove valley, post-1911, showing just how busy this little valley was!  On the left we have Skinningrove Mine, with the stables and just visible the Overmen’s Houses and on the right we have Duckhole Pit just coming into the picture.  Liverton Mill takes the stage left of centre in the middle, the viaduct (now an embankment) away in the background and towering over it all in the haze is Liverton Mines shale heap.  The sweep of rail track cutting through the image is the ”Zig-Zag”.  The picture very obviously taken from Carlin How.

A close view of the chimney at the mine at Loftus as it slowly falls.

I would suggest that this is Loftus (Skinningrove) mines chimney being demolished.
In the background you can see the Staple shaft from “Duckhole” mine. This is still in
existance today. This mine was eventually linked to Lumpsey mine at Brotton, and worked from that shaft. Just to the
right, off the photograph, is what we now know as the Cleveland Ironstone mining museum.

This was the chimney at Loftus mines being felled in 1912.

The Mine Manager and various Officials of Lumpsey Pit.

Standing (L to R): ??, William Stephens, ??, ??, Mr Clough Jnr (son of Mr Clough Engineer).

Seated (L to R): Mr. Clough (Engineer), Mr. Dixon (Manager), ??.

Simon Chapman advises us: ” Mr Stephens is the chap standing at the left with the light-coloured cap and the well-starched collar. The chap standing at the right with the bowler hat and the bushy moustache I think was Mr Clough, son of the engineer sitting front left.”

Rod Umpleby tells us: ”William Stephens who was shown previously in the photo 1906 of the closure of Huntcliffe Mine. He was described as later cashier at Lumsey Mine. He was my great great uncle and the 1911 census gave his occupation as mines treasurer.”

Thanks to Rod and Simon for these updates and can anybody assist with any more names and information?

Named and dated again, but can you name any of the men?

The end of a shift at least that is what I am presuming, as some of the men have logs under their arms these would be the off cuts from the pit props.  Anyone recognise any of the men in this photo?

Not the most charming group of men I have ever seen, I think they must be some of the work force of Lumpsey Mine, can I presume that the man in the middle is a blacksmith?  Gentlemen please correct me if I am wrong.  Not a gentleman to correct me but a lady, now can anyone identify any kin folk?

I think the blacksmith is James Kennedy on the photo, as he was recorded as a Blacksmith in 1911, whilst his brother John was listed as a Platelayer Underground.
The container held by the miner on the right was for carrying water or cold tea; it was known as a ‘Dudley’.

Left to right from the back row:

B Catron; J Wilks; T Clay; W Clay; H Clay; W Marshall; C Bealwall; R Marley; J.W. Marshall; J Walton; J Clay; G Best; S Webb; T Curtley; R Clough; R Peacock; W Cross; T Jackson; J Kennedy; D Annear; T Marshall; J Beadon.

What more can I say about this photo the heading says it all.

A series of photographs showing Lumpsy Mine, in this one we can see the man bending at the front has put the’ sprag ’into the wheel of the tub to stop it moving, the sprags were very heavy.  Many of the horse leaders had serious accidents throwing the sprag into the wheel of the moving tub, if they didn’t get it right then it often came back onto their legs, we have to remember tht the mines were not level they had to follow the seam of ironstone up hill and down dale.

How much ironstone can one filler get into a tub?  By the look of that tub quite a lot if you know how to load it.

Note that the guy in the background appears to be using a hand-operated rotary drill, a so-called ratchet. The props are deliberately cut to a bit of a point at the base so that if weight started to come on the working place this weaker part of the prop would start to ‘bunch-up’ and therefore give a visual warning.

Once again thank you Simon for the extra information

After being puzzled by this image – it’s obviously posed, so was it for a training manual?  The ladder on the right looks like a metal ladder, when were they introduced?  The loader is wearing a tin hat (safety helmet, bump hat), so it was after the introduction of the safety helmet, but his colleagues don’t appear to be wearing theirs, so it must have been before they became compulsory.

Simon Chapman tells us: ”This picture appears in an article on Cleveland Ironstone Mining in the Iron and Coal Trades Review of September 1939 and the photos. are credited to The Yorkshire Post, so the newspaper must have had a recent article about the mines. I was told years ago that the picture was taken at Lumpsey.”

Thanks to Simon for the update.

Are these men coming off shift or going on?  No safety helmets, so we can surmise it’s before the mid 1930’s.

An early shot of the stables at the mine at Loftus, taken before the horses and the men walked down into the mine to work their shift.

A lovely shot of the stable yard with two of the horses and their handlers.  They were used to pull the wagons loaded with ironstone from the mine.  If their usual handler wasn’t there these horses could be very awkward to any other man trying to work with them.  Although there were stables underground, the horses were brought out on a regular basis to enjoy time in the field belonging to the mine.

A Cummins tells us: ”The building to the left was the foremans house, the building with the open door was the wash down room where the horses were bathed, and the hill in the background is the bankside up to Carlin How, where the railway ran.The stables are between the house and the washroom. My father sometimes looked after the horses and I often had a little sit on them.” Thanks for that update.

(image courtesy of Raymond Brown)

This is a snow scene that rivals the Matterhorn views so beloved of ski holiday advertisements except that these are the shale tips of Liverton Mines!  The strange structure in front of them is the massive foundations for a pylon of the aerial ropeway that caused the huge cone in the background.  I seem to remember a fatality here involving a cycle or a motor cycle which instigated the removal of this well-known landmark?

We can see two men hard at work in the blacksmith’s shop at Loftus mine. The man with the file in the foreground is probably the ’smith and his helper behind with his hand on the chimney damper for the fire.

Another group of Loftus miners prepare to go in-bye.  The photographer must have had a busy day!

Can anybody name any of them?

This is a similar shot to the other image of the Loftus Drift, but taken from farther back.  Why the two police officers I don’t know.

There’s an almost surreal look to this image – I’m having a job deciding whether it’s the real thing or an elaborate photographic studio set piece!

This must be the travelling drift, because there’s no sign of any rails for tubs to run on.  It looks like a full shift, right down to the trapper lads.  It can’t be too early on because there are Davey Safety Lamps in view, although no safety helmets.  Shot Cannisters are in evidence, but no picks.

Can anyone name any of these men?

Not from outer space but from underground, I really don’t know anything about this photo other than what was written on it ,” Crook rescue Team, Kilton Pit men, Dennis Pearson 1st Back”.  But I am sure someone out there will soon explain things to me. Thank you.

The man stood 2nd from the left on the back was called Bob Walker.  Thank you David.

 Taken from the ’Evening Gazette’ Monday 3 May 1954:Fourteen taken to hospital

It is worth visiting the Durham Mining Museum Site to read the full Mines Inspectors Report on this incident – rodders

On the left is Dennis Pearson, with big Geoge (Ducks) Hollingworth at Kilton B on the right. This photo was taken for the Record breaking venture that took place in Kilton Pit in the early 1950s. 1 week of absolute dedication to drill, shot, fill and lead this stone.
The record breakers were Dennis Pearson from Carlin How – an ex Lingdale lad, George Hollingworth from Lingdale, Stan Tremain from North Skelton I believe, Septimus Bamborough from Carlin How and John Stonehouse senior from Lingdale.
North Skelton claimed to have beaten this record later but it was not recorded as they used more men in the venture and so the output of Stone per man was less. The Kilton record stood and mine manager Andrew Turnbull was justly proud of his men.
Thanks to Derick Pearson for the information.

This is believed to be a view of the Calcining Kilns at Liverton Mines – which were well-known as being associated with the Ironstone Mine. These Kilns obviously dominated the landscape.

Railway wagons at this time were generally wooden bodies but couldn’t be used for carrying hot calcined ore which is why the N.E.R. built a fleet of steel wagons specifically for this traffic; a few can be seen to the left. In front are more steel wagons, built about 1906 to hold a greater tonnage.
A very atmospheric picture!
Thank you Simon your information is invaluable to all who visit the site.

Russ Pigott asked ”Were the larger steel wagons in the picture fitted with vacuum brakes? There seems to be a vac cylinder mounted above the solebar on the end of the wagon. This would seema bit strange as not many locos used on these trains were fitted for vacuum at the time. ”     Answered for us by Simon Chapman.                                                                                                                       ” Well spotted, Russ! Apparently they were actually fitted with air brakes and run as block trains from Liverton to Cargo Fleet works. This was such an unusual working that I can remember the late Ken Hoole trying to find out more information over 30 years ago.
Note the large drum shape above each axlebox on these larger wagons – some form of friction reducing roller which can’t have been very successful otherwise it would have become more common.” 

Russ said ”I thought the drum shape was the operating wheel for the hopper doors. What locos were used on these trains, I think most J21s were westinghouse fitted but the J26s and 27s had no train brakes. That poor remaining J21 sits a mere couple of miles from me looking ever more like a Barry engine!”

Here’s a group of miners (and a pit pony) comprising the last shift coming out-bye at the Trustee Drift, Eston Mine, 18th september 1949.  The mine had worked its 99 year lease – to the day.

You can see the pulleys, rollers and cables of the main and tail haulage system for moving the setts around.

A slightly eerie photograph of a group of miners – the lighting is obviously from magnesium flash placed at ground level (good job there was no gas about!).

Notice the conventional midge on the left and the Davy safety lamp of the Deputy on the right(with the roof probe), also the rack of drill bits leaning against the wall on the left.

Can anybody provide names?

A lovely clear photo of Kilton Pit in full production by the look of the emissions from the chimney.

The write up under the photo tells that Kilton pit was 680ft deep (see I can learn something new every day) and it asks was the windmill in the background used to pump water from the mine.  I know someone out there will tell us just what the windmill was used for – please.

Taken about 1957 of a loaded train from Kilton Mine approaching Lingdale Junction. The Lingdale Mines branch is the one curving to the right and was extremely steep. Look carefully at the train and you’ll see the brake van is behind the engine, not at the back of the train. This was allowed in later years because the gradient was down all the way to Brotton, where the engine ran round to reverse the train before taking it to Teesside. In place of the brake van at the end of the train a lamp or red flag was hung on the back of the last wagon to show to signalmen at Kiltonthorpe Junction and Brotton that the train was complete i.e. a wagon hadn’t been derailed and lost on the way.
Thank you once again Simon.

All the names of the resue team are here.

The following post tells the names of those who rescued Edward Bendall.

Back Row: ?? , Percy Gott, ?? , Les Marsay, ?? , ?? .

Front Row: ?? , Bert Hicks, ?? , Bill Young, ?? .

Surface workers at Kilton Mine pictured in 1940, can anybody assist with the missing names?

A very busy looking photo of Lingdale pit, looking down the ore loading track, picking belt to the left.  Downcast shaft with the big wheels and beside it the engine house, lots to see here.

A lovely clear photo of Claphow Road, Stone catching bridge demolished in the 1950’s but when in the 50’s ? Do tell

Can anyone name any of the men coming off the last shift?

South Skelton Pit (or Van’s Pit as it was locally known – after the owner, Thomas Vaughan), between Boosbeck and Margrove Park.  A nicely compact pit, this image shows the winding shaft and engine house built over and onto the heapstead.  The two strange dovecot-type structures in the centre foreground are horse-gins used for working the winding shaft when engineering work was required below.

Not much remains today, the mine manager’s house, two overmen’s houses, the stables and the engine house are about all I can bring to mind.  The shale heap at Margrove Ponds Nature Reserve was waste from the mine and the pond itself was caused by subsidence from the mine.

South Skelton mine, pre electrification(which occurred 1912-1914).
Thanks to Simon Chapman for the information.
(photo courtesy of Mike Holliday)

Five men taking a break from mining to have their photograph taken, we can clearly see the pit props and the candle held in place with boulder clay. We can surmise the man on the left of the photo is the deputy, as he is the one with the Davy lamp and the roof probe, the other men would have been known as fillers. The front two men are sitting on their midges, a three sided box with a candle in it (the only light they had to work by). No safety helmets are worn by any of the men as the compulsory wearing of safety helmets had not yet been introduced.

This is the same group of men that we see in another underground photograph.

Five men taking a break from mining to have their photograph taken, we can clearly see the pit props and the candle held in place with boulder clay.  We can surmise the man on the left of the photo is the deputy, as he is the one with the Davy lamp and the roof probe, the other men would have been known as fillers.  The front two men are sitting on their midges, a three sided box with a candle in it (the only light they had to work by).  No safety helmets are worn by any of the men as the compulsory wearing of safety helmets had not yet been introduced.

This is the same group of men that we see in another underground photograph.

Another piece of the jigsaw – this image includes the two trapdoor lads from a previous post and looks as if it is also part of a larger image.  Can anybody name any of these people?

(thanks to Simon Chapman for the correction – rodders)

A miner and his loader and a full tub of stone.  Overhead two shattered roof supports.  Does anybody know their names?

”South Skelton Mine – 2nd December 1903” is the information this image, however Eric Johnson advises: ”Three of the men are holding carpentry tools: wood plane, large saw and  set square. The front row are sitting on a plank between two saw “horses” (benches). They maybe joiners, tub repairers etc., also on the front row some men appear to be wearing oilskins (shaft workers ??). Simon Chapman’s book ”South Skelton Mine” has a photo contemporary with this dated 6 days after this one”. Any more inforamtion would be welcomed.

Image courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum

I’m guessing a bit here, but there’s a fair cross section of society depicted, so I reckon this is the mine manager with his management team.  The man seated on the right with the walking stick has a shot cannister under his arm.  If somebody could supply names we’d get a better picture!

Not quite sure which pit, but they all had them.  This was the job you got when you left school in the pit villages of the North-East – these lads look about 14.  They’re wearing ”rocker” boots – leather boots with a curved solid sole, segged and steel clad – you knew you’d been kicked if you got a ding from these!  Tinplate midges by the look of them, they might be oil-lit – don’t think they’re carbide lamps though.  Part of a larger group image, wish we had the whole picture.

New London being the local nickname for Liverton Mines. The long sweep of the viaduct is easily visible in this image, as are the calcining kilns at Liverton Mine – the fumes from which used to rot the clothes of the labourers working on them.

Norman Patton says ”Our family moved from “Brickyard” to Liverton mines in 1952. The promise of a fitted bathroom and hot ‘n cold running water and our garden front and back was too much to resist! Wages at Kilton pit were good at the time and the Journey on push-bike much easier for our Father. We even had a television before the Coronation and the Stanley Matthews Cup Final(12? Black and White, Console model)! The new estate of council houses inspired the name ” New London” for the village and the council estate was the “Holy City”!”

(Brickyard being the local name for the Hartington Street, High Row and St Hilda’s Terrace area of Loftus – rodders)

All through the life of the mines there was a constant battle to increase yield without increasing manpower.  Ironstone was won by blasting a portion of the rock face out and then loading the stone into a tub (or sett) to be taken back to the heapstead.  To place the shot the miner had to create a hole into which he could place his powder, detonator and fuse. This was the time-consuming part of the job initially carried out by hand, then by hand ratchet drill, then by either compressed air, petrol or electric drill.  This obviously posed photograph is a record of the testing of just one such drill – I’ve no doubt that somebody out there will be able to tell me the name of the miner (please!).

This picture and the other one entitled similarly are two out of a group of four pictures taken about 1900 when Whitecliffe Mine was re-opened and this compressed-air drill was tried out underground. From the earliest times the hand ‘jumper’ drill was used, in 1875 the first compressed-air powered rotary drill was invented. Loftus Mines introduced such drills in 1891 but they were big and cumbersome so this one illustrated was tested but never adopted.
Later electric drills were used in Loftus but about 1895 hand-operated rotary drills were introduced (the so-called ‘ratchet’) and eventually superseded the powered drills. Loftus Mines, however, were never as mechanised as the Dorman Long mines in Cleveland. (words by Simon Chapman)

A good image of the engine house at Lingdale mine.  The brick kiln (and associated brick wheel) was part of an attempt to make the mine profitable (especially during slack times).  It wasn’t particularly successful, but probably contributed enough to prevent total closure of the mine.  Lingdale mine was the deepest mine in the Cleveland system and also at the poorest yield, there being a large band of shale splitting the seam in two.  This resulted in the huge shale heap which took forever to dispose of!  Lingdale village was described as almost derelict in the late Victorian era, the difficulty of winning the stone meaning that the mine was closed more often than in production.

An image of the unique cabless locomotives used by The Grinkle Mine of Sir Charles Mark Palmer to negotiate the low headroom in the tunnels on the route from Grinkle to Port Mulgrave. In the background is the entrance to the Port Mulgrave Tunnel, where the wagons were transferred to the dock at Port Mulgrave using a main and tail rope system powered from an engine-house on the Port Mulgrave side. A good industrial image!

Here we have another type of drill being tested and another photographic record of the event.  The backlash of this automation was that less men were required to produce the same (or better) yield and a lot of miners were downgraded (with loss of pay and status) to loaders/drivers or simply made unemployed.

Once again does anyone know the type of drill and the name of the miner?

Men of the last shift at Loftus Mine pose with their handiwork.  The closing of the mines destabilised a lot of the local communities as people drifted away to find new jobs and eventually moved to be nearer their new place of work.

Back Row: Allan Creswick, Harold Found, Cyril Gibson (blacksmith’s striker), Walter Wilson, Bill Dawson, Don Breckon.

Front Row: Jim Tinkler, Walt Sayers (check weighman), George Adamson, Ian Gibson (blacksmith), Allan Readman, Jim Easton (holder of the Daily Herald Award for Industrial Heroism for rescuing Jim Tinkler in an incident which witnessed the death of Jim Trousdale). 

Thanks to Eric Johnson and Joanne Cooper for names. John.

This is an early image of Margrove Park Mine or Magra as it is still known locally. In front of the wooden headgear over the downcast shaft you can see the top of the upcast shaft with the smoke coming from the fire at its base to induce ventilation in the mine. This shaft top was later heightened and a pulley wheel installed on the top; this is now the structure which still survives on the site. The mine closed about 1924. It stood on the site of the present day Caravan Park and connected to the Boosbeck to Middlesbrough railway via a single track which crossed the road from Charltons to Boosbeck with a gated crossing.  The village of Margrove Park (originally Magra Park – after the deer park which was here originally) was built in a large rectangle, one side of which was the local shops – all of which were demolished due to mining subsidence (after the mine had closed and they fell into disuse).  The only remaining example of a shop (the Co-operative) is the pre-fab building on the opposite side of the road to the village garden.

(thanks to Simon Chapman for comments and corrections, also R. Clements for the update on the gates.)

The last three men to leave Loftus mine, (South drift), on 27th September, 1958:

Jack W. Cooke, Arthur (Numpey) Thompson, and William Adamson.

(Image courtesy of Keith Bowers)

A quirky image by modern standards, but typical of the type of narrative image that occurred in early photography.  Alfred Wither (left) blacksmith for Spawood and South Skelton Mines with his striker (right) and stable-hands, an indispensable part of the iron mining industry, they made and maintained just about every tool in use in the mine.  Just who the well-dressed little boy is in the middle I do not know – can anyone tell me please?

A group of Ironstone Miners and their Marrers pose at the entrance of the drift – the obvious question is who are they?

I see a midge, a pick or two and a pry bar, but no shot canisters – could this be a work party rather than a group of miners?

From top left: Isaac Collins, Jack Norman (with pick), Jack Leng(?), Bill Pinchin, Charlie Hitchcock, ??, ??, Mr. Swan (Backbye Deputy), Guy Herbert, ??, Ben Hamer (11 in total).

(information researched by the late John Owen and provided by Chris Twigg of Hidden-Teesside)

The heading tells us where it is and have the men stopped for a break or just to pose for the photo?

This photo is from the tramway that went in the direction of Saltburn at the Upleatham Mine workings and dates from 1910

Thanks to David for that information

Yes indeed this is a ‘classic’ photograph of Upleatham Miners and NOT Eston .

Again taken c1910 near to the East Winning Mine entrance.

Thank you Mike, what would I do without you men keeping me on the right track?

Why the constable?  From the unfinished state of the drift entrance I’d say it’s either under construction or there has been an accidental collapse at the front face.  I’m sure there are people out there who will put me right – I hope there are!

Mike says ”This photo shows you miners at work at the recently filled in East Winning digging out Lost Pillars c. 1890.

The men in the picture are from left to right.
Pc Welburn
Jack Norman
Ben Hamer”

He also says ”PC Welburn as well as been the village policeman was also responsible for collecting due rents from the inhabitants of the house’s as owned by Pease & Partners.

With the mine owners being a strict Quaker family – there was a ZERO tolerence on alcahol and gambling – ‘many a village’s “still”raided and the tennants evicted in the name of Pease & Partners.

PC Wellburn died in 1910 due to pneumonia at the age of 52.”

I knew someone would know – thanks Mike, rodders

Five gold stars to the person who can fill in the names – two gold stars taken off if you use Chapman’s books for reference!  Only joking!  looking at the midges on display this group also includes the working management of the mine, not just the topside management.

From the great grandaughter of William Hall, mining engineer – 1852 – 1942, at New Marske.

Original photo all named in William Hall’s handwriting.

Back Row L-R: B.Robinson,J.(Darkie)Reed,Ralph Clark,Dan Bailey,Harry Bowes,Wilf Hardy,Henry Goldfinch.

Middle Row L-R: Pev Thompson,William Douthwaite,Walter Durance,J.Hood,William ‘Wood’ Sigsworth,’Tiny’ Thirkettle.

Front Row L-R: William Hall,Joe Beaumont,William Howes,Christopher ‘Kit’ Heslop,William Durance,William Jones,John Bevan.

(thanks to Mike Holliday)

This has to be either bizarre or this group are the owners and their families!  Who would visit an iron ore mine in walking out clothes!  All the same a very good image of the travelling drift at Upleatham – can’t think why the tub would be on its side though!

Paul Anderson tells us: ”The people to the far right are my gt, gt, gt grand parients John (Jack) and Jane Pinchin of 86 Dale Street, New Marske. The photo is circa 1915-1920. They came up from Manningford, Wilshire in 1881 looking for work and had 12 children.”

Thanks to Paul for that detail.

 This photograph was taken at Beck Meetings, Dale House on the 20th December 1884 (according to its caption).

It shows a train from Mr. Palmer’s Grinkle Park mine carrying workmen towards Port Mulgrave.  The loco’s were cabless to allow them to travel through the low tunnel under Ridge Lane.

(correction by Simon Chapman – rodders)