Cornsay Colliery
Coordinates: 54°47′6″N 1°44′9″W / 54.78500°N 1.73583°W
Cornsay Colliery is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the west of Durham, close to Cornsay, Quebec and Esh Winning.
Regarding Cornsay Colliery, the following is taken from History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham published by Francis Whellan & Company in 1894:
The Cornsay Colliery, worked by Messrs. Ferens and Love, was first opened out in 1868, and is situated within the township of Cornsay, but in this parish. There are four seams, the whole of which are worked by drifts into the hillsides. The 'Harvey' is 2 feet 8 inches thick; the 'Ballarat' 1 foot 9 inches; the 'Five Quarter' 2 feet 2 inches to 3 feet 6 inches, and the Main coal is 3 feet. The names of the drifts are Low Drift, High Drift, Colpike Drift, and Ford Drift, which give a daily output amounting to 750 tons, about the half of which is converted into coke on the spot, there being 270 ovens. A great feature of this pit is that it yields a splendid fire-clay, which supplies the rather extensive brick, tile, and sanitary pipe-works in connection with the colliery. It is contemplated by the owners to lay down plant for the manufacture of glazed, sanitary, and other ware, for which the clay is so well adapted. This colliery in its various departments gives employment to an average of 700 men and boys. The royalties worked, besides a large area of freehold owned by themselves, are leased from Ushaw College, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and Miss Taylor-Smith. Hamsteels Collieries and Coke Ovens were commenced in 1867 by Messrs. R. S. Johnson and T. M. Reay, and are now carried on under the title of 'The Owners of Hamsteels Collieries.' There are four seams met and worked, 'The Brockwell' having an average thickness of 3 feet 6 inches; the 'Upper Busty' 1 foot 8 inches; the 'Lower Busty' 2 feet 4 inches; and the "Harvey" about 3 feet 8 inches. The latter seam, which was drifted in 1890, is not of equal quality to the others. There are two shafts 35 and 20 fathoms, as well as three drifts, giving a total yearly output of (when fully working) 280,000 tons. Three-fourths of this output is converted into coke on the spot. This colliery gives employment in its various branches to 680 men and boys. At Malton, coal has also been wrought since 1870, the Malton being in that year opened by Mr. G. Love. It is now worked by S. A. Sadler, Esq., of Middlesbrough. The Harvey, Brockwell, and Busty seams are met here, and worked by drifts, the thickness of the seams ranging from two to four feet. Patent ovens and other important improvements are rapidly developing, and ere long this colliery will employ a large number of men.
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