Spout or Holywel Colliery
Owners
The Botfields, Old Park Company, 1830 - 1856
Old Park Iron Co 1856 - 1871
Wellington Iron & Coal Company, 1874 - 1877
The Haybridge Iron Co. but leased Alfred Seymour Jones of Wrexham and worked by various chartermasters. 1893 - ca.1915
1888 Map
Spout colliery or Holywell as it was once called and wound coal and ironstone, it was one of the Botfield’s Old Park Company pits, we have no date for when it started life but most probably was working by 1830 when the business expanded considerably, as two pairs of blast furnaces at Hinksay and Stirchley were brought into operation between 1825 and 1827. The Company lost control of the pit in 1856 when Beriah Botfield (1807-1863) failed to agree terms for the renewal of the lease covering a large part of its territory.
In 1856 the pit was taken over by the Old Park Iron Co they worked it an till 1871.
The Wellington Iron & Coal Company, worked the pit from 1874 an till 1877.
In 1893 the Haybridge Iron Co., which had bought the manor in 1886, leased the mines to Alfred Seymour Jones of Wrexham and worked by various chartermasters one of which was Jack Dowles.
Embankments of a former tramway and mineral railway were destroyed by ploughing in December 1963 and January 1964.
The head frame of this colliery were given to Dark Lane Methodist Chapel and a pulpit was constructed from them (which bore the date 1930), according to the farmer , H.C. Jones from Spout Farm.
Eddowes's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales - Wednesday 16 October 1844
Fire Damp Explosion. – Loss of Several Lives. – An explosion of fire damp took place at the Spout Pit, in the parish of Dawley, on the 9th instant, when six men and the charter master, Hyde, were seriously burnt and injured, and one man, named Thomas Samuels, was killed upon the spot. Inquests have since been held upon the bodies of Thomas Samuels, before named, 31 years of age; John Tudor, aged 35; and John Greig, all miners, before Joseph Dicken, Esq. one of the coroners for the county. No cause can be given for the explosion, except the neglect of the miners in using their candles instead of their lamps. Verdicts of “accidental death” were recorded in all the cases.
Wellington Journal - Saturday 22 December 1860
Dawley
An accident occurred at the “Spout” pit last Tuesday, which it was feared would terminate fatally.
Wm. Morgan was putting in a shot at the “level,” one had been already charged, and the “german” put
in it instead of a fuse. In finishing the other hole he incautiously put his candle too near the german,
when it ignited and seriously injured himself and another man named J. Brains. Morgan had the bottle
containing the powder in his hand at the time of the explosion, which was thrown some distance; the powder
being scattered about, and the wonder is how either of the men escaped with life. Brains was badly burnt,
and it was feared he had lost both his eyes, but this it appears is not the case. Morgan had a frightful
cut across the brow, and sustained other injuries.
Wellington Journal - Saturday 11 May 1861
Malins-Lee.
The Late Fatal Accident at The Spout Pits. – We are informed that the unfortunate man, Richard Clayton,
who was lately killed by a fall of earth at one of the Spout Pits, was insured in the People’s Family Life
Assurance Society, thus providing, at his death, for his sorrowing wife and family, who would otherwise have
been left totally unprovided for. The deceased had paid to the Society the sum of 8s. 4d. only; and Mr. North,
the agent for the company at Dawley Green, a few days after the death of Clayton, handed over to the widow
the sum of £10 as a compensation.
Wellington Journal - Saturday 06 July 1861 / Wellington Journal - Saturday 13 July 1861
Malins-Lee.
An inquest was opened yesterday at the Church Wickets, in this place, on the body of William Jones, aged 18 years,
who was killed in the Spout Pit, belonging to the Old Park Company, by the explosion of fire-damp.
Malins-Lee.
The Late Fatal Accident. – The Verdict. – The inquest on William Jones, which was adjourned for the
attendance of the Government inspector of mines was re-opened yesterday week, before R. D. Newill. Esq.,
coroner. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased (who was a young man, aged 18) had missed his way,
and had preceded into an old and unworked part of the pit, carrying in his hand a naked candle, which
immediately on coming in contact with the sulphur caused an explosion. The jury, after hearing the evidence,
at once returned a verdict of "Accidental death".
Wellington Journal - Saturday 22 March 1862
Dawley
Fatal Accident. – An inquest was held, on Saturday last, at the Church Wickets, in this place,
on the body of Joseph Bailey, aged 42 years, who was killed on Thursday week in one of the pits
belonging to the Old Park Company, called the Spout Pit. From the evidence of a man named Peter
Perry, who worked in the same pit with the deceased, it appears that he was engaged on Thursday
last in helping to build a “cog" to support the roof. The deceased was working about four yards
from Perry, when all at once about 3 cwt, of dirt fell from the side on to his back, completely
doubling him up. He was promptly but carefully conveyed from the pit to his own house, and medical
assistance obtained, but the unfortunate man died the next day from the severe injuries he had received.
– The jury, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict of "Accidental death".
Wellington Journal - Saturday 17 October 1863
Old Park
Fatal Accident. – An inquest was held at the Plough Inn at this place yesterday week, before
R. D. Newill, Esq., Coroner, and a respectable jury, on the body of a miner named Isaac Corbett,
who died from injuries received at the Spout pit by an explosion of carburetted hydrogen gas.
It appeared from the evidence that the accident took place upon the descent of the men early in
the morning; and that Absolom Bailey, the fireman, whose duty it was to have gone down first to
inspect the work, had been detained on the bank by his brother, and that the men, instead of taking
a lamp, went into the work with a naked candle Mr. Wynne, the Government inspector, censured Bailey
for his neglect, and informed him that it was entirely through his violation of the 21st rule, which
required him to go down a full hour before the men with a lamp, that the accident had happened; and
that had it not been that his brother was responsible in some measure for his conduct, he would have
been indicted for manslaughter. The conduct of John Bailey, the chartermaster, who had detained the
fireman as a banksman, was also severely censured, and it is understood that the matter will be the
subject of magisterial proceedings.
Wellington Journal - Saturday 05 January 1867
Another Accident. – On Wednesday last a sad accident took place at one of the Spout Pits, worked by Mr John Bailey. A married man named Francis Dyke, was at work, when a fall of “false rock” took place, and killed him on the spot.