Hulton Colliery Company
Encyclopedia
The Hulton Colliery Company was a coal mining
company operating on the Lancashire Coalfield
from the mid 19th century in Over Hulton
and Westhoughton
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
, England.
It had its origins in small coal mines on the northern part of the Hulton Park estate in 1571 owned by the Hultons who had held the estate since medieval times. In the early 19th century the mines were owned by William Hulton
. Hulton was High Sheriff of Lancashire
in 1811 and in 1812 sentenced four men, including a 12 year old boy, to be executed for their part in a Luddite
attack on a local mill. His orders led to the Peterloo Massacre
in 1819. In 1843 Hulton paid his colliers the poorest wages in Lancashire. He remained opposed to permitting the right to free assembly and was vehemently opposed to miners congregating with the object of forming a union.
Hulton's pits thrived and in the 1820s were connected to the Bolton and Leigh Railway
. Hulton established the Hulton Colliery Company in 1858. The company expanded and the shafts for Hulton Colliery Bank Pit Nos 1&2, the Klondike Pit, were sunk in 1897 west of Chequerbent and Bank Pit Nos 3&4, the Pretoria Pit, were sunk between 1900 and 1901 close to the Atherton
boundary towards the west of the estate.
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
company operating on the Lancashire Coalfield
Lancashire Coalfield
The Lancashire Coalfield in north-west England was one of the most important British coalfields.-Geography and geology:The geology of the coalfield consists of the coal seams of the Upper, Middle and Lower Coal Measures, layers of sandstones, shales and coal of varying thickness, which were laid...
from the mid 19th century in Over Hulton
Over Hulton
Over Hulton is a suburb of Westhoughton within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester,England.It lies south west of Bolton.-History:...
and Westhoughton
Westhoughton
Westhoughton is a town and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is southwest of Bolton, east of Wigan and northwest of Manchester....
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England.
It had its origins in small coal mines on the northern part of the Hulton Park estate in 1571 owned by the Hultons who had held the estate since medieval times. In the early 19th century the mines were owned by William Hulton
William Hulton
William Hulton was an English landowner and magistrate.William Hulton was the son of William Hulton and Jane of Hulton Park, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England. He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford...
. Hulton was High Sheriff of Lancashire
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
in 1811 and in 1812 sentenced four men, including a 12 year old boy, to be executed for their part in a Luddite
Luddite
The Luddites were a social movement of 19th-century English textile artisans who protested – often by destroying mechanised looms – against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their way of life...
attack on a local mill. His orders led to the Peterloo Massacre
Peterloo Massacre
The Peterloo Massacre occurred at St Peter's Field, Manchester, England, on 16 August 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000–80,000 that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation....
in 1819. In 1843 Hulton paid his colliers the poorest wages in Lancashire. He remained opposed to permitting the right to free assembly and was vehemently opposed to miners congregating with the object of forming a union.
Hulton's pits thrived and in the 1820s were connected to the Bolton and Leigh Railway
Bolton and Leigh Railway
The Bolton and Leigh Railway was the first public railway in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It opened in 1828 for goods.-History:...
. Hulton established the Hulton Colliery Company in 1858. The company expanded and the shafts for Hulton Colliery Bank Pit Nos 1&2, the Klondike Pit, were sunk in 1897 west of Chequerbent and Bank Pit Nos 3&4, the Pretoria Pit, were sunk between 1900 and 1901 close to the Atherton
Atherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
boundary towards the west of the estate.