Roundwood Colliery
Encyclopedia
Roundwood Colliery was a coal mine situated in the Don Valley
, about 2 miles north of Rotherham
, South Yorkshire
, England on the borders of Rotherham and Rawmarsh
.
to Thrybergh
, goes back to the 17th century with documents relating to tenants' rights of way over the grounds and the river Dunne (Don) at Aldwarke ford, on both sides of river; and to any person fetching coals from pits. Earlier records still refer to charkcole (charcoal) to be cut in Rounde woodde near Aldwarke Manor house. It is from Rounde woodde that this colliery takes its name.
between the main line of the Midland Railway
, north of Parkgate and Rawmarsh
and the Mexborough to Sheffield line of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
, north of Parkgate and Aldwarke. It was established in the early 1860s and had connections to both railways and to staithes alongside the river Don.
In 1880 the colliery was listed as being owned by Cooper, Sellars and Company, becoming The Roundwood Colliery Company by 1896. This company was purchased by John Brown and Company and became the foundation of the Dalton Main Colliery Company
. Dalton Main Collieries were responsible for the sinking of Silverwood Colliery
, these collieries being joined by a railway built by the owners and known as John Brown's Private Railway
and over which a Paddy Mail
service operated until the 1930s when it was discontinued in favour of "pit buses" which were operated by private companies and, later Rotherham Corporation. From 1908 the collieries were joined underground. This underground joining of the collieries meant that the drawing of coal could be concentrated at Silverwood and the Roundwood shafts used for materials and men.
In 1947 the colliery passed to the National Coal Board
and was closed in the early 1960s.
Lower Don Valley
The Lower Don Valley, or historically the East End of Sheffield, is the mainly industrial north-east quarter of Sheffield, England. Based around the River Don it encompasses the areas of Attercliffe, Brightside, Darnall, Tinsley and Wincobank....
, about 2 miles north of Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England on the borders of Rotherham and Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. It is two miles north of Rotherham. It has a population of 18,210. The village also forms part of the Sheffield Urban Area.-Etymology:...
.
History
Coal gathering in the Aldwarke area, lands of the old manor which stretch across the Don Valley from ParkgateParkgate, Rotherham
Parkgate is located in South Yorkshire, England. It has since been consumed by its neighbour Rawmarsh, from which it has been indistinguishable since the early 20th century...
to Thrybergh
Thrybergh
Thrybergh is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, from Rotherham. It had a population of 4,327 in 2001...
, goes back to the 17th century with documents relating to tenants' rights of way over the grounds and the river Dunne (Don) at Aldwarke ford, on both sides of river; and to any person fetching coals from pits. Earlier records still refer to charkcole (charcoal) to be cut in Rounde woodde near Aldwarke Manor house. It is from Rounde woodde that this colliery takes its name.
Deep Mining
The Deep Mine, named Roundwood, was set a short distance north of Aldwarke Main CollieryAldwarke Main Colliery
Aldwarke Main Colliery was a coal mine sunk in the Don Valley, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.- History :The name "Aldwarke" refers to an area in the Don Valley about 2 miles north of Rotherham, South Yorkshire stretching to the outskirts of the village of Kilnhurst. To its west is...
between the main line of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, north of Parkgate and Rawmarsh
Parkgate and Rawmarsh railway station
Parkgate and Rawmarsh railway station, originally named Park Gate and Rawmarsh was situated in Parkgate, adjacent to the Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's works...
and the Mexborough to Sheffield line of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
, north of Parkgate and Aldwarke. It was established in the early 1860s and had connections to both railways and to staithes alongside the river Don.
In 1880 the colliery was listed as being owned by Cooper, Sellars and Company, becoming The Roundwood Colliery Company by 1896. This company was purchased by John Brown and Company and became the foundation of the Dalton Main Colliery Company
Dalton Main Collieries Ltd.
The Dalton Main Collieries Limited became a public company which appeared on the London Stock Exchange in December 1899. The company was set up by John Brown and Company with the aim of purchasing Roundwood Colliery at Parkgate and to purchase land between Thrybergh and Ravenfield, known as...
. Dalton Main Collieries were responsible for the sinking of Silverwood Colliery
Silverwood Colliery
Silverwood Colliery was owned by Dalton Main Collieries Ltd., and was originally called Dalton Main. It was renamed after the local woodland where it was situated, between Thrybergh and Ravenfield, in Yorkshire, England, although it could easily have been called Gulling Wood.- History :Dalton Main...
, these collieries being joined by a railway built by the owners and known as John Brown's Private Railway
John Brown's Private Railway
John Brown's railway was a line constructed in the Rotherham area of South Yorkshire, England, in order to link Silverwood Colliery to staithes situated alongside the River Don...
and over which a Paddy Mail
Paddy mail
Paddy mails, generally considered as being workmen's trains, were operated by, or for many companies to transport their workers to their place of work or between their sites of work....
service operated until the 1930s when it was discontinued in favour of "pit buses" which were operated by private companies and, later Rotherham Corporation. From 1908 the collieries were joined underground. This underground joining of the collieries meant that the drawing of coal could be concentrated at Silverwood and the Roundwood shafts used for materials and men.
In 1947 the colliery passed to the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
and was closed in the early 1960s.