Blakey Colliery, Farndale East

This is a group of 70 or so shafts on High Blakey Moor, between Farndale and the head of Rosedale. There are a second group of around 200 shafts running north-north-east from the Lion Inn. C.S. Duncombe let the farm of Great Blakey and Little Blakey collieries to John Featherston in November 1780 and he worked it until 17961. He then worked in partnership with Mathew Ryley until at least 1801.

A note written by Seaton in 1791 indicates that Ford’s grant of 1715 was more extensive than at Ankness and that he had also worked at Blakey. The pits which were working in 1791 were approaching exhaustion, except for some lime coals, and Seaton encouraged Featherston to try for coal to the west. This was done but owing to “the Red Rock laying right upon the coal” the men had been troubled by water continually dripping on them. There was a significant drop in output at this time and by 1793 Seaton admitted “this is but a soft bad coal, having been left or not thought -worth -working in Food’s [Ford’s] Time”. Nevertheless, because Featherston used the coal in his own limekilns and it was got at a low price, Seaton increased the rate from £52.08 to £62.09 per acre!

 

Thickness Yards Rate per Acre Rent Tons (est)
1786 13 £43.43
1787 13 3462 £43.33 £31.00 1290
1788 12½ 5351 £41.67 £46.56 1915
1789 13½ 3208 £45.00 £29.83 1240
1790 14 2688 £46.67 £25.62 1080
1791 14 1791 £50.00 £15.33 720
1792 16 65 £15.00 £25.03 30
1793 15½ 2216 £62.09 £28.41 955
1794 13 2116 £51.99 £22.73 790
1795 13 2128 £51.99 £22.86 790
1796 13 2072 £59.99 £22.25 770
1797 12 2720 £50.08 £28.10 93
1798 13½ 2268 £56.25 £26.30 880
1799 13 3776 £54.17 £42.26 1045
1800 13 3228 £54.17 £36.13 1200
1801 15 3936 £62.50 £50.83 1690

The List of Mines records that James Green had Blakey between 1888 and 1893, but it was standing from 1891 to 1893.

  1. NYCRO ZEW IV 13/1 – 12/11/1780
Return to previous page