British Mining No. 117 – Cliviger Coal Mines

by Jack Nadin

The Cliviger area of Lancashire lies between Burnley in the north and Cornforth, near Todmorden in the south and comprises the Upper Valley of the River Calder. Mines exist on either side of the valley taking coal from the Arley, Dandy, Upper Mountain and Lower Mountain mines. (Locally the seams are referred to as ‘mines’). They produced high-grade coking coals which were ideal for household and metallurgical purposes.

Mining in earnest started around 1820 and the Cliviger Coal Company opened up many of the early mines and was operated by locally influential families, including the Edmondsons, Collinges, Haighs and Joblings. Of the Company pits, only Copy Colliery survived to nationalisation in 1947, although newer ones, such as Salterford No. 2 operated under the NCB until 1960. Other smaller pits, such as Merrill Head and Royds Wood continued under private ownership until the 1980s.

The histories of 33 pits are recorded and include working plans, location maps, personal recollections and local news reports.

The book contains 152 pages with., 98 illustrations. and a comprehensive index.

It is with the greatest sorrow that the author passed away only a few weeks previously and did not see his work in print.