In August 1858 The Illustrated London News reported that “The deepest coalpit in Great Britain, and probably in the world, has, after nearly twelve years’ labour, just been completed and opened at Dukinfield, Cheshire”. This would be the Astley Deep Pit, which was 629 metres deep to the 1.42 metre thick Black Mine and was said to have cost £100,000. Other seams worked included the Cannel, Peacock and Three Sheds Mines. The 1.82 metre thick Great Mine was already worked out.
| 1854-1855 | F.D.P. Astley was working the colliery |
| 1859-1885 | Dunkirk Coal Co. |
| 1890-1896 | Dukinfield Coal & Cannel Co. Ltd |
| 1900-1901 | Dukinfield Collieries Ltd |
Henry Lees and Samuel Swire traded as the Dukinfield Coal Company which took over from the Dunkirk Coal Co. The former company later reformed as the Dukinfield Coal & Cannel Company and then as the Dukinfield Collieries Ltd.
There were to major explosions at the Deep Pit. The first, on March 4th 1870, killed nine, and the second, on April 14th 1874, killed 54.
The closure of Astley Deep Pit came on August 7th 1901, with the associated Chapel Pit, Dewsnap New Pit and Victoria Colliery all closing around the same time.
Sources:
- NMRS Records, Gazetteer of British Collieries
- The Illustrated London News – Saturday August 21st 1858
- National Archives: BT31/4872/32353 (1890) Dukinfield Coal & Cannel Co. Ltd
- National Archives: BT31/5302/36264 (1892) Dukinfield Coal & Cannel Co. Ltd
- National Archives: BT31/6672/46918 (1896) Dukinfield (New) Coal & Cannel Co. Ltd
- National Archives: BT31/8267/60000 (1898) Dukinfield Collieries Ltd
- Geological Survey of England and Wales, Vertical sections, sheet No.34, 1870 (May 2015)
