Report - New Hawne Colliery - Halesowen - Feb 2020

[Yoshimitsu93]

This is only our second thread (myself & @Narg1992). We thought we may as well post while we are in lockdown due to the amount of photos we have lying around!

So as we are local to Halesowen we thought we might as well check out the New Hawne Colliery. Unfortunately we dont have much history on this location apart from the fact it shut down in 1926 due to a general strike.

Many of the buildings around this location are now in a really bad way unfortunately, but I would still say its worth a look round if you are in the local area!

Below are some photos we took during our time at the Colliery, let us know what you think!!

Thanks for looking!!​

 

[pirate]

Black Country History

Looks like you were in the workshops.......Are the fan house and winder still standing ?

 

[Calamity Jane]

For anyone whos interested :

• : A working scene at No.48 Pit, New Hawne Colliery, Halesowen. Note the amount of pollution coming from the chimneys.
• Admin History: New Hawne Colliery, on a 48 acre site to the North and East of Hawne Lane, west of Hawne and stretching South to the main Stourbridge Road, was so called to distinguish itself from Old Hawne Colliery which was very close by. It was situated originally close to Hawne House, the home of the early 19th century reformer Thomas Attwood. It belonged to the newly formed New British Iron Company (1843) and began producing coal in 1864. Minerals were also mined there. The coal and minerals were carried away in trucks on the local railway that spanned the River Stour past Timbertree Colliery into Congreaves Railway sidings where they were tipped into trucks to be carried away. The minerals there were granted a thirty year term with the promise that at least one pair of shafts were to be sunk in the five years since 1864. This seems to have happened as the date on the engine house that is still standing says '1865'. On 23rd June, 1873, permission was given to extend the mining area for minerals another 38 acres southwards to include Hawne Bank Farm as it was believed that huge deposits lay under it. Some time before 1909 the control of New Hawne Colliery passed from New British Iron Company to the family of Shelah Garratt, the Dudley coal-master who owned said farm. On his death in 1893, his son Job carried on with the business where it flourished until his death in 1909. The colliery came through the Miners' Strike of 1921although rioting did occur by the striking miners. However, the 1926 General Strike finished the mine off altogether due to the fact that there was no-one to control the flooding of the mines, and it was considered to be uneconomical to drain them after the Strike. Once the shafts had been cleared and the mine buildings cleared away the land was left more or less at it was, now overgrown with only the huge pit mound showing formed by mine detritus ans ironworks waste. Hawne Bank Farm has gone but the engine house is still standing in Shelagh Road (possibly named after Shelah Garratt), Halesowen. It is one of the very few remaining colliery buildings in the area and is also a fine example of circular joinery in the triple arch at the front

 

[Seffy]

Nicely done - decent, especially for a second thread too

 

[Yoshimitsu93]

Black Country History

Looks like you were in the workshops.......Are the fan house and winder still standing ?

Hi mate, both buildings are still standing! No chance of entry though as they have both been sealed shut really well! Still a decent place to look around though if you are local!

 

[TranKmasT]

Thanks for the update Yoshimitsu93.
Shame you didn't go in the day.

Black Country History

Looks like you were in the workshops.......Are the fan house and winder still standing ?

Yes they are still there. These shots where from 2011 when they where partially accessible.

Now they have been re boarded with galvanised sheets covered in anti climb paint.
And it's so overgrown now you can't get a decent wide shot.

I thought my report from 2011 might of been linked at the bottom of this report but it's not. Here's a link anyaway to show you what it looked like. bump!

Report - - New Hawne Colliery, Halesowen, December 2011 | Industrial Sites

I've passed this numerous times and finally managed to drag my christmas holiday arse out of bed to take a closer look. New Hawne Colliery, on a 48 acre site to the North and East of --------, west of Hawne and stretching South to the main ------ Road, was so called to distinguish itself...

www.28dayslater.co.uk

 

[Yoshimitsu93]

Thanks for the update Yoshimitsu93.
Shame you didn't go in the day.



Yes they are still there. These shots where from 2011 when they where partially accessible.

Now they have been re boarded with galvanised sheets covered in anti climb paint.
And it's so overgrown now you can't get a decent wide shot.

I thought my report from 2011 might of been linked at the bottom of this report but it's not. Here's a link anyaway to show you what it looked like. bump!

Report - - New Hawne Colliery, Halesowen, December 2011 | Industrial Sites

I've passed this numerous times and finally managed to drag my christmas holiday arse out of bed to take a closer look. New Hawne Colliery, on a 48 acre site to the North and East of --------, west of Hawne and stretching South to the main ------ Road, was so called to distinguish itself...

www.28dayslater.co.uk

Cheers for this, it looked a lot more looked after back in 2011 going by your photos! Like you said, its all overgrown now so you cant really get any decent shots!

 

[KCM]

I find it so hard to look at pictures of old pits. Such a same that they have all gone. All the brave people who worked so hard to get king coal for us. Just hope that one day they may be a need for coal again. So anti coal is UK. Give me areal coal fire any time. Bless them all, and those that lost their lives for coal. Surprised that old railway track is still there in last pic. Must be over 100 years old. Thanks for posting, I had many a happy hour looking at my local pit when i was young. They can take away the pits. But those pits in my memory are with me forever..

 

[Yoshimitsu93]

I find it so hard to look at pictures of old pits. Such a same that they have all gone. All the brave people who worked so hard to get king coal for us. Just hope that one day they may be a need for coal again. So anti coal is UK. Give me areal coal fire any time. Bless them all, and those that lost their lives for coal. Surprised that old railway track is still there in last pic. Must be over 100 years old. Thanks for posting, I had many a happy hour looking at my local pit when i was young. They can take away the pits. But those pits in my memory are with me forever..

I feel the exact same mate! Brilliant to imagine all of the history places likes this still hold though!