The Old Pits of Bathgate

The Passing of Balbardie Coal Company.

SOME INTERESTING HISTORICAL FACTS.

THE OLD PITS IN BATHGATE.

Since the announcement in the "Courier" of the proposal to sell the works of Balbardie Colliery Company, Limited, to Messrs Baird and Company, Limited, a good deal of interesting facts have reached us regarding the early history of the works, presently being worked by the Balbardie company, and also of the early times of coal mining in Bathgate. It is rather curious that despite the numerous books and pamphlets written about Bathgate and the people in Bathgate, no very definite information in printed form is forthcoming in reference to early "coal" days in Bathgate. The history of mining in the Burgh goes back at least to 1677, because in that year, us Mr Bisset, in his "History of Bathgate" informs us, the occupation of "Colheuer" was referred to in the Kirk Session Records. How much further back the date of the beginning of coal pits in Bathgate ought to be placed cannot be settled now. Everything points, however, to a date probably about 1650, when coal was being generally burned throughout Britain. Speaking of the wider history of coal fields, it is generally held that the first licence to dig coal was granted in England by Henry III. In 1234 at a place near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is also contended that the Romans during their occupation of By 1611 coal was generally in use in England, previous Acts prohibiting its use in populous centres having been withdrawn or allowed to drop into abeyance.

OLD PITS' IN BATHGATE.

There are authentic records of at least three pits having been sunk in Bathgate town. The two oldest were on the sites in Mid Street now occupied by the property belonging to Mrs M'Kill and Mr Gray. Probably the oldest was the one the site now occupied by property in or near Helenslee Cottages, as less information is forthcoming as to its early workings. The other pit, on the site of which Mrs M'Kill has property, at the corner of Mid Street and Hopetoun Street, comes down evidently to a later time, and was known to have been worked some 200 years ago. Both pits mentioned would almost likely have the coals brought up in baskets as they were in existence prior to the days of steam power being used and although there is nothing known quite definitely about the matter the probability is that women took a hand in conveying the coal to the surface. The third pit. and the more recent of the three old pits, was that on which Engine Knowe Cottages now stand. Here was employed for the first time a haulage engine, and it is due to this circumstance that Engine Street came by its name. Mr Wardlaw, Mill Road, who has for thirty-six years been engineman with Balbardie was able to inform our representative that his grandfather was employed at this pit. He had never heard, however, of the employment of women below, but, as in more recent times, there were always a large number on the pit-head, indeed, as a rule, it was mostly women who were engaged on the pit-head running hutches until some twenty years ago.

The Rev. David Graham, in his book on John Newlands. has the following interesting reference bearing on the subject under discussion:—"Towards the end of the eighteenth century manufacture was represented in the parish by a brick and tile work, all on a limited scale. and tallow chandler who curries on a pretty considerable trade.” In addition to these branches of industry, ironstone was worked on the estate of Barbauchlaw by the Carron Company. Then there were the collieries on the estate of Lord Hopetoun. The extent of these may be gathered from the fact that the entire number supported by the collieries was 95. The deepest seam. we are told, was 40 fathom. Though coal was worked from a very early date, the people had no idea of the mineral wealth of the parish. One of the coal pits is thus described “In this work 20 coal miners are constantly employed: each of whom works from 15 to 25 loads a day. The load is 12 Linlithgow pecks, and sells on the hill at 6d the great and 4d. the small coal.”

THE HILDERSTONE PITS.

It is worth mentioning that near Mr Kerr's farm, Hilderstone, on the Linlithgow and Bathgate Road, there is at least halt-a-dozen pits where coal was got. One of these, known as the Hilderstone Pit, showed up till some thirty years ago, a spiral wooden staircase by which the workers, believed to be mostly women, ascended and descended with their baskets of coal. None of these pits, however, have been worked within living memory except that owned by Mr Johnston, banker, known as East Main pit. Some thirty years ago, it, too, had to be abandoned, the facilities for disposing of the coal being quite inadequate to cope with the better facilities offered by pits nearer railway lines. Most of the pits in the vicinity of Hilderstone have been partially or wholly filled in, but there are ample indications at the present day of these old pits having been used. The "Zareba," known to followers of the hounds, has often seen a good coal fire, showing that at one time coal was quite plentiful in this quarter.

THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

It was not until after the death of Marjoribanks, who fought so nobly to secure the money left by Newlands for Bathgate, that there is any record of the start of Balbardie Coal Mine. The first owner, so far as can be traced, was a Mr Hosie, who came from Falkirk probably about 1850, and who was killed in the Winchburgh tunnel accident in 1860. It appears that even before his coming, however, a start had been made, but everything points to little real progress having been made until Hosie's arrival. He took up residence in Balbardie House, and had a brisk work going. He opened the Balbardie Mine, as it was called, to the east of the present office, but which is now closed. He also sank the Dovecot Pit, and put down a shaft to some 20 fathoms at the Bog, near to the present Sandhole Pit, but the water rushed in on the workings, and the place, for the time, was abandoned. In his day the coals were carted to the stations from the pit-heads, and this meant a large team of horses being employed, with a corresponding number of men to look after them. The number of men working in the collieries at this time was about 100 men. Mr Hosie in his day also owned the foundry now belonging to the Bathgate Foundry Company. After the tragic demise of Hosie, the collieries passed into the hands of Mr Robert Stewart, Murdostane House, when the coal trade started upon a new era.

BALBARDIE HOUSE FOUNDATIONS.

The old Balbardie Mine which Mr Hosie had started, was now being carried under Balbardie House. A hue and cry was raised that this would lead to the house collapsing, and among the early acts of the new owner was the opening of the present Balbardie Mine. In order to obviate going under the big house, the new workings were made to go in a north-west direction. Further facilities for the quick despatch of orders were secured by the laying of a line of rails from Bathgate Lower Station 'to Balbardie Mine. The Balbardie Mine was now giving work to something like 150 men, while the Dovecote also was being worked steadily. Like his predecessor, Mr Stewart was not content with the mines he had bought in working order. but was anxious to open up new seams. One of the workmen he brought with him from Murdostane was Mr John Adams, who resides in North Street, and he, together with Mr James Wardlaw, to whom reference has already been made, were with Mr Stewart throughout his whole tenancy. Mr Adams. who is now in his eightieth year, retired from active work some nine years ago, while Mr Wardlaw is presently at work at the Balbardie Mine. Both acted in the capacity of enginemen. To Mr Adams our representative made a visit, and he was able to get a good deal of interesting particulars about the early Bog pits. Mr Adams possessing a wonderful memory for dates and particulars regarding his calling. Mr Adams was at the pumping out of the water in the original Bog pit, commenced by Hosie. After the water had been got under, work progressed very satisfactorily for a time, coal, ironstone and parrot being secured in good quantities. In 1863. however, the water was beginning to be very troublesome. and it was a ease of the water having the field the one day and the men the next. Matters continued in this unsatisfactory state until 1864 when, one night, after all the hands had made merry at a marriage, the flow of water proved so great that they found next morning that the water had completely filled the workings. No attempt was made to pump the water out and whatever graith was in the pit had to be, abandoned. In another pit was put down on the site now occupied by Bathgate Upper Railway Station. For about six months active operations were carried on and a depth of about five fathoms was reached when operations had to be abandoned through a bed of running sand having been struck. A few years later the present Boghead Pit, now owned by Messrs G. Paul and Sons, was opened, and proved very successful. It, too, was stopped about 1880 but on Messrs Paul and Sons securing the lease they re-opened it, and it bas been working steadily ever since. Mr Stewart, who took an active interest in the work of the town, was held in high esteem by the townspeople and his workers. He died in 1906. The works were sold to the Governors of Daniel Stewart's Hospital, but were in turn bought by Mr Henry Walker, then became the property of Messrs H. Walker and Son, and in turn by Messrs Walker and Cameron. During the regime of the Walker-Cameron family, which extended from to 1896, nothing special was done in the Dovecot Pit or the Balbardie Mine. Both the collieries were well employed, however, and an average employment was given to between 200 and 300 men.

EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS,

With the advent of the flotation the Balbardie Colliery Company Limited, which was incorporated under the Companies' Act as at 1st February, 1896, the works entered upon a new lease of life. The Company purchased from Messrs Cameron and Walker Balbardie Mine and No. 1 Pit or Dovecot. They also purchased from Messrs James Wood, Limited, Easton Pit. The price paid for these and the leaseholds was £25,000. At the head of the affair, was Mr W. H. Walker, managing director; Mr Jarvis.. secretary; and Mr Thom, colliery manager. The directors of the new Company were —William H. Walker, coal merchant, Airdrie; James. C. Dixon. L.L.D., Glasgow; Jas. Mitchell. banker, Airdrie; John M. Alston, writer, Coatbridge; Gavin Whitelaw, coal master, Glasgow. The original capital was £50,000, made up of £25,000 ordinary shares, and £25,000 6 per cent. preference shares. Owing to running sand in the original pit at Easton, sunk by Messrs Wood, Ltd., a new pit was sunk about 100 yards further west in good hard sandstone. Operations were commenced on 2nd August, 1896, and coal was being brought up to the surface by 12th May, 1898. The latest machinery was introduced into the workings under the supervision of Mr Allan Andrew., consulting engineer. Kilmarnock, and the underground workings were fitted with electric lighting. No sooner was Easton Pit in thorough working order than a new pit, known as Balbardie No. 2, was started. Operations were commenced on the 19th June. 1901, and were finished 13th September of the year. In order to cope with the sinking of the new pit and the placing in of up-to-date machinery the capital of the Company was increased in 1900 by the creation of 2500 ordinary shares of £10 each, 1250 of which were issued. The money was readily subscribed. After the No. 2 pit was opened a washing plant, to deal with an output of 100 tons dross per day was built, with a self acting pithead and travelling tables to work an output of 1000 tons per day. The largest output of the combined collieries, consisting of cannel, ironstone, common coal, which is sold for gas, steam and household purposes, in one year was 226,000 tons. The firm employs about 800 men. Mr Thom, colliery manager, who left in 1902. and is now at Brakpan, Apex Mine, South Africa. was succeeded by Mr Black, who presently holds that position. Mr Jarvie, secretary of the Company, has been in charge of the sales of the minerals for many years, and is well-known locally and held in high esteem by all who have business dealings with him. A few years ago the Balbardie Company built 64 workmen's houses at Easton Road. the housing accommodation in the town being unable to cope with the increased number of houses required, consequent on the large influx of workers.

The following are the lands on which the Balbardie Company hold the mineral rights and the landlords owning same; Hopetoun - Lord Linlithgow;

• Balbardie – Daniel Stewart's Trustees;
  
• Fallside, - Mr David Simpson:
  
• Boghead, - Mr J.A. Robertson-Durham;
  
• Fawside - James Wallace's. Trustees.
  

Easton Pit has now been worked down to 172 fathoms; Balbardie No. 2 to 57 fathoms: and Balbardie Mine to about a mile in length. The Dovecot Pit is now being used as a pumping station. On Wednesday first, the final meeting of the Balbarie Colliery Company, Ltd.. to decide upon the sale of the works to Messrs Baird and Coy., Ltd., will be held. In the event of the sale being finally approved the Messrs Baird will immediately enter into possession

West Lothian Courier, 18th May 1906