Mike,
Thanks for the information about White Lea/Whitelee/Whitemee. With the kind
help and insight of you and many others in this group, I am now convinced
that my GG Grandfather came from this exact area. The birth record states
that my GGrand mother was born in Whitelee and that her father's occupation
was Pitman. Which mine he worked is still an open question that may have to
wait until we can visit the area and search for the records in person.
Until then I should try to locate copies of the Whellans and Rounthwaite
books? that you and Alan referenced. Are they readily available?
Thanks again and cheers,
Fred
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----- Original Message ----- >
> Subject: Re: Seeking any information about Whitelea Drift?
>
> As Alan Vickers (11 Sep 2000) says, Whellans wrote that White Lea was
> opened in the 1850s by Bolckow, Vaughan & Co.
>
> I have seen various spellings including White Lea, Whitelee and even
> Whitemee (possibly a typo!). Might there also have been more than one
> pit or colliery with the same name (at different dates)?
>
> Rounthwaite, T. (1959), "The West Durham Railway", in The Railway
> Observer (Vol. 29), reported that "The line to the terminus at Whitelee
> [sic] was opened on 5th June 1841 and small quantities of coal were
> dispatched from this and other nearby pits which were just coming into
> production" (p.155).
>
> His accompanying map (p.112), by the way, shows "White Lee Colliery"...
> which is another spelling!
>
> It may be that Fred Toewe's great great grandfather was indeed a miner
> at Whitelea.
>
> Mike Syer
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