Just to add to the information already provided by Rob and Peter.
This area is mostly in the lower coal measures and the Halifax Hard bed and
Soft Bed coal plus associated beds of fire clay have been extensively
worked. Coal mining was well established by the end of the 18th century but
from about the 1860s the fire clay became the main material mined. This was
used by local potteries and sanitaryware manufacturers. Unfortunately most
of the mines were small and left little or no records.
The quarrying was mostly in the Elland flags and from the 1850s these beds
were mined. Godwins account of this is very useful.
The Quarrying hamlets are very interesting and it is possible to walk from
Moscow, through Egypt to Jerusalem in a few minutes.
Mining and quarrying in this area is poorly represented in local archives
and with the exception of Godwins book almost no work has been published on
the area. Im afraid that the only way to find out more would require many
hours of research, trawling through local trade directories, maps, mines
inspectors reports etc.
Martin Roe
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