I first came across Fishponds colliery a couple of years ago, but haven't
managed to find out too much about it. It isn't mentioned in Hunt's "Mineral
Statistics" for 1870, but it is in the 1875 edition (the next one I've seen),
owner Mr Flower. By 1880 this had changed to W Flower. The next source I've
got is the "List of Mines" for 1888, by which time the colliery appears to
have closed.
I'm not sure exactly where the pit was, although I think that it must have
been in the northern part of Fishponds, as Handel Cossham seems to have owned
all the royalties for the area south of Oldbury Court estate.
By the way, Fred Flower has published a book entitled "Somerset Coalmining
Life" (Millstream Books, Bath 1990). He worked at Bromley, Pensford and Old
Mills and was born c1908 at Clutton, where his grandfather (name unknown) was
involved in the management of Greyfield colliery. The book only mentions pits
in Somerset and I've no idea whether he comes from the same family who were
involved in mining on the other side of Bristol.
Keith Ramsey
University of Exeter
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