The last SGMRG Newsletter included an article on Easton Colliery Bristol.
Subsequently I came across a reference to NCB photographs of Easton Colliery
now in the National Archives
Having obtained a copy of these (5 in total) the first is a familiar surface
picture of Easton Colliery Bristol described as 1890-1900 and on the NCB
photographic record card for this is John Cornwell's address. The other
four pictures all appear to be much later - 3 are of a "Swanwick Scavenger
Plough on face line at No 7 Wilsontown Main Coal" and the date is 1965.
N.B. Easton Colliery in Bristol closed in 1911
The file the pictures are in is labeled
National Coal Board. C.R.A. Mid-CANNOCK, Photographic Record, Unit:- Easton
Colliery
The index page has
Unit - Easton, Area F of D
The Forest of Dean reference is odd unless the pictures are actually of
Eastern United Colliery, but I believe that closed in 1959.
There was of course also an Easton Colliery in Scotland, in Bathgate just
outside Livingstone in West Lothian.
Searching for Wilsontown Main on the Net gives scotish references
from A List of Collieries in 1993, from 'Guide to the Coalfields'
Rashiehill (L) Forth, Lanarkshire V. Wilson Wilsontown Main
- The (L) means it is a private mine licenced by the Coal Authority
And from the List of collieries at work in 1880. the following two mines in
the Eastern Division of Lanarkshire
- Wilsontown, L, Carwath, William Dixon Limited
- Wilsontown, L, Carwath, Gavin Paull.
My guess is that the NCB simply misfiled the 1965 pictures with the earlier
one of the Bristol pit.
Any thoughts?
Regards
David Hardwick
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