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If you are interested in the early history of Hamstead Colliery you could look at Wikipedia, the HAMSTEAD MINERS MEMORIAL TRUST, or William Dargue, 2008-2016, A History of Birmingham Places & Place names, and probably many other sources.
They are very similar…”Following successful mining at nearby Sandwell Park, the Hamstead Colliery Company was formed in 1875. 200 hectares of land were leased from G C Calthorpe of Perry Hall and the following year shafts were sunk. Because of unexpected geology and problems with flooding, the first coal was not brought up commercially for another two years. Coal was mined here from the thick seams at a depth of some 600 metres, at that time the deepest coal mine in the world.”
Somehow incorrect information seems to have been perpetuated!
The Staffs Advertiser, in its Commercial summary of 6th March 1875, says this..
“The recent discovery of the 10 yard seam under Sandwell Park is bearing fruit in direction of utilising the large mineral areas stretching from Sandwell in an eastern direction, the presence of the thick coal under which is held to be proved by the result of the Sandwell experiment. In addition to new sinkings at Aldridge, and the leasing of 1,500 acres of the Perry Hall Estate belonging to the Honourable ACG Calthorpe to a private stock company for mining purposes, a new enterprise under the name of the Hamstead Colliery Company has been launched for the purchase and mineral development of the Hamstead Estate belonging to General Studd, and lying between the Sandwell and Perry Estates. (Area 520 acres, and freehold purchase of estate is approx £200 per acre.)
So the Hamstead Company bought the Hamstead estate freehold from General Studd and not Lord Calthorpe. Further evidence of this can be seen in 1882 at the 7th annual meeting where an account for purchase was due to General Studd.
Now there was, in 1876, a Perry Hall Colliery Company. A case came before magistrates, but as the Hon Calthorpe and Major Williams were sitting, they had to withdraw as they were shareholders in the Company!
On the 1886 OS Map a Perrybarr Colliery (disused) can be seen. So this raises a further question as to the claims that Hamstead Colliery was the only one within the city!
It was also much longer than 2 years before the coal was brought up!