The History & Coal Resources of Newcastle from 1830 - 1889

from a series of articles published in the Newcastle Morning Herald covering the period 26th September, 1889 to 21st November, 1889

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THE NEWCASTLE COLLIERIES
THEIR RISE AND PROGRESS
[No V111]
J. and A. Brown's Coal Mines

Published 1st November, 1889
The names of James and Alexander Brown are so closely connected with the history of coal-mining in this district that any account of its rise and progress would be incomplete as well as inaccurate, which did not trace the development of the well-known firm of which they were the founders. It commenced, and has grown with the coal trade, and, although the firm is credited by a large number of people with having broken the monopoly enjoyed by the A.A. Company in the early days of the industry, very few even of the old identities seem to know the real circumstances surrounding the case.

Messrs J. & A. Brown were brothers, and arrived in the colony from Scotland in the year 1840. In 1842, the Messrs. Donaldson started a cloth factory at Stockton, and James and Alexander Brown worked there for some time as weavers. They were, however, men of keen perception, and seeing that the district was destined to become a large coal emporium, they turned their attention to mining, and in conjunction with a mining engineer named Henderson they opened several small pits in the district. At that time the Rev. Mr. Threlkeld opened a mine at Lake Macquarie and Messrs. Turner, Eales, and others also commenced operations elsewhere. A serious difficulty, however, arose. The Australian Agricultural Company had in 1829 purchased the Government coal-mines subject to certain conditions and provisions, one of which was that the company had the exclusive right to mine coal in the district for a period of thirty-one years. It was not, however, until the year 1841 that the company made any attempt to enforce its rights, although in the meantime a great deal of trouble had occurred. In that year, however, the Messrs. Brown commenced to work coal at Four Mile Creek, near Maitland and pressure was brought to bear on the Government by the A.A. Company to restrain them from continuing the work. In fulfilment of its undertaking with the company, the Government, after long deliberation took proceedings to stop the Messrs. Brown from mining.

The now celebrated action of the Attorney General v. Brown was commenced in 1846, before the late Judge Dickerson and a jury, in the Supreme Court, Sydney. The information (See Supreme Court Reports, Vol ii, 1847) was one of intrusion for entering upon certain coal mines and veins of coal in the county of Northumberland, containing 60 acres, and belonging to the Queen. At the trial the Attorney General proved that the land had been granted to one Dumaresq, from whom the defendant was a lessee but the Crown in the deed of grant reserved the mineral right, which had been given to another party, namely, the A.A. Company.

The plea entered in defence was "not guilty;" that is to say, that the defendant had not so intruded, and several points were raised, the chief one being that, under the statute of James 1, the proviso of reservation or exception was void, as it tended to create a monopoly. The case lasted several days, and the learned judge in addressing the jury observed that they had nothing to do with any question of monopoly. A verdict was given for the Crown on every point, and the defendant moved for a new trial, which was granted. The trial was reheard in the Full Court in January, 1847. The former verdict was upheld on every point, and in delivering judgment (see appendix to vol.ii) Sir Alfred Stephen, then Chief Justice, said that in the A.A. Company's Act, "for the cultivation and improvement of waste lands in this colony," it was enacted that the company may lawfully hold all lands granted to them by His Majesty (Geo. 111.), and as the company had the exclusive right to mine coal from under Crown lands, as well as that held by them the defendant must be restrained from mining. The judgment, a very lengthy one, was final, and there are many people in the district who remember the excitement which prevailed at the time. Though restrained from mining at the Four Mile Creek the defendants were by no means discouraged, and three years later they succeeded in making arrangements with the late Dr. Mitchell to work a portion of the Burwood seam which outcrops from the hills in that district. Soon after the termination of the lawsuit the A.A. Company agreed with the Government to forego their monopoly, and thus ended the struggle.

In the meantime others were working on the estate, and the coal was taken to the town in carts. On the Burwood estate, the Brown Brothers worked until 1852, by which time a railway had been laid by Dr. Mitchell to the port. The Newcastle Coal and Copper Company purchased the tunnels of Messrs. Brown, Donaldson and Notts, who had by that time succeeded in obtaining shoots adjoining those of the A.A. Company. Mr. Eales (now the Hon. John Eales), and Mr Christie having obtained an Act of Parliament, constructed a line of railway from Minmi to the Hunter River at Hexham, and started the present Duckenfield Colliery. In 1859 Messrs. J. and A. Brown became owners of the mine and sometime afterwards sold it to the Minmi Coal Company. The colliery soon afterwards was deserted by the company, and the Messrs. Brown again took it over at a cost of £10,000, it having in the meantime become flooded. They had previously purchased numerous blocks of land in the vicinity, and have from that time continued to mine coal from the land.

The estate at present consists of nearly 6000 acres, and is situated among the hills some sixteen miles to the west of the City of Newcastle. It is the freehold property of the firm, and bounded on the south by the Young Wallsend and Monkwearmouth estates, on the east by the Wallsend and Co-operative, on the west by the West Wallsend, while the northern boundary runs nearly to the Maitland railway. Situated in a valley near the centre of the estate is the thriving township of Minmi, which has a population of over 3000 souls, the great majority of the adult population being employed by the firm. With the exception of a few roads, and some acres resumed by the Government for a school and post office, the land belongs to Messrs. J. and A. Brown, who let it to their people on a conditional lease of 21 years, of which over fifteen have expired. The houses are mostly of wood and are erected with no uniformity of design. At present the place boasts of several stores, six hotels, a handsome public school, and two or three churches, which added to the large establishments of the firm give the place the appearance of being much larger and more compact than it really is. The roads and streets are by no means well laid out; but doubtless in time a great improvement in this respect will be made. In the centre of the town is a number of substantial brick buildings, in which the many things required in a large colliery are repaired and constructed. It was at this spot that Mr. Eales in 1857, put down the Minmi shaft, which was converted by the present firm into a pumping pit for the Duckenfield mine. The largest of these buildings is set apart for workshops, and it is safe to say that few people in the district have any idea of the magnitude of them. Entering the building on the north side the visitor is shown the fitting shop in which there are five turning lathes, which enable the firm to turn iron up to 8ft. In another part are to be seen horizontal, vertical, and radial drilling machines, where a six-foot cylinder can be bored.

Then there is a large iron shaving and planing machine, and a twenty-inch slotting machine, besides a huge grindstone and other numerous labour saving appliances. In this department repairs are done to the locomotives, waggons and skips, while much of the work in connection with the fleet of small steamers owned by the firm is also taken in hand when the repairing shops at Hexham are unable to accomplish it. Adjoining this is a small foundry, in which the firm cast everything they require up to five tons in weight. Here the points for the railway, wheels, and other articles are moulded, and some months ago the cylinders required for the tug boat, Prince Alfred, were turned out. All the brass required for bearings and such things is also cast by the firm, while in case any large and difficult work is required from Britain, the patterns are made locally and sent home.

In another part of the establishment is the smithy, in which six forges are continually kept going, the carpenters shop being on the same large scale. Nearly all the timber required is obtained on the estate, and the firm look for the day when they will be able to smelt their own iron. All the machinery is driven by a 25 horse power engine, steam being supplied from three common shell boilers, 45ft long. These boilers also supply steam to an 18in Tangye pump, which draws water out of the old shaft referred to from the Duckenfield workings. In the detached buildings adjoining the workshops are three store-rooms, in which many thousands of pounds worth of ironwork and machinery is kept secure. A little distance away is the locomotive engine shed and the goods shed, both of which are large brick buildings. In the latter is stored a two years supply of fodder for the 80 horses employed in the mines, as well as the goods of the local store keepers and others which are brought from Newcastle by the firm. Mr Skidmore is the foreman of the works, and has under him some 40 skilled mechanics. The whole establishment covers nearly four acres of land, including the coke ovens, which are capable of turning out 200 tons per week and the whole area is a complete network of railway sidings.

About a quarter of a mile from the workshops, in a north westerly direction, is the Duckenfield tunnel, which was commenced in the year 1872 and finished in 1874. It goes into the hills at an incline of 1 in 16 for a distance of one mile and a quarter to the north-east. The workings at the present time extend all under the hills, the seam being worked in eight yard bords and six yard pillars. The underground haulage is done by horses as far as the main engine planes where the skips are taken out of the tunnel by a wire rope controlled by two engines of 30 horse power each placed some thirty yards from the mouth of the adit. On reaching the main colliery building the skips are overturned, the coal running over the parallel sloping iron bar screens, as at other mines, on to railway waggons below. This mine at present has an output of about 350 tons per day, but is capable when in full working of raising over 500 tons in eight hours. Air is supplied to the workings by two large furnaces placed at the bottom of two shafts 100ft and 150ft deep, situated about three quarters of a mile from the mouth of the tunnel. They draw from 80,000 to 100,000 cubic feet of air per minute through the mine. The colliery is kept free from water by a Tanyge pump placed in a shaft near the worksheds. This pump draws seven thousand gallons per hour, the water finding its way to the bottom of the pit by gravitation.

Within another quarter of a mile to the south east of the centre of the town, and situated in a deep gully, is the new tunnel known as Brown's Merthyr or Black Creek Colliery. It is, properly speaking, a separate mine from Duckenfield, as the workings are not joined, though in a few months underground communications will be established between them. The new tunnel was driven into the seam in a south western direction some five years ago, so as to lessen the cost of underground haulage. An old tunnel exists near the same spot, and both are at present being used. The colliery buildings and plant are similar to those at the Duckenfield Colliery, but the output is much greater, being at present over 500 tons per diem, and capable of being worked up to 750 tons. The underground haulage is also the same in both mines, while in the latter ventilation is given by two furnaces placed at the bottom of the shafts. Some four years ago a fire started in this mine from an engine in the pit, and before things were in thorough working order again the firm had lost nearly £10,000. The workings are kept dry by a Tangye pump, placed under a shaft 350ft deep to the south west, and the steam being supplied by a boiler placed on the surface. The small coal from this mine when not in demand is stowed in a large hopper holding 2500 tons.

The Borehole seam is being worked in both mines, and, including bands, it is 10ft in thickness, but varies under many parts of the estate. Only some 6ft of it is being worked, the tops, owing to the number of bands being left standing. It dips slightly to the south-west and is fairly regular. The output of the collieries was very irregular until 1870, when it was about 100,000. In 1885 it stood at 215,723 tons; in 1886, 227798 tons; in 1887, 154,819 tons; and last year, 156,618 tons were raised, despite the strike, which closed both mines for three months. The output for the present year has been large, no less than 111,626 tons having been won for the six months ending June 30th, and for the succeeding quarter ending 30th Sep. last the accounts show 46,930 tons, or a total for the nine months of 158,565 tons. At the present time the firm employs 360 miners and 160 other hands at their mines, but that number does not include those working at the shoots and on the tug boats at Hexham.

The arrangements for taking the coal to market are excellent, the firm having as before stated six miles of private railway which is laid with 70lb steel rails, and connects with the Government Line at Hexham. There are at present 400 steel hopper and box waggons in use, the haulage to the Government line being accomplished by three powerful locomotives belonging to the firm. A large quantity of the coal is shipped at the private shoots on the Hunter River near Hexham, which are capable of loading over 1000 tons per diem. Vessels of under 600 tons burden are loaded there, but coal for the foreign markets is taken to the port from Hexham by the Government. The firm have also large repairing works there for their fleet of tug boats.

An analysis of the coal from the Brown's collieries shows that it contains 2.09 per cent of water, 33.87 of hydrocarbons, 56.49 of fixed carbon, 5.61 of ash, and 1.44 of sulphur.

Mr James Brown lives in Newcastle, but takes no active part in the business, which is carried on by his four sons. Mr William Brown is the colliery manager, while Mr Solomon Brown conducts the business in Newcastle, Mr Alexander Brown, senr, died some years ago, leaving his share in the business to his brother's children. The firm forms one of the parties to the Masters' Association, being represented by Mr Alexander Brown.