Egremont Miscellanea - 3
EGREMONT'S WORK PLACES
Serious mining operations got underway in the Egremont district in 1825 when a Welsh mining company started underground operations on Bigrigg moor. Between 1830 an 1918 mining operations greatly expanded in this area including at Woodend, Gutterby and Moor Row. In the area to the south of Egremont mining started in the period after 1880 at Gillfoot Park, Wyndham, Falcon & Oregill - Ullcoats started operations in 1897, Ullbank and Florence mines started shortly afterwards and finally Windscales came on stream in 1907. The mines in the Egremont area were producing over 1 million tons of ore each year - particularly during the 1914-18 war. After the war demand for iron & steel fell away and the Egremont mines started to close; Ullbank in 1919, Townhead in 1923 and Oregill in 1924. The last mines, Florence, Ullcoats & Beckermet, closed in 1980 but a small group of local men re-opened Florence in 1981 to produce small quantities of high grade haematite ore for use in jewellery and pigments. It is still working along with its mining museum and underground guided tours for the visitors.
Until late into the 19th century it was not usual to keep animals over winter as crops to feed the stock were not harvested during the summer. Add to this a town with a weekly market and where meat was butchered before sale, then it was likely to have a tanyard to deal with & turn a profit from the left over animal skins.
The towns tanneries were operated on land under lease from the lord of the Manor -------------
The first recorded tan-yard was built at Bookwell in 1710 and run by one Isaac Pearson. This tannery, operated as Tarn bank, and had more than family owner. At one stage it was run by two Sherwen brothers and they gave way to the renowned Moses Porter (1787-1864) a member of the Eskdale family.
The second was built & run by the Nicholson farming family of Bigrigg, their tan-yard was at Bookwell and run in the first instance by Thomas Nicholson (D:1757) the son of the founder. This tan-yard is said to have closed in 1911. 1750 saw the third tannery at Bridge end opened by William Benson of Egremont, a Benson of the Old Hall family, when he died in 1753 operations were continued by his wife Barbara. Eventually the business transferred to a Henry Mossop (1785-1866) of Haile & his eldest son Nicholas (B:1827) whose families ran it until its closure some time after 1866
The fourth tannery was run by the Egremont Towerson family but when the towns mining operations were reaching their height they started to undermine the yard buildings and it was forced to close.
In 1850 many of the inhabitants were employed in the manufacture of linen, thread, and paper, and in the tanning and dressing of leather, there being five tanneries in the town and neighbourhood. There was also in the parish, extensive ironstone mines, belonging to the Messrs. Ainsworth and Lindow; the ore was shipped at Whitehaven chiefly for the iron foundries at Cardiff and Newport, in Wales. Large quantities of limestone were mined and burned there, and there were quarries of red freestone [sandstone] in the parish
Mining in Egremont parish in 1901 was carried out by:
1. The Wyndham Mining Co.Ltd.
2. Bain James & Co.
3. Cammell Charles Co.Ltd.
4. T.H.Dalzell
5. Gillfoot Park Mining Co.
6. Leconfield Mines.
7. S.& J.Lindow of Cleator
8. Moss Bay Haematite Iron & Steel Co.Ltd.
9. Pallaflat Iron Co.Ltd.
10.Postlethwaite Mines
11.Southern Haematite Co.Ltd.
In 1910 Egremont had two water corn mills, a tannery or skin yard and several iron ore mines that gave employment to the majority of the population.
THE COMMERCE of EGREMONT in 1847
Academies (Day). Grocers & Tea dealer
Gibson Esther. Birkett Joseph. (& ironmonger)
Railton Robert. Chambers Gardner.
Ritbiade Thomas. Dougan William (& ironmonger)
Russell Thomas. Mason Hy. & Son (& draper.)
Russell Thos. Mossop Isaac (and baker.)
Rook William (& tallow chandler)
Inns & Taverns Stable Mary
Black Bull John Mossop
Blue Bell James Atkinson. Joiners
Cat Wm. Corbett Gardner Joseph.
George 4th Wm. Spark. Gates Henry.
Globe Joseph. Roberts Jenkinson William
Horse & Groom Joseph Rodger Mann Isaac
Indian King Thomas Mossop. Park Isaac
King's Arms John Benn Thompson John (& ironmonger)
Red Lion John Sewell Thompson William.
Ship Launch William Geldart.
Ship John Fisher Lime Burners.
Three Tuns Richard Chorley. Banks Isaac
Wheat Sheaf Ann Nicholson Gunson John
White Swan Joseph Sewell
Linen & Woolen Drapers.
Blacksmiths. Liviston Mary.
Dixon Henry. Mason Henry. & Son (& grocer)
Biggins Francis Williams Geo. Roberts.
Roberts John
Steel John. Shopkeepers & Flour Dealers.
Tidyman Thomas Eilbeck Sarah.
Fisher Henry.
Boot, Shoe and Clog Makers. Holmes Hannah.
Allason Isaac. Irwin John.
Allason Richard. Nicholson Isaac.
Bragg Henry Nicholson John.
Cameron Thomas. Shepherd Eleanor (& baker.)
Coward Michael. Tideyman William.
Cowen Joseph. Tyson John.
Mather William Wilson Robert.
Matthews Thomas.
Nicholson Isaac. Stonemasons.
Noble Thomas. Ashley Thomas. (& quarry owner)
Sewell Abel. Dickinson John
Stable Ritson Eilbeck Wm. (and quarry owner)
Ray Joseph. (& quarry owner)
Corn Millers Selkirk Grayston.
Cooke Henry
Douglas James. Surgeons.
Steel George Armstrong. William.M.D.
Turner John Lawson Jonathon. .(& George.)
Reeves William.
Farmers.
Ashburner Wm. - Haggat end Tailors.
Banks Isaac Head Jonathan.
Bragg John Minican George.
Caddy Henry Nicholson Jacob.
Dixon Anthony Stable John
Fisher James Thompson George.
Forsyth Alex. - Marlborough. Tyson Joseph. (& bacon curer.)
Geldart Wm. - Orgill.
Gunson John Tanners.
Hilton John Downes Edward (skin.& fell-monger)
Iredale John Fletcher George of Green dykes
Jackson Jas. - Pallar flat. Mossop Henry of Black beck.
Johnson Wm. - Orgill. Newby Wm. (currier only.)
Lindow John Porter Moses
Lindow Samuel. - Gutterby gate Sherwen Wm. & John.
Mc.Clellan Sarah. - Bleach green
Middleton Matt. - Blackling.
Mossop Ann
Nelson Thomas - Catgill hall.
Robinson Thomas - Wood end.
Robley Thomas - How bank.
Rook Wm. - Ashley grove.
Spedding Isaac
Tolson Joseph
Usher Hannah
Ward John
Watson John
Place Names for the Parish of Egremont in 1851:
Hamlets of Bigrigg and Woodend
Residences:
Bookwell, Brewery Lane, Castle Lane, Church Lane, Croft end, Domain Street, Hatter Lane, Main Street, Moor row, Old Bridge, Woodgaite, Ashley grove, Bankend, Beck green, Blackling, Catgill Hall, Cherry cottage, Croft end, Gilfoot, Gilfoot cottage, Gilfoot lodge, Gill, Globe Hotel, Green dykes, Gutterby, Hagget end, High mill house, High Pallaflatt, Howbank, Indian King, Lancaster cottage, Langhorn, Marlborough, Nell head, Orefit house, Orepit house, Orgill farm, Pallaflatt, Park house, Picker how, Rectory, Rose castle, Shaw, Snellings, Southam, Springfield, Syke house, Watson hill, Whangs, Woodend, Woodend Mill.
Egremont Town had the following Inns or Taverns to service a population of 2048 persons:
The Black Bull, Blue Bell, Cat, George IV, Globe, Horse & Groom, Indian King, Kings Arms, Red Lion, Ship Launch, Ship, Three Tuns, Wheatsheaf and the White Swan
A total of 14 hostelries or one for every 146 man, woman and child in the town.
Nev.Ramsden December 2013