Brookhill Colliery

Overview

The deep pit sunk at Pinxton from 1908 by the Pinxton Collieries company to 417 yards. It became the winding centre for all the old Pinxton pits, employed over 800 under the National Coal Board, and closed in 1969.

History

Brookhill Colliery was sunk by the Pinxton Collieries company about 200 yards west of Beaufit Lane, Pinxton, as an extension of its old pits. Sinking began in February 1908 under contract to Edward Ward of Selston, at £12 10s a yard. The 16-foot shaft passed the Top Hard at 76 yards, the Waterloo at 139, the Deep Soft at 273, the Deep Hard at 294 and the Low Main at 345, and reached the Blackshale at 404. Its final depth was 417 yards. Edward Ward died during the sinking, and his son was paid £5,862 in all.

Headings began in the Low Main and Blackshale in September 1909, and the first thousand tons were raised on 3 November 1910. That year Brookhill's Low Main headings reached the reserves of the old No. 3 pit, which stopped winding. On 19 April 1911 a fire at the Waterloo pump motor sent smoke through the workings and brought out the Pinxton rescue team for the first time.

Brookhill became the main coal-winding and surface centre for all the Pinxton pits. It employed 1,263 people across three seams in 1915 and 804 in 1947, when it raised 240,000 tons. In 1967 it had 900 men producing 500,000 tons from the Blackshale, and a reorganisation was to combine it with Langton and Kirkby. It closed in 1969.

Geology

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Coal Measures: Top Hard at 76 yards, Waterloo at 139, Deep Soft at 273, Deep Hard at 294, Low Main (Tupton) at 345 and Blackshale at 404 yards. Deep Hard, Silkstone, Tupton and Piper seams were worked.

Workings

A 16-foot shaft to 417 yards with a modern screening plant of 1908-09. The old Pinxton No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6 shafts became air intakes and No. 2 the upcast, pumping water until Brookhill closed.

Closure

Closed in 1969; the Piper seam workings were abandoned in July 1964. The reason for closure is unknown.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Langton Colliery — Pinxton Collieries pit combined with Brookhill and Kirkby in the 1967 reorganisation.
• Pinxton Colliery — Pinxton Collieries' 1908 deep pit, which took over winding for the old Pinxton shafts.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Sinking began in February 1908 and the first 1,000 tons were raised on 3 November 1910. ¹
• The shaft reached 417 yards, with the Blackshale at 404 yards. ^1,2
• Employed 804 people and raised 240,000 tons in 1947. ²
• Closed in 1969, the old Pinxton No. 2 shaft serving as its upcast until then. ¹
• Piper seam workings were abandoned in July 1964. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Pinxton and Brookhill Collieries, page 1 (Shane Phillips collection) — Healey Hero
2. (primary) Brookhill Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) Mine plan: Brookhill, Piper (abandoned 1964) — British Geological Survey

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026