Parkhall Colliery

Overview

A Longton colliery dating from about the 1850s, originally known as Weston Coyney Colliery and owned by the Weston Coyney and Cinderhill Colliery Company. By the end of the nineteenth century 270 men worked underground and 65 on the surface, and a rope-hauled tramway carried its coal to a landsale wharf at Meir Hay. The company failed early in the twentieth century and the pit was bought and reopened by neighbouring Mossfield Colliery in 1908. Under the National Coal Board it raised around 230,000 tons a year, and shortly before it closed in 1962 it was joined underground to Florence.

History

The colliery dates from around the 1850s and was originally known as Weston Coyney Colliery, owned by the Weston Coyney and Cinderhill Colliery Company. By the end of the nineteenth century there were 270 men underground and 65 on the surface. A rope-hauled tramway was built by 1890 to a landsale wharf on the site of Meir Hay Colliery in Longton; the system lasted as long as the colliery did, and the wharf — later known as Kendrick Street — was operated by the National Coal Board into the 1990s. The company had gone into liquidation by the early part of the twentieth century, and the pit was purchased in 1908 by the nearby Mossfield Colliery, which reopened it. A new washery was installed in the 1920s and pithead baths opened by the mid-1930s. The National Coal Board took the colliery over on 1 January 1947, when it was making around 230,000 tons a year with about 750 men on the books, and it became part of the No. 1 North Staffordshire Area of the West Midlands Division. Output was 157,000 tons in 1961 with 593 men.

Geology

The North Staffordshire coalfield on the eastern side of the Potteries.

Workings

A shaft colliery with a rope-hauled tramway from 1890 to a landsale wharf at Meir Hay, a washery installed in the 1920s and pithead baths by the mid-1930s. A physical connection was made underground with Florence Colliery shortly before closure.

Closure

The colliery closed in 1962, its underground workings having been connected to Florence Colliery shortly beforehand. Florence itself recorded the connection as made for ventilation and pumping, and sealed it off by the mid-1960s.

What remains

The site is now an industrial estate, and the pithead baths survive.

The pithead baths.

Related mines

• Florence Colliery — Connected underground: a physical link was driven between the two shortly before Parkhall closed in 1962, and Florence recorded it as made for ventilation and pumping before sealing it off by the mid-1960s.

Nearby mines

• Florence Colliery — 1.5 km S
• Fenton Park Colliery — 2.6 km W
• Kemball Colliery — 3.2 km W
• Hem Heath Colliery — 5.1 km SW
• Far Green Colliery — 5.6 km NW

Straight-line distance, within 15 km. Show on the map.

Recorded claims

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

• The colliery dates from around the 1850s and was originally known as Weston Coyney Colliery, owned by the Weston Coyney and Cinderhill Colliery Company. By the end of the nineteenth century there were 270 men underground and 65 on the surface. ¹
• A rope-hauled tramway was constructed by 1890 to a landsale wharf at the site of Meir Hay Colliery, Longton. The system survived until the colliery closed, and the wharf — later known as Kendrick Street — was operated by the National Coal Board until the 1990s. ¹
• The company had gone into liquidation by the early part of the twentieth century and the colliery was purchased by the nearby Mossfield Colliery in 1908, which reopened it. A new washery was installed in the 1920s and pithead baths opened by the mid-1930s. ¹
• The colliery was taken over by the National Coal Board on 1 January 1947, when output was around 230,000 tons a year with approximately 750 men on the books. In 1961 it produced 157,000 tons with a workforce of 593. ¹
• A physical connection was made underground with Florence Colliery shortly before Parkhall closed in 1962. ^1,2

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) A History of Parkhall Colliery, by Jim Worgan — North Staffordshire Miners’ Group / Apedale Heritage Centre
2. (secondary) Park Hall Colliery — Staffordshire Past Track

Record created: 8 September 2026 · Last researched: 8 September 2026