Steetley Colliery

Overview

A Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border colliery sunk by the Shireoaks Colliery Company from 1873, whose single shaft made ventilation so difficult that the company eventually sank an entirely separate colliery, Whitwell, fifteen years later purely to give Steetley a matching air return.

History

The Shireoaks Colliery Company began sinking Steetley Colliery's shaft in May 1873, reaching coal in December 1875, and the colliery opened in 1876. Steetley was sunk with only a single shaft, which made ventilating the workings difficult from the start. The company's solution, adopted only in 1890, was to sink an entirely new colliery: work began on a shaft for Whitwell Colliery on Belph Moor on 24 May 1890, specifically so the two mines could work as a linked pair, with Steetley's own shaft used as the fresh-air intake (downcast) and Whitwell's providing the return (upcast). Whitwell's shaft reached the Top Hard seam at 933 feet on 23 October 1891, and the High Hazel seam lies 390 feet below it; a heading was driven towards Steetley and the two mines were linked in 1894. When a second Whitwell shaft reached the Top Hard on 15 March 1898 the ventilation was altered, and Steetley was by then also connected to Shireoaks Colliery, relying on both neighbours for its air.

In 1896 Steetley had 340 underground workers and 70 on the surface, under a manager, R. E. Jones, who also ran Whitwell. There were 460 underground in 1933 and 440 in 1940, when Steetley had its own manager, and 403 underground and 83 on the surface in 1947. By 1950 it had one of the most productive coalfaces in the district and gave work to more than 500 people, and the company built new housing for its men, the pit village of Rhodesia being one example. The Top Hard seam, one of the most commercially valuable in the world, was worked throughout, and the High Hazel seam, mined from 1956 to 1983, supplied good household fuel.

The Shireoaks Colliery Company was sold to United Steel Companies in 1945 and the colliery passed to the National Coal Board in 1947. Steetley and Shireoaks were transferred to the South Yorkshire Area in March 1967 and amalgamated in March 1983, which closed Steetley's surface works, all coal then being wound through the Shireoaks shafts. Steetley Colliery had worked for close to a century, closing in 1983.

Geology

The Top Hard seam, one of the most valuable in the world, and from 1956 the High Hazel seam were worked. At the linked Whitwell shaft the Top Hard lies 933 feet down and the High Hazel 390 feet below it.

Workings

A single shaft, which made ventilation difficult until the neighbouring Whitwell Colliery was sunk from 1890 specifically to provide a matching upcast return; the two were linked in 1894, and Steetley was also connected to Shireoaks Colliery. Coal was wound through the Shireoaks shafts after the amalgamation of 1983.

Closure

Closed in 1983. Steetley and Shireoaks were amalgamated in March 1983, the Steetley surface works closed and all coal was brought up through the Shireoaks shafts.

What remains

The colliery site is being redeveloped as an industrial park.

The nearby Steetley Chapel, built about 1150 of stone from the local quarry, stands close to the colliery site.

Redevelopment

The construction company Laing O'Rourke is redeveloping the site as the Explore Industrial Park.

Related mines

• Harry Crofts Colliery — Both were held by the Shireoaks Colliery Company, whose mining interests across the area included Steetley and Whitwell alongside this short-lived Anston pit.
• Shireoaks Colliery — Steetley was connected to Shireoaks Colliery, relied on it for ventilation and was amalgamated with it in March 1983.
• Whitwell Colliery — Sunk by the same company to ventilate Steetley, connected to it by a heading in 1894; one manager ran both pits until 1936.

Recorded claims

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

• The Shireoaks Colliery Company began sinking Steetley's shaft in May 1873, reaching coal in December 1875, with the colliery opening in 1876. ¹
• Steetley's single shaft made ventilation difficult; the Shireoaks Colliery Company began sinking the neighbouring Whitwell Colliery on Belph Moor from 24 May 1890 specifically so the two mines could work as an intake/return pair, Steetley providing the downcast and Whitwell the upcast. ¹
• Steetley was owned by the Shireoaks Colliery Company before later passing to British Coal. ²
• In 1896 Steetley had 340 underground workers and 70 on the surface; in 1933 there were 460 underground, in 1940 440 underground and 80 on the surface, and in 1947 403 underground and 83 on the surface. ^1,3
• The Top Hard seam and, from 1956 to 1983, the High Hazel seam were worked at Steetley. ¹
• Whitwell's shaft reached the Top Hard seam at 933 feet on 23 October 1891 and a heading linked it to Steetley in 1894, making Steetley's shaft the downcast and Whitwell's the upcast. ¹
• Steetley and Shireoaks were amalgamated in March 1983, closing Steetley's surface works, and all coal was then wound through the Shireoaks shafts. ^1,3
• The Shireoaks Colliery Company was sold to United Steel Companies in 1945 and passed to the National Coal Board on nationalisation. ^1,3
• The pony driver Gaythorn Bartholomew, aged 15, was found dead under two tubs on the No. 8 road on 11 December 1896, and the inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. ⁴
• The British Geological Survey catalogues abandonment plans for Steetley Colliery. ⁵
• Located at about 53.301 N, 1.173 W. ¹

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Steetley Colliery — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) Shireoaks Colliery Co — Graces Guide — Graces Guide
3. (secondary) Shireoaks Colliery — Wikipedia
4. (secondary) Steetley Colliery (Healey Hero: Coal Mining Rescue and Accidents) — Healey Hero
5. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority abandonment plans: STEETLEY COLLIERY — British Geological Survey

Record created: 2 September 2026 · Last researched: 30 September 2026