Teasses Colliery

Overview

A colliery at Bonnyton, about three miles north of Largo, worked through the first half of the nineteenth century, whose 1842 evidence describes boys hauling carts by strap and chain in unrailed seams; it probably closed in the 1860s.

History

Teasses Colliery, in Largo parish, had its shafts at Bonnyton farm, with crop pits on the Main Coal and other pits round about. It was probably worked from the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1833 Lady Mary Lindsay Crawford's main coal was selling there at 1s. 4d. a load and parrot coal at 1s.; a large fitting was completed to the Main Coal in 1838, and in 1839 a second shaft was sunk to the same coal, doubling the supply. In January 1840 a man was killed when a falling rope threw him out of the bucket in the engine-pit.

In 1842 Paton and Graham were lessees. David Graham told the Children's Employment Commission that they employed 65 colliers, four under 13; boys drew the coal in small carts of 1½ to 2 hundredweight with straps over their shoulders and a chain, because the deep pit was not railed, and the men were short-lived, few reaching 50. The commissioners noted that the coal at Teasses, like that at Drumcarra and Largo Ward, fired spontaneously. Main, splint and cherry coals were still advertised in 1844-48. In 1859 the coalfield and colliery, belonging to the Earl of Glasgow, were offered to let, and the colliery is thought to have closed in the 1860s.

Geology

The Main Coal and its under seam, with splint, cherry and parrot coals; the coal was liable to fire spontaneously.

Workings

Shafts at Bonnyton, including an engine-pit, a second shaft sunk to the Main Coal in 1839, and crop pits on the Main Coal; in 1842 the roads were unrailed.

Closure

Offered to let in 1859; thought to have closed in the 1860s.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Drumcarrow Colliery — The 1842 commissioners named Teasses and Drumcarra together for coal that fired spontaneously.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Teasses Colliery is thought to have closed in the 1860s. (uncertain) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• In 1839 a second shaft was sunk to the Main Coal at Teasses Colliery, doubling the supply. ¹
• In 1842 Paton and Graham, lessees, employed 65 colliers, four of them under 13. ^2,1
• In 1842 boys drew the coal in carts of 1½ to 2 cwt with shoulder straps and a chain, the deep pit being unrailed. ²
• The 1842 commissioners noted that the coal at Teasses, Drumcarra and Largo Ward fired spontaneously. ³
• In 1859 the coalfield and colliery of Teasses, belonging to the Earl of Glasgow, were offered to let. ¹
• Teasses Colliery is thought to have closed in the 1860s. (uncertain) ¹
• A deposited plan covering Peat Inn, Teasses and neighbouring ground records the Splint, Gas, Ell, Main and Bulfo seams. ⁴

Sources

1. (secondary) Pit-T-3. Teasses Colliery, nr Largo — Fife Pits and Memories
2. (primary) Kirkcaldy District: 1842 Children's Employment Commission evidence — Scottish Mining Website
3. (primary) East Fife (1842 Children's Employment Commission evidence) — Scottish Mining Website
4. (primary) BGS mine plan: Peat Inn, Teasses, Falfield, Drumhead, Gilston, Woodside (Splint, Gas, Ell, Main, Bulfo) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 19 October 2026