Earl of Durham Collieries
Earl of Durham Collieries of Philadelphia Engine Works, Durham
The commercial extraction of coal was developed by John Lambton in the lands surrounding the castle through the Wear Valley. The first of seven pits was sunk in the village of Bournmoor from 1783 onwards, which together were to make up what was known as Lambton Colliery.
The company was first formed when Lambton's grandson, John Lambton the first Earl of Durham, entered Parliament as a Whig politician.
The company was founded to carry out repairs to the numerous Lambton collieries' locomotives.
1877 Built a locomotive. Others in 1890 and 1894.
1896 Sir James Joicey purchased the Lambton Collieries from the Earl of Durham and formed a separate company Lambton Collieries. The output of the Lambton pits was 3,000,000 tons per annum.
1911 The Hetton Coal Co was merged with it and the name changed to Lambton and Hetton Collieries.
1924 James Joicey and Co was voluntarily liquidated and its collieries merged with the Lambton company; the name became Lambton Hetton Joicey Collieries.
1947 Became part of National Coal Board
See Also
Sources of Information
- British Steam Locomotive Builders by James W. Lowe. Published in 1975. ISBN 0-905100-816
- Aberconway Chapter X