Saturday, January 24, 1835

1835

January

Saturday 24

8

11 1/4

No kiss. Ann’s cousin came on her getting up –

Fine morning; F 42° at 9 5/.. – Breakfast – Washington at 10 –

Joseph Mann at 10 1/4 – Brought his brother James – Settled the fortnight’s account and when they had had their beer, went out with them about 11 into the Upper for about 1 1/2 hour –

It was James Mann that was working in Hinscliffe’s pit on the waste at the time of the nighttime filling up – Samuel Holdsworth was a go-between for Rawson in agreeing with Hinscliffe – Samuel Holdsworth or Rawson or some of them promised James Mann £10 if he would not tell – But he never got a farthing, and lost £3 on account of wages he could not make out of the coal he had got –

He pointed out the Spiggs land and gave me the most intelligible information I have had – Shewed me where they were now  getting coal, and how they were driving the drift (in what direction, towards the top end corner of Spiggs wood to loose the coal under water – Not more than 8 DW. to get, and this all under water – None loose –

When I said (without mentioning names) that I had heard there were 6 DW. loose and 14 DW. under water – Why! how could that be? (Said James Mann – all along the spokesman and oracle), when Keighleys only bought the coal for 12 DW and then they thought they could get as much from Samuel Holdsworth for loose for his coal adjoining the Lane as they had paid (I suppose they paid £600 for their share which equals one half).  Nay! They had told him they should want £1000 for the loose on which Samuel and they had had a deal of fratching –

The fact is, Samuel Holdsworth had 15 DW. loose independent of the Spiggs Loose; but the Spiggs Loose can loose him 40 acres, and will loose all this in spite of us if there be not a sufficient barrier of coal left all along the Lane side – And how is it likely they should leave a sufficient barrier when they have but 8 DW. to get, and the Lane is 250 yards long and the barrier should be 50 yards broad?  250 X 50 = 12500/3136 =4DW – 44 yards – No! indeed it is not likely they should have 1/2 their coal ungot – And Samuel Holdsworth knows this well enough –

But Samuel is almost fast with Stocks and Emmett.  They used to make him drunk almost every day at one time till they got him bound to keep open 2 drifts and I know not what – Almost fast about cleaning out some of his outer drifts, or waterhead hold or something having found himself to lay no rubbish etc. etc. etc. – In fact, if a sufficient barrier of Spiggs coal is not left, Samuel Holdsworth and Dean and 1/2 Northowram that way will be loosed –

Seemed to think Micklemoss should be loosed another way by the deep valley just below it –and Stocks’s coal Upper brea way –

Advised me not to stop the Spiggs loose till I have bottomed Walker Pit – I can then throw water on the Rawsons, by driving through their barrier of coal left about the top of my land – there will be about a DW. loose that can be got from Walker Pit – the pit will be bottomed in or by the end of August – I can then dam up the water all along the face of my coal, and give Rawson’s a fine quantity – It will then be for the best to stop the Spiggs concern altogether – and it will be time enough, no mischief can be done before then – Their drift will just be finished and all lost to them for it will be full of water –

James Mann thinks Rawson has from 50 to 100 DW of his own yet to get – a sight of coal already got on this side – Pitchforth’s coal came in very well for Rawson, and now Sammy Hall’s – But the water I can, after bottoming Walker Pit, throw upon him (if Spiggs be loosed) will = 2 horse power to lift – (thought I, then this + Holt’s = 4 horse power that Rawson’s engine must be double what it is now) –

Home at 12 3/4 for Ann had sent for me to say a pipe from the water closet cistern was burst – Sent for the glazier – The frost did it – It is the pipe bringing water into my aunt’s closet – Something must be done to secure it in future before the wainscot is put up –

Had Pickles about more covers for the drain in the Low land – Said I could not spare more from the Little field wall – he picked 2 loads about home and made them suffice –

Off with Ann to Cliff Hill at 1 3/4 – There in 50 minutes for an hour – Mrs. Ann Walker very civil and good-tempered and glad to see us –

Home in 50 minutes at 4 20/.. – Then down with Pickels at the draining in the low meadows, and then took him to Walker Pit and out planning the new pit-road till dark –

Came in at 5 50/.. – Dinner at 6 1/4 – Coffee – 1/2 hour with my father and Marian till 8 1/4 –

Then reading aloud to Ann the Halifax Guardian ‘Protheriance’, the long silly letter of Mr. Protheroe senior, and then reading a little of the London paper till 9 3/4 – 20 minutes with my aunt till 10 5/.. –

Fine day – F 43 1/2° at 10 1/4 p.m. –

The Leeds Intelligencers of and for many years back and last year’s morning Herald, not quite complete for the year, came home this morning from binding at Whitley’s –

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/E/17/0152 and SH:7/ML/E/17/0153