Ellington Colliery
{{Short description|Former colliery in Northumberland, England}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox mine
| name = Ellington Colliery
The Big E
| image = Ellington Colliery - geograph.org.uk - 611841.jpg
| width =
| caption = Ellington Colliery
| alt = Headstocks and industrial buildings with a field in the foreground
| pushpin_map = Northumberland
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption=
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_label_position =
| coordinates = {{Coord|55.217|-1.555|display=inline,title}}
| place = Ellington
| subdivision_type = County
| state/province = Northumberland
| country = England
| products = Coal
| amount = {{convert|2,326,000|tonne}}
| financial year = 1989/1990
| type =
| greatest depth = {{convert| 800|m|order=flip}}
| discovery year =
| opening year = {{Start date|1909}}
| active years =
| closing year = {{End date|2005}}
| owner = See section
| module =
}}
Ellington Colliery (also known as The Big E),{{cite web |title=BBC - Tyne - Features - The end of an era |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2005/01/26/ellington_colliery_feature.shtml |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=21 August 2020}} was a coal mine situated to the south of the village of Ellington in Northumberland, England. The colliery was the last deep coal mine in the north east of England (also known as the Great Northern Coalfield). At one time, the deepest part of the mine was {{convert| 800|m}} and it extended {{convert| 15|mi}} under the North Sea. During the 1980s, the pit (along with Lynemouth Colliery) was known as the biggest undersea mine in the world and produced 69% of the mined coal in Northumberland.
Ellington had several faces for mining and was known for winning coal from under the North Sea, before flooding caused the early closure of the mine.
History
The pit was first sunk into the Great Northern Coalfield in 1909,{{sfn|Pigott|2016|p=15}} but wasn't completed until 1913. Coal was mined from the Ashington, High Main, Main, Yard, Low Main and Brass Thill seams.{{sfn|EMTF|2012|p=1}} By 1974, over 66% of the mine's output was going to the adjacent aluminium smelter, with the remainder being sold to the CEGB.{{sfn|Ellison|1993|p=304–305}} Ellington and Lynemouth Collieries were linked underground, and were known as Ellington Combine. When Lynemouth Colliery was deliberately flooded to try and extinguish a fire, a new drift entrance was built called Bewick Drift, with all coal from Ellington being brought to the surface there and then latterly moved on a conveyor to the aluminium smelter.{{cite news |title=Mine site pulled down |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/mine-site-pulled-down-1575209 |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=Chronicle Live |date=8 May 2005}} Bewick Drift opened in 1968, and the railway connection to Ellington from the west became redundant. It closed in the late 1970s.{{cite web |title=Ellington Colliery – Subterranea Britannica |url=https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/ellington-colliery/ |website=www.subbrit.org.uk |access-date=26 August 2020}}
During the 1970s, coal waste from Ellington and Lynemouth Colleries was tipped into the sea. The action of the waves upon the coal waste separated out the coal which would float. This waste, coupled with coal from the seams under the sea being washed up on local beaches, created a local harvesting industry known as Seacoaling.{{cite journal |last1=Dilnot |first1=Clive |title=Chris Killip: The Last Photographer of the Working Class |journal=Afterimage |date=1 May 2012 |volume=39 |issue=6 |pages=17 |doi=10.1525/aft.2012.39.6.15}}
In 1983, the pit set a record by outputting {{convert| 1,000,000|tonne}} in just 29 weeks.{{cite news |last1=Morton |first1=David |title=10 images of Ellington Colliery in Northumberland |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/10-images-ellington-colliery-northumberland-11383693 |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=Chronicle Live |date=25 May 2016}} At the same time, it was estimated that Ellington employed 50 pit ponies, one of the last large industrial producers to do so.{{sfn|Pigott|2016|p=40}} Throughout the 1980s, Ellington remained the most profitable colliery in the Northumberland coalfield, and during 1985/86, it was only colliery in that area to turn a profit.{{sfn|Hutchinson |1992|p=180}} It was also the worlds' largest undersea project, and regularly accounted for over 69% of all deep-mined coal in the county of Northumberland.{{cite news |last1=Samuelson |first1=Maurice |title=Miners At Undersea Pit Set Production Records / Ellington colliery, Northumberland |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=continent%3AEurope%21Europe/country%3AEngland%21England&sort=YMD_date%3AA&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Ellington%20colliery%22&docref=news/11397808756F7568 |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=19 July 1985|url-access=limited}}{{cite news |last1=Dafter |first1=Ray |title=Going to sea for coal |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AA&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=Ellington%20colliery&docref=news/11398AE245230C58 |access-date=29 August 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=25 January 1983|url-access=subscription}}
In February 1984, a few weeks before the start of the 1984–1985 miners' strike, the National Coal Board chairman, Ian MacGregor visited the colliery but was "besieged" by 400 miners protesting about the planned closure of Bates Colliery at Blyth. This led to MacGregors planned underground tour being cancelled and as he was being given a secure police escort off the site, the protesters surged forward and a low fence collapsed with MacGregor being "jostled" to the ground. The NUM later said it would not apologise for the incident.{{cite news |editor-last=Douglas-Home|editor-first=Charles|title=MacGregor knocked over at pit protest |work=The Times |issue=61,765 |date=23 February 1984 |page=1|issn=0140-0460}}{{cite news |last=Gosling|first=Kenneth|title=Cabinet horror at pit incident |work=The Times |issue=61,766 |date=24 February 1984 |page=1|issn=0140-0460}}
British Coal closed the mine on 18 February 1994, with the loss of 1,100 jobs.{{cite news |title=Last pit closes - North East, Ellington Colliery, near Ashington |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=continent%3AEurope%21Europe/country%3AEngland%21England&sort=YMD_date%3AA&page=1&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Ellington%20colliery%22&docref=news/0F9241CF1C5C3AD4 |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=19 February 1994|url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |editor-last=Stothard|editor-first=Peter|title=Four pits and 3,000 jobs to go |work=The Times |issue=64,870 |date=4 February 1994 |page=23|issn=0140-0460}} The last pit ponies used in a commercial venture in England were also retired at the same time.{{cite news |last1=Clement |first1=Barrie |title=Last pit ponies emerge from the darkness: Closure of North-east's only |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/last-pit-ponies-emerge-from-the-darkness-closure-of-north-easts-only-remaining-colliery-marks-end-of-1396254.html?amp |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=The Independent |date=25 February 1994 |language=en}} The mine was acquired by RJB Mining for £800 million, and they reopened it for production in March 1995.{{cite news |last1=Herbert |first1=Ian |title=Ellington colliery welcomes Byers' £100m subsidy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ellington-colliery-welcomes-byers-100m-subsidy-279957.html |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=The Independent |date=18 April 2000}}{{cite news |last1=Tieman |first1=Ross |title=RJB set to cash in as coal prices soar |work=The Times |issue=65,228 |date=30 March 1995 |page=23|issn=0140-0460}}
In November 1999, the site was threatened with closure by RJB Mining due to "deteriorating geological conditions". The company said that the coal being produced was too low quality,{{cite news |last1=Barrie |first1=Chris |title=Last deep pit in NE faces closure - again |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/1999/nov/01/7 |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=1 November 1999 |language=en}} and slated closure of the site for February 2000.{{cite web |title=Coal Industry - Hansard |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1999-11-10/debates/30fb7717-81d6-4e73-aaa5-217eee90b99c/CoalIndustry?highlight=coal%20industry#contribution-a25c2dfa-ceb7-4783-b7ba-fff7f773322a |website=hansard.parliament.uk |access-date=29 August 2020}}
The mine was used as a backdrop for the fictional colliery in the film Billy Elliot in 2000. Ellington was used, because it was one of a very small number of operational mines remaining in the north east of England.{{cite web |title=Tinseltoon: Billy Elliot |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/05/23/film_locations_billy_elliot_feature.shtml |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=21 August 2020 |language=en-gb}}
The mine was once again threatened with closure in 2002 after running up losses of £26 million in 2001. But an injection of £1 million in cash was used to search for new seams, which at the time, was said to have guaranteed the life of the mine until 2007.{{cite news |title=Last deep mine is saved |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1961470.stm |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=BBC News |date=1 May 2002}}
Final closure of the mine came on 26 January 2005.{{cite news |title=Figurine tribute to coal heritage |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4217174.stm |access-date=23 August 2020 |work=BBC News |date=5 September 2005}} An inundation of water underground made operations unsafe, although the pumps were kept working in an effort to see what could be salvaged from underground, however, over £8 million worth of equipment was left in the floodwaters.{{cite news |title=Inquiry call into £100m coal cash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4220469.stm |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2005}} The 300+ miners who worked at the mine were later given £6,000 each after an employment tribunal ruled that UK Coal hadn't given the statutory 90-day consultation notice of closure. UK Coal stated that the immediate closure due to flooding prevented them giving prior notification.{{cite news |last1=Vorster |first1=Gareth |title=Miners bag £2m in compensation over illegal closure of Ellington Colliery |url=https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/miners-bag-2m-in-compensation-over-illegal-closure-of-ellington-colliery/ |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=Personnel Today |date=13 March 2008}}
By February 2006, two of the shafts had been capped and the {{convert|90|ft|adj=on}} winding tower had been demolished.{{cite news |title=Symbol of mining is pulled down |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4721682.stm |access-date=29 August 2020 |work=BBC News |date=17 February 2006}} Since closure, the site has been redeveloped for housing.{{cite news |last1=O'Connell |first1=Ben |title=Nearly 100 more homes coming to old Ellington Colliery site |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/ellington-colliery-development-approval-date-15508780 |access-date=29 August 2020 |work=Chronicle Live |date=6 December 2018}}
A report released in 2020, estimated that over {{convert|30|e6tonne}} of colliery waste had been tipped at the coast near to Lynemouth from Ellington Combine and other local pits. Aside from the environmental damage, the tipped spoil acted as a replenishment for the nearby beaches, and with Ellington closing in 2005, this tipping had ceased. The beaches are now suffering from faster erosion rates than were previously recorded, as there is now no beach replenishment.{{cite web |title=Lynemouth Coastal Landfill Feasibility Study |url=https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/NorthumberlandCountyCouncil/media/Roads-streets-and-transport/coastal%20erosion%20and%20flooding/Coastal%20Schemes/PB9153-RHD-00-XX-RP-Z-0001_Lynemouth-Coastal-Landfill_Feasibility-Study_FINAL.pdf |website=northumberland.gov.uk |publisher=Royal Haskoning |access-date=29 August 2020 |page=2 |format=PDF |date=February 2020}}{{cite journal |last1=Cooper |first1=Nick |last2=Benson |first2=Niall |last3=McNeill |first3=Aaron |last4=Siddle |first4=Robin |title=Changing coastlines in NE England: a legacy of colliery spoil tipping and the effects of its cessation |journal=Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society |date=May 2017 |volume=61 |issue=3 |pages=217–229 |doi=10.1144/pygs2016-369}}
Production
Between 1974 and its closure in 2005, an average of 66% of the mine's output went to the nearby Lynemouth Power Station.
File:Paddy Train at the NRM Shildon.jpg at the NRM Shildon]]
Ownership
- 1909–1947 Ashington Coal Company
- 1947–1986 National Coal Board
- 1986–1994 British Coal
- 1994–2001 RJB Mining
- 2001–2005 UK Coal
Between 1947 and 1992, the mine was in public ownership with the switch in 1986 being a name change. Likewise, the period of 1992 to 2005, the mine was in private ownership with the switch in 2001 being a name change after Richard Budge retired.{{cite web |title=Durham Mining Museum - Ellington Colliery |url=http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/e015.htm |website=www.dmm.org.uk |access-date=23 August 2020}} Whilst the mine was acquired by RJB Mining in 1994, it didn't resume production until 1995.{{cite web |title=Ellington |url=http://www.minersadvice.co.uk/ellington.htm |website=www.minersadvice.co.uk |access-date=23 August 2020}}
Notable colliers
- The following Labour MPs for Wansbeck, worked at the colliery:
- Ian Lavery was a miner at Ellington between 1981 and 1986{{Who's Who | author = Anon | year = 2019 | title=Lavery, Ian| id = U251554| doi = 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U251554 }}
- Dennis Murphy, worked at the mine for 30 years{{cite news |title=Mines warning |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/mines-warning-1593398 |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=Chronicle Live |date=14 October 2005}}
- Jack Thompson, worked as an electrical engineer at the mine{{cite news |last1=Langdon |first1=Julia |title=Jack Thompson obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/aug/07/jack-thompson-obituary |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite report|last=Ellison|first=James M|title=The political economy of opencast mining in Scotland and the north east of England|year=1993|publisher=University of Durham |location=Durham |oclc=60110665}}
- {{cite report|last=Hutchinson |first=Margaret Anne|title =Pit Closures in Northumberland: A Study of Bates Colliery|year=1992|publisher=The Open University| location=Milton Keynes|oclc= 1108946055 }}
- {{cite book|last=Pigott |first=Nick|title=The Rise and Fall of King Coal|year=2016|publisher=Mortons Media|location=Horncastle|isbn=978-1-909128668}}
- {{cite report|title=Ellington Minewater Treatment Facility
|url=https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/download/1046780/a9b3f307-8cef-4851-bcc1-d180d5b2a5c0|format=PDF|website=data.gov.uk|date=March 2012|publisher=Atkins|access-date=22 August 2020|ref={{harvid|EMTF|2012}} }}
External links
{{commons category|Ellington Colliery}}
- [https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw010651 An image of Ellington Colliery from 1924]
- [https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/item/AA93/01445 Photograph of the coal washing plant at Ellington]
Category:Coal mines in England
Category:1909 establishments in England
Category:2005 disestablishments in England
Category:Mines in Northumberland