{{Short description|Former coal mine in West Yorkshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=June 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox mine | name = Upton Colliery | image = File:Memorial to the men of Upton Colliery - geograph.org.uk - 6074410.jpg | width = | caption = A memorial plaque to miners of Upton Colliery | pushpin_map = West Yorkshire | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption= Location within West Yorkshire | pushpin_image = | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = | coordinates = {{Coord|53.614|-1.273|display=inline,title}} | place = [[Upton, West Yorkshire|Upton]] | subdivision_type = County | state/province = [[West Yorkshire]] | country = England | products = Coal | amount = <!--include units--> | financial year = | type = | greatest depth = | discovery year = | opening year = 1924 | active years = <!-- use only if inactive for a period of time--> | closing year = 1964 | owner = Upton Colliery Company<br>[[Dorman Long]]<br>[[National Coal Board]] | official website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | acquisition year = | module = <!-- or 'embedded' or 'nrhp' --> }} '''Upton Colliery''' was a coal mine near to the village of [[Upton, West Yorkshire|Upton]] in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], England. The site was {{convert|8.5|mi}} north west of [[Doncaster]] and {{convert|10|mi}} north east of [[Barnsley]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Durham Mining Museum - Upton Colliery |url=http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/u011.htm |website=www.dmm.org.uk |access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> Coal was transhipped from the colliery by the former [[Hull and Barnsley Railway]] line.
The colliery had a short life of only 40 years. Geological faulting and a serious explosion in 1964 led to its closure.
==History== Work on the site started in 1924, but preliminary works at the site meant that coal was not raised until 1927. Two shafts were dug throughout 1925 and 1926 to a depth of between {{convert|260|yard}} and {{convert|300|yard}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=News |work=The Science and Art of Mining |date=4 August 1926 |page=26|oclc=2450431}}</ref> By 1927, the seams were located at a depth of {{convert|711|yard}}, with the coal seam itself extending for {{convert|94|ft}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=News and Notes |work=The Science and Art of Mining |date=2 July 1927|page=389|oclc=2450431}}</ref> Upton mined mainly from the [[Barnsley Seam]], but also had workings in the [[Beamshaw Seams|Beamshaw]] and [[Winter Seam|Winter]] seams.<ref>{{cite news |title=Colliery Explosion Six Miners Lose Lives |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |date=5 June 1940 |page=1|oclc=17645774}}</ref><ref name="NMRS">{{cite web |title=Upton Colliery |url=https://www.nmrs.org.uk/mines-map/coal-mining-in-the-british-isles/yorkshire-coalfield/doncaster/upton/ |website=nmrs.og.uk |access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> Coal was taken out of the site via the former Hull and Barnsley railway line (which was being run by the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] by the time of the colliery's operation).<ref>{{cite web |title=LNER Encyclopedia: The Hull and Barnsley Railway: Trivia |url=https://www.lner.info/co/HBR/trivia.php |website=www.lner.info |access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Wrangbrook Cutting, Upton |url=https://www.wyorksgeologytrust.org/lgssheets/wakefield/Wrangbrook%20Cutting,%20Upton.pdf |website=wyorksgeologytrust.org |access-date=30 June 2020 |format=PDF}}</ref><ref name="YP">{{cite news |last1=Newton |first1=Grace |title=Heritage line plans to resurrect station |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=23 June 2020 |page=6|issn=0963-1496}}</ref>
In 1952, the [[National Coal Board]] opened the new £115,000 pit-head baths at the site. The NCB also spent a further £500,000 at Upton in an effort to get the saleable coal output to rise from {{convert|24|short cwt}} per shift to {{convert|27|short cwt}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pithead baths for all in North-East by 1954 |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=13 October 1952 |page=3}}</ref>
The colliery was run by the Upton Colliery Company ([[Bolckow, Vaughan|Bolckow Vaughan & Co]]. Ltd and the Cortonwood Co. Ltd) between 1924 and 1939, by [[Dorman Long]] between 1939 and 1947, and under the National Coal Board from 1947 to 1964.<ref name="NMRS"/>
The colliery coal tips were cleared in the early 1970s, and the surface area of the coal mine site is now the Upton Country Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colliery Company Schemes (Hansard, 17 June 1925) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1925/jun/17/colliery-company-schemes |website=api.parliament.uk |access-date=27 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Upton Colliery |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/upton-colliery/ |website=woodlandtrust.org.uk |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Upton Country Park LNR |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteLNRDetail.aspx?SiteCode=L1453002&SiteName=&countyCode=47&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |website=designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> The site now has a pond, a memorial garden and a pit winding wheel sunk into the ground.<ref>{{cite web |title=Map 35, Upton; circular walk on the site of Upton Colliery |url=https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/shortwalks/35-map-upton-circular-walk-on-the-site-of-upton-colliery.pdf |website=wakefield.gov.uk |access-date=27 June 2020 |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Wakefield Metropolitan District Council |url=https://mapping.wakefield.gov.uk/UDP/text/p2_v4_04_ems.htm |website=mapping.wakefield.gov.uk |access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref>
==Incidents== * 4 June 1940 - an explosion in the Barnsley Seam at the mine killed two men outright, and injured eight others, with one dying in hospital the same night. The other seven casualties all died from extreme burns.<ref>{{cite web |title=Explosion, Upton Colliery (Hansard, 5 June 1940) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1940/jun/05/explosion-upton-colliery |website=api.parliament.uk |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> * 20 May 1964 - an explosion in the Barnsley Seam led to an evacuation of the colliery. The area was sealed off which rendered the mine unworkable. Coupled with the bad geology in the seams, the site was closed in November of the same year.<ref name="NMRS"/>
==Notable colliers== [[Charlie Williams (comedian)|Charlie Williams]] worked in the mine during his youth and played for their own team, [[Upton Colliery F.C.]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leigh |first1=Spencer |title=Charlie Williams |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/charlie-williams-6231808.html |access-date=25 June 2020 |work=The Independent |date=4 September 2006}}</ref> He was scouted by [[Doncaster Rovers]], and post football, was recognised as one of the first black comedians in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news |title=Comic Charlie Williams dies at 78 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5309634.stm |access-date=25 June 2020 |work=BBC News |date=3 September 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Charlie Williams |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1527951/Charlie-Williams.html |access-date=25 June 2020 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=3 September 2006|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
[[George Ashall]] played for Upton F.C. and was a coal-miner before his footballing career.<ref>{{cite web |title=England Uncapped Players - George Ashall |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersA/BioAshallGH.html |website=www.englandfootballonline.com |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref>
[[Joe Shaw (footballer, born 1928)|Joe Shaw]] worked briefly as a coalminer at Upton and played for Upton Colliery F.C., before moving on to playing football full time with [[Sheffield United]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ponting |first1=Ivan |title=Joe Shaw- Obituaries Sheffield United stalwart |work=The Independent |date=4 December 2007 |page=32|issn=0951-9467}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw020758 Aerial image of the site from 1928]
{{Coal mining in Yorkshire}}
[[Category:1868 establishments in England]] [[Category:1987 disestablishments in England]] [[Category:Coal mines in West Yorkshire]] [[Category:Mining in West Yorkshire]] [[Category:Underground mines in England]] [[Category:Upton, West Yorkshire|Colliery]]