Hodbarrow Iron Mine · AditNow Community

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edwardhenry
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

14 years ago

In doing famiy history research I discovered that my Great Great Grandfather William Hagan (or Hogan), born in Ireland in 1838, worked as an Iron Miner at the Hodbarrow mine. He lived at 40 Lord Street, Millom, with his wife Margaret and their six children.
I would like to find out more about the mine, the working conditions amd any other social history at this time.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?

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Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Have you already seen this?

http://www.fivenine.co.uk/family_history_notebook/background/millom/hodbarrow_mine.htm

edwardhenry
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

14 years ago

Thanks.
I had seen some of this but not so much detail. Are there any documents still around which would show my relative's employment details?

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

I suspect such records must exist, how to access easily and free is something
else.
I found the link info by Googling the mine name so more info may be available.

royfellows
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Off my Cumbrian miners database I have a few Hagans if any use.

MinerID Name Birth Year/Place Address(s) When Age Built Still Standing
5515 James Hagan 0 Ireland
Hesket New Market, Caldbeck 1851 25
6029 Patrick Hagan 0 Ireland
Brewery Lane, Egremont 1861 50
8145 William Hagan 0 Ireland
Rosemary Lane, Whitehaven 1851 35
Hesket New Market, Caldbeck 1851 36

Sorry but its a paste in and got screwed up, but it should be decipherable.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

AR
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

I'd suggest contacting the Cumbria record office at Whitehaven to see if any records relating to the mine have been lodged with them, they've got a plan of the workings according to the BGS (see http://www.bgs.ac.uk/nocomico/nocomico/searchmineral_RES.cfm ). Alternatively, as the mine was worked up to the 1960s, probably under British Steel, someone at Corus may be able to tell you what happened to British Steel's archives as I'd assume any old records of the mine would have been inherited by BS at nationalisation.

Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!

Peter Burgess
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cumberland-Iron-Hodbarrow-Monographs-metalliferous/dp/0851530176
The book by A. Harris will give you an idea of the mine's history.

Judging by the second hand price, I guess it's long out of print! Booksellers who post here might be able to help, but I couldn't find it on Mike Moore's website.

staffordshirechina
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Corus, now Tata Steel, tended to give all papers for closing districts to the local records office. However much stuff on employee records etc would probably just have been dumped.
When their Ore Mining Branch closed in 1981, much of their records were dumped/burnt to clear the buildings.
Tata currently have little remaining archives on their mining areas, even ones they still own and look after.

Brooks
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Hi You need to contact the cumbria record Office at Barrow. they have most of the records for the mine.730+ according to a quick look on A2A

skippy
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

#10

I recently acquired a magnificent specimen of kidney haematite ore from Hodbarrow from the Hext family, who owned the mine for many years apparently. Captain Hext recently died, and a lot of papers were sold at Tennants Auction Centre in Leyburn. Tennants may have record of who bought stuff - the papers relating o Coniston and Hodbarrow fetched ridiculous prices (£1000's) and were far too expensive for the records office staff to bid for (who were at the auction). Not a lot of help, this post - but maybe gives a flavour of the value of some of these old records..

The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth

... but not the Mineral Rights...

Brooks
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

#11

CAT bought some of the lots and they will be placed in their archive.