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Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

'Governor & Company Fluorite Mine'

Interesting mine name! Do you have any information relating to its origin ?

Photograph:

🔗Governor-&-Company-Fluorite-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-001[linkphoto]Governor-&-Company-Fluorite-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-001[/linkphoto][/link]

STANDBY FOR ACTION!!!!...

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Manxman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

I thought I was familiar with most of the Weardale mines, but even Ray Fairbairn's excellent book on Weardale doesn't list this one. And above Stanhope is 99% West Pasture workings.
Even the topography doesn't ring any bells - perhaps Sparty_Lea can identify it .... I would be interested in locating it.

😞
Manxman.

Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

"Manxman" wrote:
Ray Fairbairn's excellent book on Weardale doesn't list this one.
Manxman.

I am very sure that 'Governor & Company' is not an original name. Maybe it was renamed as such by operators in the photo ?

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carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

This is no doubt pure coincidence. The London Lead Company was formed in 1692 as "The Governor and Company for Smelting Down Lead with Pittcoale and Seacole." It was also known as the Quaker Company. It was responsible for most of the developments in lead mining and smelting on Alston Moor between 1730 and 1880.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

"carnkie" wrote:
This is no doubt pure coincidence. The London Lead Company was formed in 1692 as "The Governor and Company for Smelting Down Lead with Pittcoale and Seacole." It was also known as the Quaker Company. It was responsible for most of the developments in lead mining and smelting on Alston Moor between 1730 and 1880.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

Precisely 😉

STANDBY FOR ACTION!!!!...

Captain Scarlet
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

17 years ago

Hmmmmmmmmm Well, apparantly there IS a 'Governor And Company' level in the Middlehope Valley. It was worked for lead by both the LLC and W.B Lead. Subsequently it was worked for iron ore before finally being worked for fluorspar in the 1970s by a group of local men, but this endeavor was unsuccessful.

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carnkie
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

"Colonel Mustard" wrote:
Hmmmmmmmmm Well, apparantly there IS a 'Governor And Company' level in the Middlehope Valley. It was worked for lead by both the LLC and W.B Lead. Subsequently it was worked for iron ore before finally being worked for fluorspar in the 1970s by a group of local men, but this endeavor was unsuccessful.

Precisely 😉

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

sparty_lea
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

This is the Governor and Company Level as it is now. Doesn't look much like the same adit to me. Its on the Middlehope Burn above Slitt Mine and White's Level.
🔗Middlehope-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-006[linkphoto]Middlehope-Lead-Mine-User-Album-Image-006[/linkphoto][/link]

Is there more than one Gov and Co Level I wonder.

There are 10 types of people in the world.

Those that understand binary and those that do not!

sparty_lea
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Newbie

17 years ago

Actually looking at Adrian's pic, I think its Middlehope Old Level, the one next to the Rookhope-Ireshopeburn road.

🔗Old-Middlehope-Fluorite-Mine-User-Album-Image-014[linkphoto]Old-Middlehope-Fluorite-Mine-User-Album-Image-014[/linkphoto][/link]

Edited.... found picture

There are 10 types of people in the world.

Those that understand binary and those that do not!

Manxman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#10

That looks like it. If you compare the mound directly above the adit entrance there are similarities: running left to right is what appears to be the sloping line of a path. All the spoil on the right of frame that now forms a cutting for the track must have built up as the mine progressed.

Jimbo
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#11

That's the one Sparty, been trying to think where it was since yesterday. If you look at the skyline directly above the adits a low hill of similar proportions can be made out in both pictures :thumbup:

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roadsterman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#12

It is the Middlehope High Level, which was worked by the Greaves Brothers,the guy in the white shirt is Ted Greaves. They worked this mine of and on for many years.
They also worked the Lodge Sike dumps and some dumps near Cambo as well as Grassington Moor.

catsam
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

17 years ago

#13

Middlehope High Level was last worked by a Dave Ridley from Allenheads in the late 1980s but only for about 6 Months because of dificulties ventilating it

roadsterman
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Newbie

17 years ago

#14

I removed all the rails after Ted Greaves had finished and put them in Hudeshope West Level. Ted and I were good friends for many years when I worked for SAMUK.