My great great granddad William Donald was an engineman in the William pit at Great Clifton in 1871 and I am doing research to illustrate my family history. Does anyone have any photos of that pit or any lists of names of miners?

Bulmer's History & Directory Of Cumberland, 1901 state that for Great Clifton:
"Coal is found in the district, and is worked by the Allerdale Coal Co., at the William Pit, which employs about 350, who turn out an average of 450 tons daily. "

Out of interest the foloowing is from "Mannix & Whellan, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847" Workington Parish (coal extract)

"About the year 1722, the coal pits were described as "from 40 to 50 fathoms in depth, having generally two or three workable bands; - the first, three feet; the second, four feet; and the third, from ten to eleven feet. The roofs of the two former vary; that of the main coal is of the finest white freestone, generally twenty yards in thickness." About the same time, eight or nine of Bolton and Watt's powerful steam engines were erected in the vicinity of the town, for the purpose of winding the coal and pumping water from the mines; and the number of persons employed was about 600. There are now only three pits in the Workington colliery; viz., Buddle pit, Jane pit, and Jackson pit. The Buddle pit is 43 fathoms deep, and is working the main seam 10 feet thick, and the Hamilton seam 5ft. 10in, thick; which is divided by a metal 18 inches thick, and lies 69 fathoms below the main seam. Jane pit is 70 fathoms deep, and is now working two seams of coal; the yard band 33 inches thick and 50 fathoms deep, and the Hamilton seam 5ft. 10in. thick, divided by a metal of 19 inches, and lying 20 fathoms below the yard band. A very powerful blower of inflammable air was got in sinking this pit, at the depth of 65 fathoms. It is now conducted to the surface with pipes, and has been burning most brilliantly for upwards of two years, illuminating both the pit top and engine house. The chimneys of the engine house are built in the castellated style, and have a most pleasing effect on passing them by railway. The Jackson pit is 23 fathoms deep to the main band, and 10 feet thick. A considerable feed of water, of not less than 450 gallons per minute, had to be contended with in sinking this pit. The annual output of these coal pits is from 8 to 9000 waggons, of 50 cwt. each, and the selling price, put on board of vessels, is 21s. per waggon.
Chapel Bank Colliery4, which consisted of three mines, was lost in 1837, owing to an irruption of the sea, by which 27 men and boys were drowned; nor could their bodies be recovered. Also, twenty-eight horses were lost, with the entire of all the materials belonging to this extensive colliery, which had been in operation for upwards of half a century. The Isabella was a large engine pit, 135 fathoms deep to the main band stone drift; the Lady pit 89 fathoms, and Unicorn 62 fathoms to the main band, which was 10 feet thick; and the coal workings extended upwards of three miles under the sea. The regular feed of water of these great works, two days before the accident happened, was 816 gallons per minute, and the output of the colliery for 1836 was 33,000 waggons, of 48 cwt. each. Mr. Ralph Coxon, from Newcastle, was manager at the time of the disaster, and the loss to Mr. Curwen was immense."

Thanks, Lumberjack