hello I am Janet Tooby and was born in 1949 at the tied cottage 'Upper woodcock' near Addersgate Farm and spent eleven years growing up in Shibden valley, I came to live in Australia in 1974. and my 3 uncles worked in the clay pit which I understand is now closed. the cart track is still there which my Aunt pointed to me when I last visited her. The track begins at the end of Staups lane which as I recall has a gate. It would be interested to know when that pit my uncles worked at was closed. About 1959 my Uncle and Aunt left the valley and I wonder if the work dried up then??

Thanks for this link with my history, I miss the valley; my spirit home.

Hi Janet,

There is a clay mine situated in the fields behind Shibden Mill Inn. Could this be the one that your uncles worked in?

http://binged.it/vc73N5 

If you go to the end of "Staups Lane" and cross over "Kell Lane" and stright over the fields there is a large Quarry of types which from the look of the plan supplied by 'Morrisey' It still looks to be in use. There is plant and materials stacked on site
Roger

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Your best bet is to enter "Shibden, Staups Lane" (wihout the inverted commas) in Google Earth and use Street View for a virtual wander along the lanes.

There are quarries both used and disused to the east and west of it.

Cheers

Hi, I was looking for mining remains in this area, about 25yrs ago. I'd struggle to find it again (not local) but came across a clay mine thas was either still working, or had been recently.

It was only 20/30yds from the lane & consisted of a rectangular yard, sloping upwards (green field behind, again, rising) towards the top of the yards were two drifts, driven at at slight dip. One of the drifts was closed virtually with material, the other was open & looked in good order. I think both were gated, the open one certainly was.

About halfway down the yard was a small loading stage, which would have allowed tubs to tip into a motor wagon. There were also 2 or 3 stacks of wooden props & bars etc. Apart from a few tubs & rail, there was nothing in the way of surface plant.

I'm fairly sure this would have been a Sunday, as I'd already found (& looked at) underground workings at Siddal & behind a salt glazed pipe manufacturer, at Elland wood bottom.

Hope this is of interest...

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There is springfield nos 1 &2 in the valley. No2 is owned by Parkinson Spencer refactories of Holmfield Halifax. I think it is due to close in 2012 as their licence runs out. The entrance is off Lee Lane. There were several working fire clay mines and potteries in that area, a big manufacturer at the top of shibden was Oates and Green who had a large mine there runnuing towards the valley in 1945 they registed 7 miners underground

Just come across a couple of pics of the mine I described above (not sure if it was Shibden No2, or not) Anyway, first shows the gated drift, which was padlocked.

🔗Personal-Album-1583-Image-73174[linkphoto]Personal-Album-1583-Image-73174[/linkphoto][/link]

Second, is with the camera held thro' the gate...

🔗Personal-Album-1583-Image-73175[linkphoto]Personal-Album-1583-Image-73175[/linkphoto][/link]

Hope this is of interest...

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Hello Janet my name is Pete Connolly a friend of mine has the same surname as you Pat Tooby we went to the same school. Tooby is her married name, her husband lived in the now derelict cottages on Barehead Lane in Shibden Valley not far from Addersgate. I am a member of the Northowram Historical Society and we have done considerable work on the coal and clay mines in the valley. I know upper and lower Woodcock very well and walk past them most weeks. I would be interested in any info or photos you might have and if there is anything we have that may be of interest to you I can let you have it. Regards Pete Connolly