This newspaper clipping of two men working away at a coalface above Riddlesden was published in the Keighley News of the 8th of April 1922. It was taken by journalist and photographer George Crowther on a visit to the newly re-established Howden Colliery.
Digging for coal appears to have been happening around the Rivock Edge-Howden Gill outcrop above Riddlesden since the 17th century. A range of techniques may have been used, from opencast (where the coal is simply dug out from the surface), drifts (digging horizontally into the side of a hill) and shallow shafts (where a short vertical shaft leads to a seam that is gradually hollowed out leaving a bell-shaped pit). According to local historian Ian Dewhirst in his ‘A History of Keighley’ (1974): “The Riddlesden and Morton Banks landscape was scarred – till 1856 – with coal workings, a complex of shallow shafts or ‘day-holes’ abandoned when they ran too deep for convenience. The seam was six feet thick in places, but water-logged, and the coal of inferior quality.”
There was an attempt in the early 1920s to resurrect the business of coalmining in the area, led by Edwin Pitt (appropriately enough!) with partners George W. Simpson and Harry Lund. George Crowther wrote of his visit to the pit in the Keighley News of 8th April 1922: “Floundering along in mud which was ankle deep, endeavouring to avoid the slippery line of rails, stumbling along to keep up with the leader and endeavouring to keep out of the way of those in equal difficulties in the dark behind, the incident was one of real excitement. To raise one’s head meant a bump against the pit props above, while an extra lurch found a pit prop projecting from the side, unnoticed in the shadow of the man with the lamp. The mud and the rails at the feet provided sufficient difficulties, and it was with no little relief that it was noticed that the way became somewhat drier as it went down. A turn in the passage left the place without natural light, and little could be seen but shadowy forms of members of the party. At a spot where the roof was somewhat higher, a welcome halt was called, and Mr Pitt pointed out a thick seam of coal. At first the strangers to the underworld could distinguish no difference from the surroundings, but when eyesight became accustomed to the darkness the formation of the seam could be distinguished, and pieces were chipped off. Hereabouts, we were assured, there was coal in abundance, but work was being continued until still larger quantities were reached.”
The mine owners are listed in 1922 as being Edwin Pitt, George Simpson and Harry Lund, then for the period 1923 to 1933 are Edwin Pitt, George Simpson and Mr Emsley, with the pit closing in July 1932. According to an article in The Telegraph and Argus of 15th August 1998, “Further records of the colliery’s progress are sketchy. It was certainly still operational in 1927, but it is believed its demise – perhaps due to exhausted supplies or simply the fact it was no longer viable – came about soon afterwards.”
The cutting is from a scrapbook of articles and photographs by George Crowther held in the History Society’s archive, the main picture also accompanied the piece in the newspaper and shows (left to right) George Simpson, Harry Lund and Edwin Pitt. With thanks to Eddie Kelly for providing the main image and a copy of George Crowther’s article.
