| Administrative History | In 1858 the Dunston and Barlow Mineral Company was founded by John Fowler and his son, William Fowler, taking over existing ironstone pits and coal mines and starting the ironworks at Sheepbridge. It became the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company in 1864, when they operated three collieries at Sheepbridge, Dunston and Nesfield and twenty-eight ironstone pits in Whittington and Barlow. The ironstone pits were becoming increasingly less productive, and the business focused on its colliry operations. Having previously sub-leased collieries to get coal, they began to take over collieries once the sub-leases expired. By 1896 they also owned collieries at Langwith, Glapwell and Norwood. The collieries were eventually nationalised in 1948, and although the ironworks continued, the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co Ltd was purchased by the Staveley Company in 1955.
The Staveley Ironworks had been in existence since 1786, with Messrs Ward and Barlow operating a blast furnace there. Several collieries were established to supply coal, including Hollingwood, New Holingwood, Hollingwood Common, Seymour, Speedwell, Springwell and Victoria. |
| Custodial History | The plans were salvaged from destruction and held at Chesterfield Museum under their reference number of CHTFM 0954. They were deposited in the Derbyshire Record Office in October 2002. Other records of the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Co Ltd and Staveley Coal and Iron Company are held under reference number D3808 |