| Administrative History | The company was founded in 1837 by George Stephenson, following the discovery of coal at Clay Cross during the construction of the railway tunnel there. It was initially a small scale business that focused on the production of coal, iron and limestone for the railways. It was originally known as George Stephenson and Company, before later changing its name to the Clay Cross Company. The company didn't make a profit until 1854, as it concentrated on building housing and other facilities at its various collieries. In 1871, all shareholders sold their shares to William Jackson, who became the sole proprietor. It eventually became a limited company in 1913, although the Jackson family continued to run it. In 1947 its collieries passsed into the control of the National Coal Board as a result of nationalisation. In 1966, the company became a public company. It went through the ownership of several different organisations: Ready Mixed Concrete in 1974, the Biwater in 1985, and Stanton in 1998. The company was finally closed in 2000.
By 1860, the company was one of the top three coal producers for Derbyshire, along with the Staveley Coal & Iron Company and the Butterley Company. It was also the first colliery company in the country to introduce the Simplex system of coke manufacture. This process originated from Belgium and the used waste gases created in the coking process to make coal tar and sulphate of ammonia. It is also claimed the company was the first in Derbyshire to use electricity for cutting and haulage underground in the mines. The Overton Estate was brought in 1919 to exploit the previously untouched minerals available. However, there were difficulties in bringing a mainline railway to the site and instead a light railway was chosen instead. |