| Description | The records are arranged in the follwing series
NCB/A/DDL/1 Manager and Agent's letter books on Denby Colliery, 1885-1937
NCB/A/DDL/2 Plans, 1863-1900
NCB/A/DDL/3 Colliery wages books, 1919-1937
NCB/A/DDL/4 Colliery surveyors' scaling books, 1886-1933
NCB/A/DDL/5 Estates accounts copying book, 1900-1912
NCB/A/DDL/6 Photocopies of correspondence and related papers on colliery business, 1828-1845 |
| Administrative History | In 1839 Robert Holden sank two shafts at Smithy Houses, Denby to work the Kilburn seam near his Basset Pit. On his death Denby Colliery (now in full production) passed to his son William Drury Holden (later to take on the name Drury-Lowe), who developed it further. It prouduced very high quality coal which was much in demand as a household fuel, especially in London and the south east where it was known as Derby Brights. After the Butterley Company sank their own pit at Denby (called Denby Hall Colliery) in 1878, the colliery was known as Denby Old Colliery.
In 1879 Mark Fryar was appointed colliery manager and agent; he came from Durham and was then only 22 years old, but his mining and engineering expertise kept the colliery working through many difficult periods, as he remained in post for no less than 54 years. Part of the developments he oversaw was the mining of other coal seams: Silkstone from 1905, Mickley in 1908 and Ashgate (or Openwood, as it was known at Denby) in 1923. The colliery was almost purchased by the Butterley Company in 1939, but the outbreak of World War II led to the take-over not happening. In 1947 the nationalisation of the coal industry led to the colliery coming under the control of the National Coal Board, becoming part of the East Midlands Division Area No. 5. It was officially re-named Denby Drury-Lowe Colliery. Although various schemes were undertaken to keep the colliery viable, including the opening and working to the Belper Lawn Seam in 1963 and the merger with Denby Hall Colliery in 1966, the decision was taken in September 1967 to close the newly-merged colliery, as it was not considered profitable enough in spite of its good long-life expectancy. The last coal there was mined on 23 Jan 1968. |