| Administrative History | The Clay Cross Company Ltd was founded in 1837 by George Stephenson, under the name of George Stephenson and Company. Stephenson had discovered the coal and limestone resources of Clay Cross during the construction of the Derby-Leeds railway. In 1840 the company's interests included coal mining, limestone quarrying and limestone mining and iron stone mining. On the transfer of ownership in 1847, the company's name was changed to the Clay Cross Company.
The main foundry was completed in 1866 and enlarged in 1876. By 1937, the year of the company's centenary, its interests had expanded to include the production of 3,000 tons of coal per day, a power house producing all its electricity, limestone quarries at Crich and lime burning works at Ambergate, lead workings at Ashover, and a light railway which ran the 8 miles between Ashover and the Clay Cross works.
In 1947 the collieries and coke ovens were nationalised, followed by the gas works the next year. With the improvement of the road network, the Ashover Light Railway was closed in 1950. The Clay Cross Co was taken over by Ready Mixed Concrete of Australia in 1974. Ownership of the company later passed to Blue Metal Industries (BMI) Ltd, Boral Ltd and Biwater.
Most of the records deposited in the Record Office date from the twentieth century. The Record Office does not hold original records which date from the time of George Stephenson. |
| Custodial History | Acquired by Derbyshire Record Office in 2001. Additional deposits in January and February 2014 (see D5375/UL) |