Mapleford Engine

1838  Prospectus of Lydney & Dean Forest Coal Company
Included ëa colliery called ìMapleford Engineî; held subject to a gale rent of £2 2s per annum.  This colliery commands the High Delf coal between ìThe Hopewellî and ìArthurs Follyî or ìSpeedwellîí.

1841  James Morrell and Robert Morrell, both of Oxford, bankers, as mortgagees in possession as assignees of a lease granted by Thomas Miles, a Free Miner, for 1,000 years from 21 December 1815.
Mapleford Engine and Milesí Level Colliery.
Coal in the Coleford High Delf.

F3 286
Messrs. Morrells.  Outputs:
 1841 4320 tons
 1842 7276
 1843 7169
 1844 6278
 1845 1997
 1846 2786

31 October 1862  Messrs. Blanch & Bower

14 June 1869  Hopewell and Mapleford Engine Collieries - Western Counties Colliery Co., Whitecroft.  Francis Nash.

F3 872  MAPLEFORD ENGINE & MILES LEVEL No. 2
11 November 1902  Sidney Elsom requesting a meeting for regrant of gale.  Application also about to be made by Parkend Deep Navigation.

22 May 1903  Application for grant by Thomas Gwilliam

27 July 1903  Granted

1 October 1908  No working

6 October 1908  ëI have lately purchased an engine for the galeí

22 march 1909  Still no work

21 March 1910  Lease to Herbert Cook and Edwin Osbourne

23 December 1912  Being worked from Hopewell Engine Pits.  Trespass into Princess Royal workings.  250 tons taken from barrier.
Mr. H. S. Cook manager of United Stone Firms.
During the coal strike Osbourne, employed by Cook, drove into the barrier - deliberate trespass.
As lives lost at Union due to trespass into the same barrier from the free drainage level a dim view was taken of this.  Told to fill up hole in barrier and fined.

3 February 1913  Cook suspended Osbourne.  Cook had been trying to develop the Union end of the gale.  My friend and I have spent £9,000 at Wigpool.

24 June 1916  Lease.  Thomas Gwilliam to Thomas Gwilliam (son), Caleb Gwilliam, Joseph Henry Gwilliam and Sydney Gwilliam.

24 August 1925  Thomas Gwilliam deceased, (1 September 1917) other four his sons, work now restarting.  Tramway made in 1917.

21 September 1925  Gwilliam Bros. Arles Level, Shortstanding.

28 September 1927  Registered owner of Mapleford Engine and Miles Level No. 2 viz. the executors of Thomas Gwilliam have contracted to sell all seams apart from the Whittington which is leased to other parties.
Gales should be surrendered and re-granted as two.
Wish to sell to Mr. Walter charles Bounds and Miss Phyllis Mary Marshall of Tidenham.

24 January 1928  Mapleford Engine & Miles Level No.2 became known as Mapleford Engine No. 3 and Mapleford Engine No. 4 gales

8 February 1928  Conveyance of No. 4 to Bounds & Marshall, contained the Coleford High Delf and Trenchard seams.

14 June 1928  Application from Bounds for an engine house, tramway and loading bank.

14 August 1928  Also wishing to erect an office and a garage for a lorry.

21 December 1929  Messrs. Latham & Wilson applying to construct a tramway and loading bank.

Mapleford Engine No. 4 level close to Ellwood Pit
        ì                 ì       ì   3     ì          ì     ì Barnhill   Parryís Pit and Stopfordís Level

No. 3 loading bank just above Cannop Foundry
No. 4 loading bank by Bromley Lodge, tramway alongside road from Ellwood Lodge.

Originally tramway to loading bank at Bicslade pre 1926

COAL34 517
MAPLEFORD COLLIERIES LTD.
Mapleford Collieries Ltd. of Clements End, Coleford hold gales by a mortgage dated 28 September 1951 with NCB to secure £630.
P. M. Marshall and A. Bounds.
Omissions from statement of interests included:- Fan (Phillips); one Albion Engine, single cylinder 3 H.P.; vertical boiler. 2 spare sets of wheels for Marshall Engine; Robey steam engine - single cylinder. 1 Flywheel for Marshall engine.
Company estimated at £2,898.
Estimated annual revenue of £450.