Part timer :D

Anyhoos I'll jot down some notes as I see it (oh dear) as I go along by editing this post (probably all you will want to read of this Hauxley Colliery story)


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Lease for Hauxley Colliery between John Leadbitter (for the Earl of Newburgh) ,and George Johnson, Colliery Viewer, of Byker, dated 1792.

Duration: 87 years

Annual rent, after the first three years: £600

Production tax per Ten* of coal, in the first 45 years of 10 shillings.

(*A Ten is defined in the lease as being equal to 440 Bolls, a Boll being 36 gallons. The word Ten being derived from 'Tentale rent')

In the last 42 years of the lease, an additional tax of 20 shillings per Ten for each Ten that exceeds the coal production maximum set by the annual rent of £600

A tax of 5 shillings per Ten for coal consumed by coal drawing steam engines.

A tax of 12 Shillings per Ten for coals sold by Landsale.

No tax will be charged for coal consumed by steam pumping engines ('fire engines for drawing water') or coals used by agents, pitmen, and other workmen.

Exclusive right of the Harbour at Ambell

Free Liberty to make erections and buildings for the making of tiles, bricks and glass. (this is later modified to include making copper??? but now at an annual fee for buildings at £25 pa)

30 yard barrier to be left between the colliery workings and the workings of any other colliery.

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Actually I think I have 3 versions of this lease, showing some differences between them. Ones has some Salt pans thrown in for £25 per annum, also discovered the coal production limit for the lower tax ie the one linked to the £600 pa rent - the figure is 666 and eleven eighteenths Ten per annum..

Now what is that in tons?:rolleyes:

I have just googled. Its to do with chauldrens, Newcastle ones being different to others. A ten of 1602 being equiv to 21 tons approx. Good luck with that one!

That comes out at 14,000 tons per annum almost exactly. (45 tons a day, six day week)
Quite high for a colliery in 1792? Three days production for Ellington at its peak, but back then I imagine quite a production figure, but of course it is just a hypothetical number for the lease, after which the tax per ton (ten!) increased.

I've found a letter from Leadbitter to a Mr Watson in Newcastle dated Jan 1802, stating that Johnson had died and if he knew who the company was that was taking over the lease.

Mr George Johnson of Byker, viewer of collieries, left a will which went to probate in 1800. He left his shares in collieries and in the Tyne Brewery in Sandgate, in trust for the benefit of his family. The trustees were by a codicil: Thomas Croudace of Lambton, gentleman; Robert Smith of Shotton, gentleman; John Smith of Byker, gentleman and son in law; Robert Johnson his son.
In his original will he had appointed a William Watson, plumber of Newcastle and his brother John Johnson.
I wonder if this Watson is the one who was written to by Leadbitter?

John Leadbitter was living at Amble Hope House in 1799 and suffered a robbery for which a hue and cry was raised:
"Whereas on Sunday evening last, the 24th inst. between seven and eight o'clock, Mr John Leadbitter, of Amble Hope House, near Warkworth, was attacked by two footpads at a gate upon the road between Warkworth and Togston, leading into a field near his own house, who pulled him off his horse, and one of them choaked him in the handkerchief round his neck, and held his hand close over his mouth to prevent him from making any alarm, and held him down with his knees upon his breast, whilst the other rifled his pockets and robbed him of Newcastle Notes to a considerable amount, and two Scotch Guinea Notes. One of them appeared to be rather tall and a stout looking man, in dark coloured cloaths; the other appeared to be rather under the middle size, but from the darkness of the evening Mr Leadbitter is not able to give any further description of them.- A reward of ten guineas will be paid by the said John Leadbitter, to any person who can give him such information as may lead to the discovery of one or both of the said footpads, upon the conviction of one or both of them. - Amble Hope House, 26th Nov 1799."
Newcastle Courant 14 December 1799