Edward Charlton was the oldest son of Thomas and Charlotte Charlton.  In November 1872, on the death of his father, together with 2 of his brothers, (Robert Hedley and Thomas) Edward became a trustee of his father’s estate.  Thomas Charlton & Co owned collieries at Evenwood and Slapewath ironstone mine near Guisborough.  Edward was a mining engineer and lived at Oaks House, Evenwood from 1871, at least.  He was the manager of Evenwood Colliery and perhaps also Tees-Hetton and Storey Lodge Collieries.  The financial affairs of Thomas Charlton & Co were in a parlous state and the firm went bankrupt in July 1877.   The assets of the company were offered for sale in January 1880 and March 1883.  B. Samuelson & Co. acquired the Slapewath ironstone mine in 1880.  Edward Charlton continued to be employed as a colliery manager in the Evenwood area and in June 1890, he was prosecuted for failing to adhere to the Coal Mines Regulations Act when 14 years old Thomas Million was drowned at Norwood Colliery.  Edward continued to live at Oaks House until sometime between 1891 and 1901, possibly 1897 when Oaks House was advertised to let in March of that year.  In 1899, Edward married his housekeeper, Elizabeth Merryweather and by 1901, they lived at Toft Hill.  Edward Charlton died in 1918, aged about 78.

Family Details

Edward Charlton was born about 1840 at Chilton Moor,[1] the oldest son of Thomas and Charlotte Charlton.  He had 8 brothers and sisters – Robert Hedley, Thomas, John William, William, Charlotte, Alfred, Margaret Emily and Jane Ann.  By 1871, Edward Charlton (aged 30) lived at Oaks House, Evenwood.  He was recorded as a, “Colliery Viewer”.  He was single and lived with 41 years old widowed aunt Margaret Thompson, recorded as, “housekeeper” and 15 years old Elizabeth Wilks, a servant.[2]  By 1881, Edward and Margaret were joined by 18 years old servant, William Parkin, a native of Evenwood.  By 1891, Edward, now 52 years old and recorded as a, “mining engineer” still lived with his aunt Margaret Thompson at Oaks House.  Single mother Mary E. Merryweather, aged 37 with her 3 month old daughter Annie was recorded as, “housekeeper.”  Oaks House may have been sub-divided because the census also records 31 years old James Morrow, a General Medical Practitioner and a servant 25 years old, widow, Mary Parkin, living there.[3] 

Some years later, in March 1897, Edward Charlton’s home, Oaks House was advertised to let.  The press notice stated that it contained 6 rooms with wash-house, coach house, stable and a good garden was advertised to let.  Applications were to be submitted to W. Emmerson, Evenwood. [4] Does this imply that Edward Charlton did not own the house or simply that Wade Emmerson acted as agent for the owners?

In 1899, Edward Charlton married Elizabeth Merryweather, registered at Auckland.[5] By 1901, Edward and Elizabeth lived at Toft Hill with their 2 daughters, 10 years old Annie and 5 years old Annie Jane.  Edward was recorded as a, “Colliery Manager.” [6]  The exact address is not given in the census return.  In 1911, Edward, now 71 years old and Elizabeth, now 56 years old, still lived at Toft Hill with their daughter, Della Jane, aged 15.  Edward was recorded as a, “Colliery Overlooker.” [7]  Edward Charlton died in February 1918, aged 78.[8]  He was buried 16 March 1918 in Evenwood Cemetery.[9]  By 1921, Edward’s widow and daughter Annie lived at 60 Low King Street, Witton Park.[10]

Business Interests

Edward Charlton was recorded as being employed as a, “Colliery Viewer”, “Mining Engineer”, “Colliery Manager” and “Colliery Overlooker” thus it is assumed that he was responsible for the supervision of the collieries in the Evenwood area, possibly one or more of the Norwood, Evenwood, Tees-Hetton and Storey Lodge Collieries. 

Following the death of his father, Thomas Charlton in November 1872, Edward Charlton together with his brothers Robert Hedley and Thomas were made trustees of his father’s estate, Thomas Charlton and Co.[11]  In March 1876, a notice appeared in the local press to announce that Edward Charlton, Robert Hedley Charlton and Thomas Charlton from Middlesbrough and West Hartlepool operated as, “Coal Fitters and Colliery Owners” under the style of Thomas Charlton and Co.[12] The company presented a petition for liquidation 4 September 1876.[13]  The following month, October 1876, the company’s financial affairs were subject to inquiry when it was quoted that, “The collieries had been miserably worked.”[14] The affairs of Thomas Charlton & Co were reported in the local newspapers in October 1876,[15] and in March 1877 it was advertised that proceedings had been instituted against Edward Charlton, Robert Hedley Charlton and Thomas Charlton in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division.[16] The company’s bankruptcy was confirmed in July 1877. [17]

There were other legal cases including breaches of trust in February 1878 [18] and one involving the bankers, Backhouse & Co. in March 1878.[19] In August 1879, it was announced that Messrs. Charlton would be called the Evenwood Coal and Ironstone Company Limited.[20]  In January 1880, the Charlton’s estate comprising “Collieries at Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, ironstone mines at Slapewath, near Guisborough together with workmen’s cottages, freehold and leasehold land and other property”  was advertised for sale.[21] The following account will deal these commercial interests, firstly with the Slapewath ironstone mine then secondly, the company’s colliery assets.

The Slapewath Ironworks Mine [22]

Its ownership was in the hands of the Trustees of the late T. Charlton until 1880 when B. Samuelson & Co.  took over affairs.  Sir Bernhard Samuelson (1820-1905) was a pioneering Middlesbrough ironmaster with interests at South Bank, Newport and the Britannia Works which was sold to Dorman Long in 1879.[23] 

By comparison with J.W. Pease & Co., Bell Brothers, Bolckow, Vaughan & Co. and others, the output from the Slapewath mine was relatively small scale.  At its peak under the Charltons in 1878, it reached about 80,000 tons when the production from the North Riding of Yorkshire was in the order of 5.6M tons.[24]

It seems likely that substantial capital was required to sink the mine.  The first financial return was in 1873 when the output of 52,000 tons of ore realised a value of £15,600.  The following year 1874, the output and income was roughly halved, 25,000 tons of ore with a value of £8,579.  It seems highly likely that the investment costs of sinking the mine were huge compared with the income/revenue received during the 1870s which placed T. Charlton & Co. in a financially unsound position.  By 1881, under the stewardship of B. Samuelson & Co., output was increased to 172,700 tons and presumably, the profitability of the mine increased.

Collieries in the Evenwood area

There are a number of press reports which refer to the affairs of Messrs. Charlton.

In August 1881, a press report referring to Mr Charlton, who had owned extensive collieries at Evenwood, Durham stated, “in consequence of depression in trade, the testator had left the property in considerable complication.”[25]

In 1882, Storey Lodge Colliery was disposed of and it seems that the North Bitchburn Coal Company saw the purchase of the colliery as an opportunity to extend its interests into the Auckland Coalfield.  The detail of the transaction was that a lease dated 2 December 1882, relating to an earlier lease of Storey Lodge Colliery dated 6 December 1875 which had been granted for a term of 21 years to Edward Charlton of Evenwood mining engineer, Robert Hedley Charlton of Middlesbrough coal merchant and Thomas Charlton of Evenwood commission agent (administrators and trustees of the will of Thomas Charlton deceased) and others (namely W.B. Peat of Middlesbrough, Susanna Gibson of Newcastle-upon-Tyne) was acquired by John Shields of Durham and William Randolph Innes Hopkins of Witton Towers.[26] William Randolph Innes Hopkins and other partners traded as the North Bitchburn Coal Company.  Back in 1849, the shareholders listed in the North Bitchburn partnership deed were H. Brougham, Henry Stobart, J. C. Hopkins, John Mounsey, Thomas Mounsey, William Shields, Thomas Crawford, Alfred Kitching, H. S. Stobart, Richard Ableson, H. Thomson, John Middleton, Charles Robson, Thomas Bradley and Isaac Laws. Many of these retained a lasting interest.

Other assets were then offered for sale, namely the Evenwood and Tees-Hetton Collieries.  On 20 March 1883, an advertisement was published for the sale of Evenwood Colliery including the Charlotte Winning Pit (Lot 1)[27] and Tees Hetton Colliery (Lot 2) together with fixed and loose plant and 68 aces of freehold, copyhold and leasehold land and 42 workmen’s cottages.  The property may be viewed by applying to Edward Charlton, Evenwood. Mr. C. Willman was the auctioneer.[28]  Perhaps these collieries were bought by a company which styled itself as the Tees Hetton Coal Co. Ltd. (see notes below).

It seems that the Charlton brothers were successful in disposing of some of their commercial interests – the unprofitable Slapewath ironstone mine in 1880, the Storey Lodge Colliery in 1882 and the Evenwood and Tees Hetton Collieries may well have been sold in 1883. 

However, all was not well with industrial relations and in September 1883, there was a dispute at Evenwood Colliery.  The men were given a fortnight’s notice.  They wanted 1sh 9d per ton for working the Five Quarter seam but were offered 7d per ton.[29]

Also, all was not well with safety issues.  On the 9th June 1890, there was a fatal accident at Evenwood Colliery[30] due to flooding.  Thomas Million, a youth of 14, was drowned by an influx of water whilst employed as water leader in Norwood Colliery.  Edward Charlton was the manager and Robert Michael Brown was the over-foreman and under-manager.  The jury concluded that all the officials were responsible for the youth’s death and ultimately returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned through an influx of water.” [31]  Mr. Charlton was found guilty of gross negligence in not carrying out the rules and he was subsequently fined the full penalty of £20.[32]

Subsequent Events

In 1891, the Evenwood and Thrushwood Collieries, as carried on by the Tees Hetton Coal Company, were bought by the North Bitchburn Coal Co. Ltd.  The purchase included properties at Stones End, 24 cottages at Copeland Row, 10 cottages known as Charlotte Row and 21 cottages at Chapel Street, Evenwood. ^[33] Proceedings commenced to wind up the Tees Hetton Coal Co. Ltd. in 1892. [34] In 1894, the Brockwell, Five Quarter and Busty seams were abandoned and the pit ceased operation.[35]  Whether Edward Charlton had any association with this company or these collieries at this time has not been researched.  The collieries may have been sold in 1883.  The North Bitchburn Coal Co. Ltd. would become a major coal and coke producer in south west Durham employing many men at Storey Lodge Colliery, at Low Lands, Randolph Colliery and Coke Works, Evenwood and Gordon House Colliery, Cockfield.

Below: Bell’s map to show the collieries in the Evenwood area

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dr Andrew Beards, the former resident of Oaks House, Evenwood, from 2003 to 2020, gave the current occupants, Joseph & Anna Maddison, some notes including references, the most useful being a profile of Thomas Charlton prepared by “Charltons- a Digital Village.”  These documents have been used extensively in preparing these notes.  I have not yet been able to find the website quoted.

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REFERENCES

[1] England & Wales Birth Index 1837-1915 Vol.24 p.140 Houghton-le-Spring 1840 Q1 & 1861 census

[2] 1871 Census

[3] 1891 census

[4] Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and the Humber dated 23 March 1897

[5] England & Wales Marriage Index 1837-1915 Vol.10a p.359 Auckland 1899 Q4

[6] 1901 census

[7] 1911 census

[8] England & Wales Death Index 1916-2007 Vol.10a p.352 Auckland 1918 Q1

[9] Evenwood Parish Magazine April 1918

[10] 1921 census

[11] Probate was granted on 31st March 1873. 

[12] Northern Echo dated 3 February 1876

[13] Norther Echo 6 July 1877

[14] Northern Echo 17 October 1876

[15] Northern Echo dated 17 October 1876

[16] Northern Echo dated March 1877

[17] Northern Echo 6 & 21 July 1877

[18] Northern Echo dated 26 February 1878

[19] Northern Echo dated 27 March 1878

[20] Northern Echo dated 6 August 1879

[21] Northern Echo dated 21 January 1880

[22] “Cleveland Ironstone Mining” 1986 John S. Owen p.35

[23] “Who was Who in Nineteenth Century Cleveland” 1997 David M. Tomlin & Mary Williams p.30

[24] Owen table opposite p.1

[25] Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and the Humber dated 2 August 1881

[26] Durham Record Office North Bitchburn Coal Company ref: D/NBCC 3/23

[27] Where was the Charlotte Pit?

[28] Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and the Humber dated 13 March 1883

[29] Northern Echo dated 26 September 1883

[30] Other sources state Norwood Colliery.  Possibly at this time both collieries were worked together by the same management.

[31] Northern Echo and Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and the Humber dated 13 June 1890.  See also Durham Mining Museum http://www.dmn.org.uk/names/a1890-14.htm

[32] Northern Echo dated 2 September 1890.  It is inferred that Norwood and Evenwood Colliery were in the same ownership.

[33] Durham County Record Office Strathmore Papers D/Ph236/1 Note: Where was Charlotte Row?

[34] London Gazette 19 July 1892, information provided by the Durham Mining Museum http://www.dmm.org.uk/news18/8920719.htm

[35] NCB Catalogue of Abandoned Mines, information provided by the Durham Mining Museum http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/t033.htm