White Lee Pit (The first of Batley’s Pits) Traditional Cache
White Lee Pit (The first of Batley’s Pits)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache is placed very near to the entrance of what used to be White Lee Colliery. The first documented coal mine in Batley was at White Lee developed by Henry Cooke of Carlinghow Old Hall in 1677.
Small 450ml Clip Lid Box. Usual goodies plus FTF Certificate.
Nice easy find. Difficulty of 3.5 because of the Muggles, Stealth needed. Watch for Traffic Muggles and Muggles from the India across the road.
The first documented coal mine in Batley was at White Lee developed by Henry Cooke of Carlinghow Old Hall in 1677. In 1782 records show coal being worked from the Windhill colliery (the Boggard Pit) off Upper Batley Low Lane.
Shafts connected with this pit have been rediscovered in the last 25 years.
A mining partnership between Thomas King of Staincliffe and Howley families and
John Heald of Dewsbury was also formed in 1872 and pits were opened at
Staincliffe and Healey. These came under the control of Thomas Chaster and he had coal pits at Staincliffe, Healey, White Lee, Popeley (in Birstall), Gomersal and Bierley.
By the 1840s there were many shallow pits, known locally as "day 'oils" even
in living memory, at Staincliffe, Healey, Carlinghow, Upper Batley, Brownhill.
Batley Colliery was at the junction of Branch Road, Bradford Road and Batley
Field Hill.
The Factory Act of 1833 prevented children under the age of 9 working in
woollen mills, so their employment in coal mining increased.
In 1884 Batley Colliery was producing 60,000 tons per yr and remained open
until 1939. White Lee closed in 1841, but in 1861 a 150 ft shaft suddenly
reappeared.
Soothill Wood might have become a deer forest, but the spoil from Soothill
Wood Colliery, opened around 1860, and its demand for timber for pit props
obliterated the wood altogether.
After the 1940s Batley men continued to work in coalmines at Shaw Cross,
Thornhill and Gomersal until the final closure of Gomersal in 1973.
FTF --------- Congratulations to NEIL + S4RAH --------- FTF
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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Treasures
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