Stanghow Mine
With special thanks to Jim Wallace.
STANGHOW MINE
NZ 654156
Abandoned (Plan NO. 9599) 14 th November 1928
Shafts (2 N0) 126 feet and a Drift into the Main Seam
Section* Ironstone 3 feet 4 inches
Shale 1 foot 10 inches
Ironstone 2 feet 2 inches
* Section taken from abandonement plan.
1972-1892 Stanghow Ironstone Company
1889-1892 Downey and Company
1893-1928 C0chrane iron Company
A branch line left the Cleveland Railway near Slapewath Junction, it curved up to the mine located adjacent to Margrove Park settlement. The houses at Margrove Park were constructed for miners’ accommodation.
The first lease was taken by the Stanghow Ironstone Company from Mr J. T. Wharton for a period of 42 years from 1st July 1871, at 6d. per ton. Under this lease the shafts were sunk and the first ironstone worked was .5,477 tons by July 1872. The mine was idle from January 1877 until January 1880, in 1880, 29,284 tons were worked. The mine was then idle until the Stanghow Ironstone Company went into liquidation in 1892. Stone went to the Middleton Iron Works at Fighting Cocks during this period. Walker’s drills were used to get the stone. The method employed was to use machine to get the stone and “Fillers after the machines” would load it into the waggons. A great deal of shale occurred with the ore and this was removed on a picking belt.
In 1893 Cochrane and Company took a lease on the mine at 3d. per ton. They worked large tonnages, the ironstone going to their Ormesby Iron Works in Middlesbrough. First output was in June 1893 with 252 tons. Yearly average output was around 240,000 tons. In February 1921 the last stone, 799 tons was worked. The mine was effectively finished June 1924, although not officially abandoned until November 1928. (click on map to enlarge)
1938 – 1950 Map
The mine is known locally as Margrove Park mine, or Magra Park, sometimes just Magra. In early account books it is referred to as Magra Pit.
Present Day:-The furnace ventilation shaft, with a wheel at its top, still stands. The site which contains a caravan park is now very difficult to interpret. Foundations are mixed the debris of later enterprises. The very large spoil heap was removed from across the main road to the mine, some years ago, and the site stands empty.
Stanghow mine, early view of winding shaft with wooden headgear and furnace ventilation
Stanghow mine, later view of winding shaft with steel headgear
Acknowledgement to Jim Wallace for the above information.
