The Hobson Colliery c1900
December 1849 saw the beginning of a short but very bitter dispute between the owners of Marley Hill colliery and their workmen over low wages. The men were only able to earn between two shillings and sixpence, and three shillings and sixpence per day, and out of this they had to pay for powder, candles, and the repair of their tools.
When they signed their yearly bond they expected to get about four shillings per day. The miners wanted the dispute to go to arbitration but the owners were unwilling to see this happen as they thought the workmen were dictating terms.
Without any warning several score of families were turned out of their homes and their goods carted away and dumped on Burdon Moor. Notices were displayed stating that those who had been ejected and sent adrift would be liable for trespass if they were found again on land belonging to the coal company.
This led the rest of the miners to go on strike which in turn led to the Hobson explosion.
On January 11th 1850 at 10 p.m. fifteen men in disguise confronted the firemen at the Hobson Pit boilers and told them to be off. At first the stokers were not willing to leave but when the strangers produced firearms they ran off. Damp coals were then thrown on the fires and a cask of gunpowder laid on the coals. When it exploded, the boilers were put out of action and work underground was suspended, this being the desired aim of the men who carried out the explosion.
Hobson colliery had been supplying Marley Hill coke ovens with small coal during the strike but with the Hobson out of action, coke production almost ceased, which was a serious financial blow to the owners.
A reward notice was displayed at Marley Hill colliery office saying that £50 would be given by the colliery company to anyone giving information leading to the conviction of those persons responsible for the damage at the Hobson. Nobody was ever brought to trial thanks to the solidarity of the coal miners.
Bowes and Partners later built 104 coke ovens at the Hobson.
The coal mine closed in July 1968
