Location 504
Location #504 - Bannockburn Coal Pit
Map 12
Address

Area

Adams Gully

Description

Location #504 - Bannockburn Coal Pit Mouth of Adams Gully approximately 150m upstream of Bannockburn-Nevis Road, Adams Creek crossing.


Still Standing

No


Underground workings may still exist however the portal has been closed off

Construction Details


Location Type

Mine


View Location on Map

Image Not Found
Interested Parties

The table below shows the groups of people that had an interest in this property, either as owners, residents, tenants or shareholders. Clicking on the 'Details' link will display a list of the individuals in the group along with any known historical information about them.

Group Date Description
1 1870 - 1873 Alexander McLachlan (Long Alex) Details
2 1873 John Dere Details
3 1873 William Bell & John Kane Details
4 1873 - 1875 William Bell, John Kane & James Smith Details
5 1875 - ? William Bell & James Smith Details
6 ? - 1884 James Smith Details
7 1884 - 1887 William Richard Parcell (1) Details
8 1887 - closed Robert Johnson & Mathew Andrews Details
9 1899 - 1900 James Horn syndicate Details
10 1900 - 1907 Cromwell & Bannockburn Colliery Company Details
11 1954 - 1955. W J S Hodson & M Passmore Details
Notes

The table below shows any historical notes about the location.

Note Date Short Description Note Text
3569 1870 Mine location Lower Adams Gully on the southern side, approx 150m upstream from the Bannockburn-Nevis Road - Adams Creek crossing. The underground workings are shown on a survey plan produced by Mr J Hayes (inspector of mines) c1902 ? of the Kawarau Coal Mine, (location #255). The surcey plan shows two adits about 15m apart (see photo 1157). The author believes that the northern portal driven to the west with a decline of approx 90m (grade unknown) is location #386. The other portal about 15m to the south is location #504, with a decline of about 120m (grade unknown) driven to the south. The underground workings may still exist but the portals have been closed off and the exact location is now unknown.
3570 1870 General notes. in December 1870, Alex McLachlan ws operating a coal pit in Adams Gully and was supplying coal to the Royal Standard Battery at Quartzville. The price of this coal was 19 shillings per ton, and the battery required 9 ton of coal per week.
3572 1873 Mr John Dere purchased the Bannockburn Coal Pit from Alex McLachlan in December 1873, Mr John Dere purchased the Bannockburn Coal Pit (location #504) from Alex McLachlan.
3574 1874 Mess'rs Bell & Kane purchased the coal pit. Mess'rs Bell & Kane purchased location #504. The name of the 'Bannockburn Coal Pit' was used in their advertisement in the Cromwell Argus. It is unclear how long Mr John Kane was involved with this mine. The Bannockburn Coal Pit was selling coal for £4-10s per ton.
3575 1875 Mr James Smith (1) joined the partnership. Mr James Smith (1) joined the partnership.
3576 various History of William Bell. William Bell was born in Groomport, County Down, Ireland in 1840. In 1859 he went to Australia and worked in the Beechworth gold diggings. In 1861 he came to New Zealand on the ship 'Aldinga' which landed at Waikouaiti. From here he went to the diggings at Waitahuna, Nelson, Hokitika and Greymouth. From Greymouth William walked to the Dunstan diggings in fourteen and a half days. From here he took part in the rush at Fox's near Arrowtown. In 1872 Mr Bell moved to Bannockburn where he, in partnership with John Kane purchased the Bannockburn Coal Pit from John Dere. It is not clear where William Bell lived. In 1872, aged 32 years, William Bell married Emma Gibbson Bardy Barnes, aged 17 years. Emma was the daughter of the Cromwell blacksmith, Mr William Barnes and his wife Jane. 1886 (J P Parcell notes - Cromwell Argus) William Bell left the coal trade and purchased land at Tarras where he farmed the 'Bell Vue' station. In 1922, William and Emma retired to Cromwell On 20 Mar 1927, WIlliam Bell died. He is buried in the family plot in the Cromwell cemetery.
3577 various History of John Kane. John Kane (2) was born at Stoneykirk in Scotland in 1847, to John Kane (1) and Hannah Alford, who were immigrant farmers from Ireland. In 1867 John Kane (2) was living with his parents in Girvan, Ayrshire, near Glasgow. He decided to seek a better life in New Zealand and to this end he embarked on the 700 ton ship, 'William Davie' at Greenock in Scotland. This was the ships second voyage to New Zealand and it carried about 150 passengers who were mainly assisted immigrants. It appears that john Kane may have worked his passage. The voyage took only 88 days and the ship arrived in Port Chalmers on Oct 29 1867. It appears that Mr Kane made his way to Central Otago and settled at Bendigo. Here he worked as a carter, carrying coal from Bannockburn to the Bendigo goldfield to fire the steam machinery. In 1870 John Kane may have used the services of the newly arrived Cromwell blacksmith and farrier, William Barnes who had set up shop on Melmore Terrace, next to the Bridge Hotel. Mr Barnes also had seven daughters. In 1874 John Kane, along with a Bannockburn coal miner, William Bell, purchased the Bannockburn Coal Pit from John Dere. (William was married to Emma Barnes, the daughter of William Barnes). in 1874, john Kane, aged 26 was married to Elizabeth Sophia Barnes, aged 17 years, at the residence of William and Jane barnes in Cromwell. It appears that the couple set up their home at Bendigo township. In Oct 1875, John Kane sold his share of the coal pit to his partners, James Smith and William Bell. Mr Kane then became involved in gold mining activities at Bendigo. Later he purchased land in the Upper Clutha and farmed 'Grandview Station' In 1916 Mr & Mrs Kane retired to Dunedin. In 1927, John Kane died at the age of 80 years. He is buried with his wife in the Andersons Bay cemetery.
3578 1875 James Smith joined the partnership. It appears that about this time James Smith (1) joined the partnership.
3580 various For details of James Smith (1) see location #244. For details of James Smith (1) see location #244.
3579 1875 Advertisement in the Cromwell Argus. In April 1875 the Cromwell Argus advertised : ' For Sale - third share in coal pit, horses, drays etc known as the Bell Kane & Co. Apply J Kane at the pit '
3581 1875 Bell and Smith purchase John Kanes share in the pit. In October of 1875, Mess'rs Bell and Smith buy out John Kanes share in the Bannockburn Coal Pit.
3582 1876 Advertisement in the Cromwell Argus. On Feb 15, an advertisement in the Cromwell Argus stated : ' Bannockburn Coal Pit - Bell & Smith ' Having purchased the interest of Mr J Kane, in the above named pit, beg to intimate that they will carry on business, as coal merchant under the above style. The coal from this pit is admitted to be the best quality produced in the district and by selling at the lowest current rates, the proprietors hope to receive a continuance of the support that they have hitherto been accorded. Orders punctually attended to.
3584 post 1875 Mr James Smith purchased William Bells share in the coal pit. Mr James Smith purchased William Bells share in the coal pit.
3585 1884 The coal pit is sold to W R Parcell. James Smith sold his house (location #244) and his Bannockburn Coal Pit (#504) to Mr William Richard Parcell (1). He then moved to Luggate with his family, where he operated the punt.
3586 1884 William Richard Parcell (1) purchased the coal pit from James Smith. In August of 1884, Mr William Richard Parcell (1) purchased the Bannockburn Coal Pit from James Smith. At this time the mine had a steam engine and boiler to haul the coal, and a water wheel to pump water from the mine. The son of W R Parcell (1), John Patrick Parcell wronte in his notes of this mine. He was 3 1/2 years old, and said he remembered his father employed two miners in this mine. They were called Bill and Jack. He thought they were wonderful chaps as they gave him and the other Parcell children lollies and toys - the only toys that they ever had.
3588 1887 The mine is sold again. On April 13 an advertisement in the Cromwell Argus stated that : ' Notice - the undersigned begs to notify that he has sold the Bannockburn Coal Pit to mess'rs Johnson and Andrews, and that he will continue to deliver coal as usual. He would also take this opportunity of thanking his numerous customers for the very liberal patronage received while in the trade, and hopes by strict attention to business and supplying a first rate article to merit and enjoy a continuance of the same. - Signed Wm Parcell ( J P Parcell in his notes talks about his father selling the mine to Johnson and Clarke. The Clarke would have been Alexander Winsloe Norton Clarke - hence the confusion as to whether Clarke or Andrews were in partnership with Robert Johnson )
3589 unknown The mine is abandoned. At some stage (c1899?) the mine was abandoned. The owners went to Victoria in Australia and were both killed in a coal mine disaster.
3590 1954 For details of later owners please see location #253. For details of later owners please see location #253.
Images

The table below shows a list of images related to the location. Click on 'View Image' to display more details about the image, and to view the image.

Image Id Source Date Short Description
101 Cromwell Argus via Paul Crump 15 Feb 1876 Bannockburn Coal Pit - Bell & Smith View Image
104 Cromwell Argus - via Paul Crump 24 Aug 1886 Bannockburn Coal Pit - William Parcell View Image
105 Cromwell Argus via Paul Crump 13 Apr 1887 Bannockburn Coal Pit - Johnson & Andrew View Image
106 Cromwell Argus via Paul Crump 8 Nov 1887 Bannockburn Coal Pit - Johnson & Andrew View Image
267 Cromwell Argus via Paul Crump 24 May 1881 Bannockburn Coal Pit - James Smith View Image
798 Paul Crump - Bannockburn 2002 Bannockburn-Nevis Road and Gully Road Intersection - looking south. View Image
1157 Paul Crump - Bannockburn 18 Dec 1902 Plan of Kawarau Coal Mine - Adam's Gully View Image
1713 S Kane - Wanaka c1900 John and Elizabeth Kane. View Image