Rosewood History
The Lanefield Colliery
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Wednesday 17 July 1918, page 3
New Coal Mine. Mr. J. M. Bruce, who until recently, held a lease of the Glencoe Colliery, has opened up a new mine at Lanefield on Mr. Crane’s property, where a good seam of coal 5ft 8in thick has been found.
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Warwick Daily News (Qld), Friday 28 February 1919, page 6
COAL AT ROSEWOOD.
As a coal producing district the Rosewood area seems to be coming to the fore with a good sharp flash (says the “Queensland Times'”). For some years the Glencoe colliery on Perry’s Knob has been producing an excellent variety of coal. A number of improvements, including a new shaft, have been carried out in recent times, and the output of coal has been well maintained. The quantity brought away by the coal train seems to bear that statement out.
Lanefield, apparently, is offering just at present a rather attractive field for prospecting purposes, and some excellent results have been obtained. For some time past Mr. J. Bruce has been working a seam situated on a property about one mile from the Lanefield station. It has been stated that the Railway Department and other coal users have reported in glowing terms of the quality of the product; and the volume of orders received is said to have exceeded the present output. Recently Messrs. Wrights, of Tivoli, secured a lease of the property, and it is understood that they intend to go in for further developmental work. They have the rights over a considerable area of land, and it is expected that before long a railway siding will have been constructed to the pit. Mr. Bruce is said to have put down substantial workings, anil it is hoped that the results will justify expectations.
This does not comprise the whole of the coal area which the district is said to contain from a coal mining point of view. Recently Messrs. William Want and Charles Walker lodged an application, under the regulations, for a lease of the railway reserve at Lanefield, containing about 40 acres, adjoining the railway station, and it is thought that, ere long, work will be commenced.
The management of the Rhonnda Colliery is also reputed to have decided to commence operations on a property close to the railway station, so it seems that Lanefield, as part of the Rosewood district, will add to its fame as a prolific farming and dairying district by its production of wealth from underground, as well as overground.
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld.), Monday, 29 January 1923, page 4
REGISTERED FIRMS. The following firms has been registered:- Lanefield Collieries; proprietors, John M. Bruce and Arthur J. Loveday.
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Brisbane Courier (Qld), Wednesday, 14 January 1925, page 11
The Lanefield collieries disposed of their Walloon colliery to the Clydebank Company. Mr. Walter Richardson is now managing at Lanefield.
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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Wednesday, 20 May 1925, page 6
WEST MORETON COAL.
LANEFIELD AND ROSEWOOD MINES.
A DISTRICT WHICH MAY BE DEVELOPED.
RAILWAY COMMUNICATION A NECESSITY.
Lanefield is practically a new coal district in the West Moreton but the mines there have been developed to such an extent that it is considered that there are possibilities, at industries develop in Queensland, of large collieries being· established there. The quality of coal has been favourably commented upon by customers.
Very little is being done in the Rosewood district at present, but here too, mining men consider that the industry has not been fully exploited. A feature of operations in both the Lanefield and Rosewood districts is the fact that no explosives are used in the pits.
Lanefield was first placed on the map of colliery districts by the present proprietors of Lanefield Collieries- Messrs. J. A. Bruce and A. J. Loveday-about eight years ago. A bore was sunk by them in Mr. M. Crane’s paddock (later owned by Mr. E. O’Donnell), and the indications, being particularly encouraging, it was decided to put down a tunnel. Mr. Bruce went to Lanefield after years of experience on the Bundanba field, and Mr. Loveday, who was an accountant at Rosewood, was able to render valuable service on the business side. The tunnel was situated about half a mile to the north of the Lanefield railway station. ‘A shaft was also sunk on the same property. For a period of about 12 months, Messrs. Wright Bros., of Tivoli, held the lease of the pit, but with that exception it was worked by Messrs. Bruce and Loveday up to about 18 months ago. At that time they ceased operations in O’Donnell’s paddock, and removed to a site in Mr. C. Wraight’s property adjoining, the property on which the original tunnel was sunk. Here it was found that the coal was of a very satisfactory quality, and conditions were conducive to obtaining it at very reasonable cost.
Mr. Walter Richardson, originally from the Bundanba field, is the manager , and at present there are 20 men employed at the mine which is being worked practically every day, and is producing an average of 60 tons daily. The partners have secured the mining rights of about 500 acres of land in the vicinity. The coal produced is favourably commented on by customers, and there is every indication of a large deposit. When industrial conditions improve and railway connection is established, the prospects of development are excellent. At present, however, the partners are content to work on an economical, if limited scale. Their immediate needs include better loading facilities at the railway station, and more regular supply of coal waggons. They do not complain in this respect, however, and one partner remarked recently to a “Queensland Times” representative that the railway officials had been very considerate, and had done their best for the colliery. The building of a railway line to the pit or a tram line is also in view.
At present, the coal is loaded from a chute into horse waggons, and conveyed along a road, which is depressingly bad in wet weather, to the station. The loading is a simple matter, as the coal is run into the waggons from the chute, but unloading into the railway waggons involves a good deal of time and labour. The work is done by contract at present, and the contractors are local residents.
GOOD STEAM AND GAS COAL.
The coal seam that is being worked is at a depth of 100 feet.vertical, and is 5ft 6ins. to 6ft. 6ins. thick. It has been certified as a good steam and gas coal, and is of quick-flaming quality. It is a fairly hard coal, and therefore does not suffer seriously from the handling it receives before it reaches the consumers. No screening or washing plant is necessary to keep the coal clean. It has a band of stone, but it is a creamy colour, and easily distinguished from the coal, which means that only practically clean coal is loaded without the need for any machinery for picking or washing. The coal is obtained comfortably by the use of picks, and explosives are not required in the mine. Even without explosives, the men make very satisfactory returns on the piece work system. One of the difficulties which has to be contended with is the presence of water in the mine, and it is necessary to pump about 1000 gallons a day; but big roadways below are arranged to absorb a certain quantity, so that the work of coal-getting is not held up from this cause. Steam power is provided at this pit. Excellent ventilation is obtained by natural means, the present tunnel being connected with the old tunnel in O’Donnell’s paddock, and the installation of a fan has been unnecessary up to the present. Coal is supplied to the Railway Department, to consumers on the Downs, and to private metropolitan customers.
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Brisbane Courier (Qld.), Saturday, 10 March 1928, page 13
The proprietors Lanefield Collieries had a light tramway laid down from the colliery to the Lanefield railway station, a distance of about three-quarters of mile. Prior to this horse power had been used for haulage and the colliery had to suspend work during any wet weather owing to the roads being untrafficable.
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Brisbane Courier (Qld), Monday, 29 September 1930, page 8
A new type of rail motor, invented and constructed by Mr. H. E. Collett, at his motor garage, East-street, Ipswich, has just been completed for the Lanefield Colliery, Rosewood. It was made from a 2½ ton truck chassis, cut in half, and may eliminate the present style of waggon skips, laden with coal, which ave drawn by horses. The motor has a Dodge engine, which is carried on a four-wheel bogey. As the engine runs on a narrow gauge line, all the wheels were specially cast for the job. The brakes are incorporated in the rear wheels, and can be operated by either foot or hand. The deferential has been geared to suit the work. A rough trial of the new motor at the colliery gave every satisfaction. At its first essay it shifted three or four tons of coal without any difficulty and without any sign of over-heating and seems fairly economical to run as regards both petrol and oil. It is expected to be able to pull at least eight tons of coal without any trouble, and should prove much more efficient than the present method of drawing the coal.
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Queensland Times (Ipswich), Saturday 8 September 1934, page 2
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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Thursday 6 December 1934, page 6
MINER’S CLAIM. £5 Verdict for Defamation. ROSEWOOD. December 5.
In the Rosewood Magistrate’s Court to-day, before Mr. W. Simpson, P.M., James Patrick Smith, of Rosewood, sued Joseph Henry Lergesner, of Rosewood, for £100 damages.
The statement of claim set out that between May 9, 1934, and May 17, of the same year, defendant falsely and maliciously spoke and published to Fred. Evans. manager of the Lanefleld Colliery, and to diverse other persons, defamatory matter concerning plaintiff, in consequence of which defendant was dismissed from the colliery and became unemployed, and has since been unemployed and suffered damages.
Mr. W. G. Delaney appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. J. Casey for defendant. Defendant denied that he published Sa matter -omannlained of.
The plaintiff, James Patrick Smith, a coal miner resident in John-street, Rosewood, stated that defendant was Secretary of the Lanefield branch of the Miners’ Union. He held that position during the month of May. Witness was a member of the union also, having joined In the year 1914, and remained a member since then. About May witness was employed as a miner at Lanefield, for eight shifts. He was doing piece work. After he worked there for eight shifts Fred. Evans, manager of the mine, spoke to him. Witness was dismissed from the mine, not on any grounds of incompetence. Witness did not resign from the union and was not expelled fromn it.
Fred. Evans, Manager of the colliery, and Norman Bade, deputy mine manager, also gave evidence. The P.M. gave judgment for plaintiff for £5, professional costs £2/10/, costs of court £1/2/. and witnesses’ expenses 15/.
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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Thursday 13 September 1951, page 3
Recommended for Approval
After hearing formal evidence in an application for Coal Mining Lease No. 317 by Lanefleld Colliery in the Warden’s Court yesterday morning. Mr. J. H. Fowler, S.M., said that he would recommend that the lease be granted subject to survey. Arthur James Loveday said in evidence he was one of the applicants. The others were John Mitchell Bruce and William Norman Ruhno. The minimum depth that mining would be carried out in the land applied for would be 60ft. No roads would be crossed in workng this area, and no buildings ould be interfered with. Mr. T. H. Palmer (Messrs. Hargreaves and Palmer) appeared for the applicant company.