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Mining
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The Dock Colliery, Bull Street, Gornal Wood.
This small colliery was started by Edward Bradley around 1910, the loading bay ran parallel to Bull Street.
1923: Dudley Chronicle, Thursday 9th August.
DROWNED. WHILE PLAYING WITH A DOG.
It is a very dangerous thing for children to play with dogs by canals and pools, - said the Coroner (Mr. Higgs) during an inquest held at Sedgley on Monday, on Harold Marsh (11), who lived with his parents at St. James Terrace, Dudley. Harry Parker (11), said that last Friday he, his brother, and Marsh went for a walk to Gornal and took a dog with them. They went to the pool by the Dock Colliery, Gornal Wood, and threw stones into the water to try and get the dog to go in. Marsh was on knees trying to push the animal in, when the dog, in jumping into the water, took Marsh in with him. In answer to a question from the Coroner. Parker said that the boy did not sink straight away, but tried to swim. Witness and his brother ran and told two men who were on top of the bank. The men advised him, witness said, to go and tell the boy's mother. The men went down to the edge of the pool, but Marsh had disappeared. Parker did not know who the men were, and they were not present at the inquest. Edward Houlston, St. James's Terrace, said that at about 6.30 p.m. on Friday his sister told him that Harold Marsh was in the pool, and he went atraight to the place, stripped, and dived in to try and recover the body. He was, however, unsuccessful. P.C. Ashley, Sedgley, who recovered the body, said the place was an old engine pool. and is only a few yards from the road. It is about 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep, and is very dangerous, as the sides are steep. It is railed off from the road, and the boys had no right to be there at all. The Coroner, in returning a verdict of Accidental death, - said he did not attach any blame to the parents.
One of the diggings crossed under Bull Street and coal was mined from beneath the area on the opposite side.
In the past, this has caused subsidence in the area, the most recent occurred on Sunday, 13 September 2015 when a two foot hole about six foot deep opened up at the side of the carriageway during road works.
An earlier 'crowning in' occurred in the same spot along Bull Street in the 1960s.
In 1917 the manager was J.W.Newey, the Dock No.7 and No.5 pit employed 62 men below and 32 above ground.
The No. 7 pit closed in May, 1917.
Pit no. 5 employed 62 below ground and 32 above ground at that time.
Houses were built in Bull Street along the pit banks in 1933.
Dock drift no.2 mine belonged to the Earl of Dudley, was located at Lower Gornal and was abandoned in November 1945.
Need further information to establish if this was connected with the Bull Street workings.
E. Bradley & Co. had Himley Garden Pits No. 1 & 2 at Lower Gornal in 1908, with Harold Newey as manager employing 72 men below and 15 above ground.
H.S. Pitt is listed in a mining index at Garden Pit No.2, Lower Gornal, also in 1908 but no men employed there.
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