Where Is This Mystery Colliery Check From?
Can anyone throw any light on the origins of the above check which was acquired with a small collection of assorted colliery lamp tallies. The check measures 32 mm in diameter and has an embossed beaded border on its reverse side.
I am particularly interested to finding out what the initials in this check's legend stand for. Could they stand for those of the Altham Colliery Company Ltd. (of Accrington), Ashington Coal Company Ltd. or something different again? A couple of the Yorkshire collectors I know have told me that they have seen this check in other collections and that they thought that the initials stood for "Airedale Colliery Company Ltd." of Castleford who operated Wheldale Colliery. I don't agree with this suggestion as the actual name of this Yorkshire based pre 1947 company was in fact Airedale Collieries Ltd. (i.e. A.C. Ltd.).
Any thoughts or suggestions on the above would be most welcome.
REPLY No.1
I've once got a stamped check with a similar legend "A.C.Co." which came from
a house clearance sale in Accrington. I assume, at least in the case of my
check that the initials stand for "Altham Colliery Company Ltd.." who owned
Moorfields, Great Harwood and Whinney Hill Collieries in Accrington during the
early 1900s.
I have never seen a check from the Ashington Colliery Company Ltd. although I have heard there is a pre 1947 brass embossed check bearing the simple legend "Ashington". This example surfaced with a set (trio) of Great War Medals a couple of years ago in a junk shop in Ashington itself.
I'm sure there could be other colliery
companies with the initials (A.C.C. Ltd.) but I can't think of any at present.
Submitted By : Mark Smith.
Date: October 2004.
