Title: Section of the Bath Easton Coal Mine, Avon

Creator: Unknown

Description: Section of strata of the Bath Easton Coal Mine, Avon. The item is thought to have been created to accompany an 1808 report by the Bath-Easton Coal Company which included a statement by William Smith concerning the strata passed through in sinking for coal at Batheaston, near Bath, see: Eyles, J M. “William Smith, a bibliography…”, ‘Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History’, vol 5 (1969), pp87-109. Item 8.

The Bath-Easton Coal Company was founded in 1804 by local landowner Thomas Walters who had been persuaded of the potential riches to be found on his property by an enterprising woman of the name of Mrs Mary Lane Browne. William Smith was hired to prospect for coal and his survey saw one of the first uses of his still rudimentary stratigraphical theories. Smith suggested that coal would be found below the Red Ground (marked near the bottom of the section). Unfortunately influxes of water from the nearby Bath Hot Springs led to problems, and the costs of the 30 horse-power then later 80 horse-power steam engines installed to overcome the issue, and the lack of any coal measures, saw the scheme abandoned in 1813.

The section was presented to the Society by Thomas Meade, Honorary Member, on 2 February 1810.

Date: [?1808]

Format: Hand coloured engraving with ink and pencil annotations.

Archive reference: LDGSL/415

Image reference: 07-147

Recommended print size: Up to 20 x 16 inches (50 x 40cm)