Michael Kenyon Gregory with John Bates and Ellen Kenyon Gregory's Illuminated Address "

Library, The Precinct, Buckley

13 October 2010

JOHN BATES GREGORY and Family

Below are the relevant texts entered elsewhere on the archive, brought together for convenience. See the entries mentioned for more information or background.

1.21 - Text by James Bentley:

1878 - John Bates Gregory, born in Leigh in Lancashire in 1827, appointed manager. Colliery comprised of eight pits working five seams viz: Bind, Rough, Hollin, Brassey and Main. No. 1 and No. 2 were pumping pits. No. 3 was nearer Drury and was connected by horse tramway. No. 2 pit was filled in when the roadway was made (World War I?). No. 4 pit was in the Plantation. No. 5 pit was nearest the railway line. The two pits working Brassey and Main coal came from the same winding engine. No. 7 pit was on the other side of the railway line and was colloquially known as the "Strip an' at it". The small cottage near the pumping pits was formerly used as colliery offices.

The lease ended in 1886 and pits were closed. Directory of 1885 gives for Buckley: "Hawarden Colliery Co. T. Dixon - proprietor; John Bates Gregory - manager".

(J B Gregory later took over Woods Pits which developed into Mount Pleasant Colliery and Brickworks - later known as "Standard" - then later as "Standard Pipe Works").

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1.155 - Text by James Bentley

MOUNT PLEASANT COLLIERY AND STANDARD BRICKWORKS

These were established by a mining engineer from Lancashire, John Bates Gregory. A talented surveyor and geologist, he realised that coal and clay abounded on the site of the nearby Dinghouse Woods. Here were found many early primitive bell-pits known as "wood pits" and on this site he established a colliery, mining also fine, light coloured clay.

The setting up of the brickworks alongside superseded the mining of coal. Gregory's large family expanded into other industries, including the well-known aerated waterworks at Lane End.

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1.333 - Text by Harold G. Gregory

EARLY HISTORY of the Aerated Water Works.

On the supply of water to the district from Moel Famau and the Clwydian range of hills in about 1886, a company was formed (1888-9) trading as the Buckley Aerated Water Co., chiefly at the instigation of John Bates Gregory of Cold Arbour House . On his death in 1891, the business was carried on by Mrs Ellen Kenyon Gregory, his widow, with the assistance of various members of the Gregory Kenyon family, sons and daughters. From approximately 1891 to 1912 the business traded under the name of E.K. Gregory, and shortly after the death of Mrs Gregory, the business was formed into a private limited company, and traded as Gregory's Limited. The buildings and works were demolished in 1962/3 the site now being occupied by Chester Road Petrol Filling and Service Station. ( Estimated date of this piece - mid 1970s)

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See 7.200 - Text by Harold G Gregory on Cold Arbour House, in which the Gregory family lived for many years.

See 28.300 - Text edited by James Bentley of the 1887 Jubilee Committee. End notes state that John Bates Gregory was born in 1847.

See 38.1. Slater's Directory 1856 states that a butcher called George Owen was living at Cold Harbour.

Also in this entry, the Postal Directory for 1886 gives Gregory as manager of Hawarden Colliery Company.

Author: Anon 2

Michael Kenyon Gregory with John Bates and Ellen Kenyon Gregory's Illuminated Address "

Library, The Precinct, Buckley

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