The United Collieries Ltd.

The great Scottish Coal Combination, a syndicate formed in 1902 to bring together many coal proprietors throughout Central Scotland.

Within West Lothian, these companies and pits were

Armadale Coal Co. Ltd..

• Armadale No.17 pit
• Armadale No.23 pit

James Wood & Co.

• Polkemmet No.2 pit
• Polkemmet No.5 pit
• Polkemmet No.8 pit
• Hartrigg No.4 pit
• Northrigg No.2 pit
• Northrigg No.7 pit
• Colinshiel pit

Board listed in the 1924 Colliery Year Book as:

• M.F. MacLean, The Chantry, Ross, Herefordshire (Chair)
• R.W. Brown, Daavar, Newlands, Glasgow (Managing Director)
• James Wood, Wallhouse, Torphichen
• David Strathie, 86 St Vincent St. Glasgow
• Hugh Johnstone, 109 Hope St. Glasgow
• Thomas Arnot, Chaseley, Hamilton

Mines within West Lothian (in 1924)

• Armadale (employing 159 underground and 46 surface workers, manager Wm. Hunter)
• Blackrigg No.1 (employing 216 underground and 51 surface workers; manager John Leckie)
• Blackrigg No.3 (employing 192 underground and 55 surface workers; manager John Leckie)
• Foulshiels (employing 381 underground and 96 surface workers; manager Alex Geddes)
• Greenrigg (employing 363 underground and 81 surface worker; manager Thomas Welsh)
• Northrigg (employing 240 underground and 32 surface workers; manager, Robert Morton)
• Southrigg No.3 (employing 406 underground and 88 surface workers; manager, Wm Brown)
• Torbanehill - Drum clay mine (employing 11 underground and 3 surface workers, manager Robert Morton)
• Loganlea (employing 384 underground and 134 surface workers, manager Geo McDougall)
• Woodmuir (employing 155 underground and 34 surface workers; manager Hugh Crawford)
• Hartrigg No.3 & 4 (pumping, employing 4 surface workers; manager Wm. Hunter)
• also Bathville brickworks, Atlas brickworks, Etna brickworks, Wagon and engineering shops at Bathville and Armadale, and Westrigg beehive coke ovens
• Westrigg No. 2 & 3 pits.

Board listed in the 1938 Colliery Year Book as

• A.C. Strathie, (chair)
• R.W. Brown (managing director)
• Hugh Johnstone
• Edmond D. Logan
• David Rankine
• J.B. Talbot-Crosbie

Mines within West Lothian (in 1938)

• Armadale (pumping, employing 8 underground and 4 surface workers)
• Blackrigg No.1 & 3 (employing 360 underground and 90 surface workers; manager John Leckie)
• Foulshiels (employing 500 underground and 122 surface workers; manager Daniel Macpherson)
• Greenrigg (employing 400 underground and 92 surface worker; manager Thomas Welsh)
• Northrigg (pumping, employing 6 underground and 4 surface workers; manager, John Paterson)
• Southrigg No.3 (employing 320 underground and 75 surface workers; manager, Wm Hendry)
• Torbanehill - Drum clay mine (employing 37 underground and 9 surface workers)
• Loganlea (employing 600 underground and 120 surface workers, manager Jas Morton)
• Woodmuir (employing 200 underground and 45 surface workers; manager Hugh Crawford)
• Hartrigg (pumping, employing 1 underground and 3 surface workers; manager James Paterson
• Westrigg ( employing 3 underground and 15 surface workers; manager James Paterson
• also Bathville brickworks, Atlas brickworks, Etna brickworks, Wagon and engineering shops at Bathville and Armadale, and Westrigg beehive coke ovens.

Board listed in the 1944 Colliery Year Book as

• A.C. Strathie, (chair)
• John Findlay, Bathville (managing director)
• Edmond D. Logan, 44 West George St. Glasgow
• David Rankine, 288 West George St. Glasgow
• J.B. Talbot-Crosbie, 47 Summers St. Glasgow
• D.W. Fyfe, 109 Hope St. Glasgow

Mines within West Lothian (in 1944)

• Armadale (pumping, employing 8 underground and 4 surface workers)
• Blackrigg No.1 & 3 (employing 215 underground and 46 surface workers; manager Neil Robertson)
• Foulshiels (employing 350 underground and 81 surface workers; manager Thos Linton)
• Greenrigg (employing 376 underground and 63 surface worker; manager Thomas Welsh)
• Northrigg (pumping, employing 6 underground and 4 surface workers; manager, John Watson)
• Southrigg No.3 (employing 8 surface workers; manager, John Watson)
• Torbanehill - Drum clay mine (employing 40 underground and 8 surface workers: manager John Watson)
• Loganlea (employing 522 underground and 133 surface workers, manager Thos.Allan)
• Woodmuir (employing 173 underground and 40 surface workers; manager Hugh Crawford)
• Hartrigg (pumping, employing 1 underground and 3 surface workers; manager John Watson
• Westrigg ( employing 3 underground and 70 surface workers; manager John Watson
• also Bathville brickworks, Atlas brickworks, Etna brickworks, Wagon and engineering shops at Bathville and Armadale, and Westrigg beehive coke ovens.

The Scottish Coal Combination.

THE ARMADALE COLLIERIES INCORPORATED- As we outlined in our article in our issue of 23rd May dealing with what was at that time a proposal to combine the bulk of the coal producing areas in Scotland, all the collieries owned by Messrs Jas. Wood (Ltd.) and Armadale Coal Company have now been officially notified as having been handed over to the syndicate known now the Scottish Coal Combination. The syndicate took over all the collieries at at July, and although it not expected that the works will go under the new name for yet , awhile, those working in the various collieries will have to count and reckon with the new management. It is understood that, the various companies who have joined will continue for at least six months to work under old arrangements and under the old designation. What alterations may take place thereafter is at problematical, but the first effect the new combine will have, it is believed, will be the stiffening of pricers to buyers all round. In addition to the collieries owned by Messrs James Wood, Ltd., the syndicate have taken over the brickworks belonging to the firm. Representatives from the Gleagow office at the combination for stock-taking purposes made a survey of the whole materials on hand, furnishings and coal, etc., exclusive of the colliery plant at the different collieries, along with the coal foreman this week. James Wood (Limited) own the following collieries in Armadale district—No. 2, No. 5. No. 8 pits, Polkernmet, No. 4 Hartrigg, Nos. 2 and 7 Northrigg, and No. 1 Colinishiels, and also the well-known Atlas and Etna Bricks. They farther own Drumpellier Colliery. Coatbridge; Meiklehill, Kirkintilloch; and Neilston Colliery, Kilsyth. They employ over a thousand men in Armadele district. The Armadale Coal Company own the two pits, Nos. 17 and 23, Buttness.

West Lothian Courier 4th July 1902