Monkland Oil & Coal Co. Ltd.

OUTER HOUSE, Wednesday, November 9. (Before Lord RUTHERFORD LARK.) JOHN DALGLEISH v. HUGH STRAIN. Evidence was led today by an action by John Dalgleish, C.A., Glasgow against Hugh Strain, coalmaster, Glasgow. Pursuer is the liquidator of the Monkland Oil and Coal Company (Limited), and he seeks for the payment of £75 and £597 6s. 1d, or in all £672 6s Id. In the year 1866 a lease was entered into between J. C. Colquhoun of Killermont and William Smith, merchant, Glasgow, under which the latter acquired the right to work for nineteen years certain seams of coal and ironstone in the of New Monkland, known as Nettlehole Colliery.

In that year Mr Smith started the Monkland Oil and Coal Company (Limited) to work the colliery under the lease. The estates of Smith, however, were sequestrated on 23rd October 1880, and in November following the pursuer was confirmed as trustee. In April last pursuer advertised the lease for sale, under specified conditions. On the 14th to of that month defender wrote to pursuer offering £75 for the lease, with plant, railway, machinery, etc., "which includes all right you have to the waggons under the purchase lease of the Waggon Company, all in terms of conditions of sale given to me." Of the same date this offer was accepted, and defender was relieved of the rent and other liabilities of Nettlehole as at the date of entry. In terms of the conditions, the whole plant, &c., was subsequently valued by Mr. Geo. Mcreath, mining engineer, Glasgow, at the sum of £597 6s ld, making with £75 for the lease the sum of £672 6s. 1d. Defender obtained entry to the premises as stipulated at Whitsunday, 1881, and has been working the colliery since that date. As defender refuses or delays to pay the above sum the present action has been raised.

Scotsman, 10th November 1881

Registration Records transcribed from dissolved company records held by the National Archives of Scotland.