The early history of the Hetton Colliery
Hullmandel’s 1823 lithograph of Hetton Colliery in the County of Durham projected and managed by Arthur Mowbray.
Reproduced by permission of J. R. Cook.
In autumn 1820, Arthur Mowbray (1757-1840) established the Hetton Coal Company, by dint, as his former employer and rival later described it, of prowling round the Royal Exchange to raise funds.

Charles Lord Stewart (Marquess of Londonderry from 1822) had sacked Mowbray as manager of the Vane-Tempest collieries in 1819 and appointed John Buddle as his successor. Mowbray’s response was to use the expertise gained from many years in the coal trade, land agency and banking to set up a rival enterprise buying up coal leases round Hetton le Hole.
 


Much of the information we have about the new company comes from Buddle’s reports to Londonderry, such as the Eye plan from 1820 showing ownership of the Hetton leases.
Robson of Sunderland’s lithograph marking the opening of Hetton colliery and its railway.
 22 November 1822