Coton Park Colliery Derbyshire. The Letters of Jonathan George Binns

The letters relate the trouble-strewn exploration for coal deposits at Coton Park Estate just South of Linton Village and South West of Church Gresley and Swadlincote Derbyshire. The letters will be of interest to people of that area of course and particularly to people interested in mining history. During this period there was an ever expanding requirement for coal. Easy sources were already being exploited and the attention of entrepreneurs like Jonathan Binns turned to deeper and more difficult alternatives. Of a more general interest will be the character of the letter writer: Binns battled not only against the Derbyshire Geology and an ill-chosen chief Engineer but also against his own ill health. During the entire period of these letters he was periodically bedridden and unknown to himself approaching death.