Part 1 Newspaper articles from 1859/60 about The Little Comfort Mine operated by the South Devon Mining Company

The newspaper articles below give insight into the day-to-day workings of the Little Comfort Mine, they are from 1859/60 and give no indication how long the mine operated.

From them we can see the names of some of the miners. The name of the chairman of The South Devon Mining Company was Mr Sarl. The company agent and bookkeeper was Mr Satchell from Ilfracombe.

 It also gives insight into the disastrous appointment of the Mining Captain Richard Hackaday, who would have been in charge of the day-to-day running of the mines. Various simple disputes ended up in Barnstaple Court rather than being resolved. Hackaday charged out goods ordered in Ilfracombe to the company and had them delivered to his own house for his own use. The company solicitor in one Barnstaple Court case referred to Richard Hackaday, as a man with no character to lose and in the next case in December 1860 stated that `Hackaday a married man had eloped with the wife and niece of the miller of the neighbourhood, taking with him £40 of the Miller`s money.

North Devon Journal 20th of October 1859

Mining

Some little stir has been made this week by the presence of miners with their peculiar tools proceeding to commence operations in the parish of Westdown, and it is also said in some parts of Berrynarbour for the purpose of raising manganese which it is hoped will be successful. The metal is found on the property of a D Bassett, Esquire of Watermouth. The Westdown working will be it is understood in Westdown Wood, on Fullerbrook Farm, where there are remains of ancient workings. Purchases of materials are being made in the town, and Thursday is named as the day when preliminary preparations will commence. The speculators are understood to be Sarl and Co, the great goldsmiths of Cornhill, who, it is reported are prepared to spend £10,000 in the project.

Note. Some of the miners that were working the Fullabrook Mine at Halsinger seem to have also, according to stories handed down, mined for manganese at the Viveham Mine in Marwood parish. These mines are up Viveham Lane, a farm lane on the main road through Muddiford just before The Muddiford Inn coming from the direction of Barnstaple. The account below shows that by 1877 this mine had closed.

North Devon Journal Thursday the 25th of January 1877

Mining plant for sale

Gould and Sanders are directed to sell by auction, on Monday, the 5th of February 1877 at the hour of 2:00 PM on the premises Viveham Wood in Marwood, the whole of the plant used therein.

North Devon Journal 13th of September 1860

Moon versus Satchell

The plaintiffs, Messrs. Moon and Son ,  ironmongers  of this town claimed £7 16 s  6d of the defendant, for goods supplied to The Little Comfort Mine of which he was cashier.

Mr Bencraft appeared for the plaintiffs; Mr Peard for the defendant. Plaintiff, Mr. James Moon, deposed that the goods were ordered by Mr George Hockaday who said he was authorised by the directors of the mining company. The defendant said that the goods had been ordered by Hockaday (a man who had no character to lose) on his private account, and furnished to his house, that they had never been ordered by him (defendants), nor had they reached the mine. -evidence was given that a saw charged  to the account had been ordered by Mr Satchel and delivered at the mines. – His honour saw nothing in the case to affect the defendant for whom he gave judgement.

 North Devon Journal 13th of September 1860

Vickery v Satchell

An adjourned case. Plaintiff ( Vickery) a carpenter of Ilfracombe sought to recover £22  for erecting a crushing house at Little Comfort Mine. Defendant denied his liability: he had urged the plaintiff to make out his bill in the names of the directors of the company; and, if he had done so it would have been paid. The company would not pay his (defendants private accounts). The case was adjourned at the last court for the production of a witness who now gave evidence that he assisted to build the crushing house and that he received instructions from Vickery, Hockaday and Satchell.

His honour said that the defendant should in future say when he gave orders that he was the agent of a company, and furnish the names of his principles. He held that he was liable in the present instance, judgement for the amounts claimed.

North Devon Journal Thursday the 13th of September 1860

Lamprey v Sarles

Plaintiff ( Lamprey), a miner claimed £3  18 s 11d for labour done at The Little Comfort Mine in the parish of Westdown for the mining company of which Mr Sarles is chairman. Plaintiff deposed that he was employed by the cashier of the mine (Mr Satchell) at 2s 6d per day. Richard Hockaday the captain on the other hand affirmed that in July he told Lamprey that he should not pay him more than two shillings a day. The work had been done under contract , and charged for in the pay sheet and he, Hockaday had sent to plaintiff since his dismissal two or three times requesting him to come and receive the wages. There was some difficulty in understanding the ins and outs of the case, which appeared to be rather intricate. His Honour said so far as the dismissal and reduction of wages were concerned it had been sworn by the plaintiff that he had never been dismissed and that his wages were 2 s 6d per day and the witness Hockaday had sworn that he did give him notice of a reduction from 2s and 6d to 2s a day. He had oath against oath and must decide against the company for the amount claimed with the costs.

North Devon Journal Thursday the 13th of December 1860

Hockaday v Sarl

At the last court this case was referred to Mr Harper, a mining captain, to assess the value of manganese – dressed and undressed – on Little Comfort Mine. Mr Bromham for Hockaday.

Mr Peard for the defendant (Hockaday). The award was read by the registrar and it awarded 9 tons of unfinished ore £3 3 s.  Other incidentals brought up the sum due for labour to hockaday  to £4 5s. The dressed or had been previously accounted for. On the cash account Hockaday had been overpaid £1 6s, deducting which sum from the £4 5s, left the sum of £2 19s due to the 27th of October. His Honour gave costs on the sum recovered. The cost of reference £1 to be divided between the parties. ( it was stated by Mr Peard that since the last court Hockaday, a married man. had eloped with the wife and niece of a miller of the neighbourhood taking with him £40 of the miller`s money).