History of Matlock mines, caves - book progress update

[AR]

I think so, there's mention in the photographic section here https://pdmhs.co.uk/pdmhs-library/

 

[pwhole]

I'm not aware of any photographs. From what Doug and others told me they were very tight. There is Doug Nash a sketch and description in the e OP Mole records if they still exist but I don't think they crossed the rake. I think that he may also have published something elsewhere.

This was in the Glebe Cottage index, after a search for 'Harveydale':

p.1258. Vol.24.

Photo. "The Digger Hole".17th May 1978. Looking East from last photo, another trial Trench. All this ground
was totally changed later by Laportes. See supplememtary vols to Vol..26.
Photo. "Blake Mere". Rocharch's shaft near Blake Mere. This shaft was sunk into the Bonsall Fault.
The open-cut in the foreground was the later, Rcharch' Junr's exploratory open-cut.
p.1259. Vol.24.
Note:- Salter's Lane, which runs past the Digger Hole entrance runs down into Matlock, where we follow the
road South. Just through the Railway Bridge and on the right, lies Holt & Harveydale Quarry -
now occupied by "John Hadfield House", headquarters of Tarmac Roadstones Co. In the
quarry face, at the back of the house are the "Harveydale Tubes".
Photo. "Harveydale Tube .A.". 1954. Doug Nash emerging from the 'phreatic tube', after 4 hours 20 minutes
with little respite from this position. A.W.Ashwell on the ledge.
Photo. "Harveydale Tube .A." 1954. John Oakley emerging from the tube.
Photo. "Harveydale Tube .A." 1954. Alan Ashwell entering the tube, 1,500 ft long to a 150 ft drop to water
on "Seven Rakes Vein".
p.1260. Vol.24.
Photo. "Harveydale Tube .A." 1954. Margaret Oakley looking into the tube. The highlight of this tube is
"The Bedding Plane Desert" following a meandering trench in an open bedding barely a
foot high and lower on either side. 40 ft plus wide and 250 ft + in length. See Exp.20/131.
6th August 1954. OM Field Records Vol.1/2. G.1729.

There's also this on sketches/tracings, listed under 'Plan. E9':

E9. - 1. Print. Based on 1/2500 O.S. Shows:- Dennis Venture Vein. Moothall Vein. Dimple Rake.
Granby Foxholes. Carthegena Mine. Royal Oak Shaft on Moothall. Shining Dimple.
Crown Shaft. Seven Rakes Vein. Red Pipe. Seven Rakes Founder Shaft. Barcroft Vein.
Dimple Engine Shaft. Allenhill Spar Well (Chalybeate). Ladygate Vein.

E9. - 2. Tracing. Harveydale Tubes (Cave - Phreatic) running from Holt and Harveydale Quarry to
Seven Rakes.

E9. - 3. Print O.S. 25" Holt and Harveydale Quarry.

E9. -. 4. The fourway junction in Harveydale Tube Cave.

E9. - 5. Workings at Water Level on Seven Rakes as reached by the Harveydale Tube Cave.

Also found this listing in Op Mole field records, Vols 3-4:

Exp.19/236. "The Shaft defeated at the end of the Harveydale Tube." "Tearsall Sough",
Linchetts and Levels. "Seven Rakes Sough tail" Permission to move Westwards
towards Winster. 26th July-10th Aug. 1958.
Exp.20/237. "Seven Rakes Sough tail". OM/SM.113. 16th-17th Aug. 1958.
Exp.21/238. Shaft 510/4 - "The Cornishman" on White Hillocks Mine.
Harveydale Tube A. to Seven Rakes Mine - Workings in Toadstone. 23rd-24th Aug.1958.
Shafts 490/1 and 2. - "1861 Mine". OM/SM/114. Seven Rakes Mine.

 

[History Trog]

pwhole - that all sounds very interesting. Cannot alter the text of the book now tho'. I looked through several year books of Op Mole records in the DRO - plenty about exploring Bullacetree Mine eg D5289/5. Doug published printed copies at least of the following The Summary For The Year 1957 which I have.
In about 1960, there are two "caves" recorded just outside Harveydale Quarry. 40 years after that, I visited the site of the one on the south side - just a low outcrop of limestone but there may have been a bedding plane entrance there once. Perhaps Op Mole explored that.