A report from September 21st 1889 gives details of a new Colliery for Dronfield: 'The valuable seam of coal known as the Blackshale or Silkstone and under 180 acres of land situated at Dronfield adjoining the main line of the Midland Railway has just been purchased by the Unstone Coal and Coke Company. The company will take possession in the course of the week and it is intended to develop a coalfield commensurate with that of the Moor Top Colliery near Unstone belonging to the same company. Plans for a sidings have already been approved by the Midland Railway Company which will be on an extensive scale and but a short distance from the railway station and near to the spade and shovel works of Messrs. E. Lucas and Sons.' (extracted from an excellent website produced by A N Bridgewater covering Mining in North Derbyshire and other aspects of local history)