New Kohinoor Company


 * For other mines with similar names, see Kohinoor.

The New Kohinoor Company operated a gold mine in Redan, <1872-1911. During the mid 1870s the mine was worked by tributors, trading as the New Koh-i-noor Tribute Company.

Location
The company's mine shaft was on the south-east corner of Errard Street and Sebastopol Street.

No. 2 Shaft
This shaft was north, in Raglan Street, just over the current border of Redan.

History
The company was formed in October 1872 to rework the Burra Burra mine, after nearby mines were making good finds: "The discovery of high reef wash in the Koh-i-noor mine, and the prospects of discovering a field of same at the No. 3 Band and Albion Consols, with the splendid results that have attended the working of a similar wash at the No. 4 shaft of the same mine, have induced some gentlemen to purchase the claim of the old Burra Burra Company, in which no effort has ever been made to discover any of the high reef washes, and a new company is to be formed at once under the name of the New Kohinoor Company, for the purpose of trying to find a continuation of the wash, which, from the position of the ground, the projectors are very sanguine of. The claim embraces an area of about 60 acres, there is a shaft sunk to a depth of 320 ft., and good machinery erected on it, so that very little time or money will be required to prove it. The new company will consist of 21,003 shares of 5s. each, to be issued at a premium of 2s. 6d."

On 11 July 1874 the company reported taking 62 oz gold for the week. It was also reported that during the week the miners from the New Kohinoor broke through into the workings of the Golden Reef Company: "Another mining dispute has occurred at Ballarat, but fortunately pacific counsels prevailed, and neither smoking out nor shooting was resorted to. The Ballarat Post writes: — ' What promised to be a serious fracas occurred at one a.m. on Tuesday between the men employed by the New Kohinoor and the Golden Reef Companies. Mr. Wooldridge, who is interested for the Golden Reef Company, states that the New Kohinoor have encroached on the ground of the former, while Mr. Ballantyne, on the part of the New Kohinoor Company, stakes his reputation that his clients are the injured parties. Owing to the pacificatory interference of the gentlemen in authority in both companies, actual collision was avoided When the break through occurred, and a determination to settle the question in dispute by amicable arbitration was arrived at, each party agreeing to retire sixty feet from the debateable ground, so as to he sure that neither was on the other's boundary.'"

On 22 August 1874 the company reported taking 50 oz of gold during the week.

In October 1875 the City Council directed the manager to securely fence the pump shaft. This was following an accident where a young girl fell into a shaft at the New Sir William Don Company mine.

In July 1882, at is half-yearly meeting, it was reported that the mine was consuming 124 tons of firewood every week: NEW KOHINOOR COMPANY. The half-yearly general meeting of the above named company was held yesterday at the Unicorn hotel. There was a quorum of shareholders present. Mr C. Seal occupied the chair. Directors' Report - "Your directors congratulate you on the increased prosperity of your mine, as during the half-year £7800 has been paid in dividends—equal to 6s 6d per share—with every prospect of regular monthly dividends being continued, after the new pumping plant is erected and paid for. The sum of £600 has been paid on account of same. — C. SEAL, chairman, A. CLARK, manager.”

Mining Manager’s Report—“ln laying before you my half-yearly report I have the honour to state that at the date of your last meeting operations were being vigorously carried on at No 3 level north, for the purpose of letting the reef in that part of the mine. A crosscut was put in east to the footwall, and a rise put up 70 feet; which passed through a good deal of stone with a little gold in it. I am of opinion that the shoot of gold we had south at this level has dipped under foot, and expect to strike it in the next level below. At the No 4 level the north drive bas been driven 160 feet The lode in this drive has a very promising appearance; have seen gold in it frequently. As the rises are put up I expect to strike some good payable stone dipping north from the upper levels. I consider this part of the mine presents very encouraging prospects, more especially when we consider the good yields we had in the upper level, and the large extent of ground, we have in this, direction which has never been prospected. There is also a great quantity of stone south of the shaft to be operated on, which I have every reason to believe will pay when opened up. In my last report mention was made of a shoot of gold that was struck in the winze from the No 4 level. At the bottom of this an intermediate level was opened out, and a great deal of driving and stoping has been done in it which has proved eminently successful. At the No 5 level the south drive has been extended 200 feet, and the greater part of this distance is in stone, in which gold has been frequently seen. Two rises have been put up from this drive, and holed through to the lower intermediate level, both of which have opened up some good payable stone. A crosscut has been put in east about 70 feet from the main lode, which struck the footwall. At about 30 feet from the lode we came on another run of stone about 8 feet thick; I think it is the continuation of the shoot of gold that we have been working on for the last six or eight months in the upper levels with such satisfactory results. The strike of this shoot of stone (like others we have in the mine) is north, and to all appearance it is likely to continue. Two drives have been opened out on it, showing fair gold. There is a large area of ground at this level yet to be prospected. The No 6 level has recently been cleaned but and repaired, with a view of starting the south drive again. There is arise up 60 feet from this level, and a winze has been started at the No 5 level to strike this rise, and open up communication with the No 6 and ventilate it. When completed driving will be resumed on the course of the lode, which is at present two or three feet wide in the face, and well defined, and has every appearance of soon coming on a shoot of gold. I consider the prospects of the mine very encouraging.—ISAAC BUTSON, mining manager.”

Engineer’s Report;—"Since last half-yearly report your 70-head battery has been crushing continuously, without any stoppages excepting holidays and when cleaning up. We have crushed for New Kohinoor Company 10,494 tons of quartz, and from other sources 13,393 tons. The consumption of firewood for battery has been 2611 tons, an average, of 100 tons per week; and 9½ tons of quartz have been crushed for one ton of firewood burned. The winding and pumping engines have used 625 tons of firewood, an average of 24 tons per week, all the engines being high pressure only. Your present pumping plant not being powerful enough to sink the shaft deeper, a complete new plant, including a new 20 inch cylinder engine, has been contracted for by the Union Foundry, and is nearly finished; all the timber for the erection is on the ground, and the contract to erect it will be let on the 12th inst. The specifications provide that there will be no stoppage of the winding engine or underground works during the erection of the new plant.—E. R. MEEKISON, Engineer."

Receipts and expenditure—Receipts, £18,216 2s 5d; expenditure, £17,604 5s 8d; balance, £611 16s 9d. General balance-sheet-Receipts, £121,664 6s 1d; expenditure, £121,052 9s 4d; balance, £611 16s 9d. Assets and liabilities— Assets, £14,411 16s 9d; liabilities, £1000 The reports and balance-sheets were received and adopted. Messrs G. Seal, W. Bailey, J. Embling, M. Lee, G. Thompson. F. P. Hines, and A. Wynne were elected directors, and Messrs C. Barker and A. Sheppard auditors. A donation of £5 each was voted to the Ballarat Hospital, Benevolent Asylum, Orphan Asylum, and Ladies’ Clothing Society. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

In December 1888 a meeting at the Redan Club Hotel condemned the actions of the company in trying to claim the shaft of the Sir Henry Loch mine. They described the New Kohinoor as being like an octopus: PUBLIC MEETING RE MINING MATTERS AT REDAN. A public meeting of residents of Ballarat South and Redan was held last night at Watson's Redan Club hotel, to consider the action of the New Kohinoor Company in issuing a writ against the Sir Henry Loch Company, whereby the title of the latter company was sought to be assailed. There were about 60 persons present, and Mr Alex. Bell was voted to the chair. The chairman stated that he had at the beginning of the week been waited on by several gentlemen, residents in this portion of the town, and requested to convene the meeting. He had consented to do so. For many years the New Kohinoor had held a monopoly of a large area of ground, and in many instances to the detriment of legitimate mining. The Sir Henry Loch Company had spent a lot of money in sinking their shaft and erecting expensive machinery, and now the New Kohinoor Company steps in and claims the road. During the past four years the Sir Henry Loch Company had spent £23,000, and it was a progressive company. (Hear, hear.) It was a suitable time for them to speak out against the monopoly, that existed, and if they did speak out, the Government must take notice of them. (Applause.) Mr W. H. Keast referred to some of the facts in reference to the floating and carrying on of the Sir Henry Loch Company. The very men who were parties to bringing the suit had actually applied for a very large number of shares in the Sir Henry Loch when it was first floated. Was there any one who could defend the action of the New Kohnoor Company ? (Voice —“ They are worse than mad.”) Mr James Cotter said if the directors of the New Kohinoor knew they owned this land, why did they apply for shares in the Sir Heny Loch, when first floated. He (Mr Cotter) spoke on the matter not a share holder in the Sir Henry Loch —he held no shares —but because he was interested in the good of Ballarat. He was surprised that gentlemen like Messrs Morey, Gilpin, and Seal were parties to such proceedings as the New Kohinoor Company had instituted. It would not encourage legitimate mining. Mr W. H. Keast moved—“ That this meeting views with indignation and alarm the threatened action against the Sir Henry Loch Company, and desires to strongly express its sympathy with the latter, who have, been allowed to spend large sums of money in sinking, prospecting, and erecting powerful machinery during a number of years without the slightest interference, and are only now assailed (in the opinion of this meeting most unjustifiably) after proving a valuable mine. Mr Lyons seconded the motion. The action of the New Kohiuoor Company was merely an attempt to levy black mail. The New Kohinoor Company was an octopus that spread its arms all over Ballarat. They kept the titles to the land, but did not work it, and merely waited for something to turn up. (Laughter.) Mr J. H. Williams, in answering a question by Mr R. Pearce, said the New Kohinoor Company claimed actually the shaft of the Sir Henry Loch, which was on the street. Mr W. Barton, of the North Band and Barton Company, said he had no sympathy with the New Kohinoor Company. The latter company had swamped him out, and if the Sir Henry Loch had not started he would not have been able to sink the Band and Barton shaft at all. He did not think the New Kohinoor Company had a leg to stand upon, and that the Sir Henry Loch had nothing to fear. (Hear, hear.) They, as citizens, were quite right in speaking out as they did, though they could not alter the legal aspects of the case. The New Kohinoor Company did not work their own ground, and it would be the right thing to have a petition signed by all residents on the ground asking for the forfeiture of title of unworked portions. (Applause.) Mr W. G. Williams said the Kohinoor Company’s own title should be assailed. The motion was put and carried. Mr J. Whykes moved the second resolution, as follows:—“ That this meeting express its emphatic opinion that the area of ground in dispute can only be profitably worked (if worked at all) by the Sir Henry Loch company, and that no mere legal or supposed legal technicality, should possibly be allowed to so interfere with the mining industry, as to throw a large number of men out of employment, and by creating a want of confidence in the minds of investors, cause heavy withdrawals of capital from mining.” He thought the action of the New Kohinoor Company was a disgrace. They had allowed the Sir Henry Loch, in fact two successive companies, to sink the shaft on the street, which they now claimed. Mr R. Pearce seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr R. T. Moore moved, “That a committee be appointed from this meeting to take such action as may be deemed most desirable, in order to prevent further attacks on the titles of mining companies carrying on bona-fide work, as well as carefully watch the action threatened against the Sir Henry Loch Company.” The motion was seconded by Mr Jas. Cotter. Mr Barton, in speaking to the motion, referred to the holding of large areas of land for mining, and thought the matter should be brought prominently before the Government. The motion was carried, and the following gentlemen were appointed to act as a committee:—Messrs Jas. Cotter, J. H. Williams, J. Whykes, W. H. Keast, A. Bell, Barton, W. G. Williams, R. Pearce, and T. Lyons. The chairman announced that donations of £14 10s had been received towards defraying the expenses of the committee. The meeting then closed.

In August 1891, the company was granted permission by the Ballarat council to build a short tramway along Errard Street, for the purpose of dumping the mullock over the escarpment into the Yarrowee River valley: "New Kohinoor Company with reference to disposal of mullock — The manager of the company addressed your committee, asking that the council should grant permission for them to lay a tramway along Errard street, across Skipton street, into Latrobe street, for the purpose of conveying the mullock from the shaft to edge of the Yarrowee Creek — We recommend that permission be granted on on the usual conditions — C. C. Shoppee, Chairman — Adopted"

Half-yearly report, June 1894: "NEW KOHINOOR COMPANY. The half-yearly meeting of shareholders was held at the company’s office yesterday, Mr J. Embling in the chair. The reports and balance-sheets, which have already appeared in The Star, were received and adopted, and the retiring directors and auditors re-elected. The mining manager, Mr Fisher, reported that over No. 6 level he had now driven 30 feet in a black heavy wash about 2½ feet thick, of a payable character. It has been decided to commence operations driving west from No. 3 level to open up the alluvial between the main shaft and this point, and he spoke very hope fully of the prospects of the mine generally. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman."

On 1 August 1900, the body of a missing man was found in the pump shaft: "The corpse of a man in an advanced stage of decomposition was on Tuesday found in the pump shaft at the New Kohinoor mine, Redan at a depth of 250ft from the surface. The body was standing in the shaft in an upright position, but there is nothing to indicate whether deceased descended by the ladder or jumped into the hole. The remains are those of an elderly man named Patrick Magann who has been missing since the 21st May last. He was a mining engine drivers, and lived at Ballarat East."

In December 1905 there was a plan to reopen the mine: "THE NEW KOHINOOR, PROPERTY. PROPOSED RESUMPTION OF OPERATIONS. BALLARAT. — A movement is on foot with a view to resuming operations at the New Kohinoor property, near Redan. Work here was suspended about two years ago, owing to the stagnation of mining in the neighborhood. Prior to the stoppage the directors were compelled to mortgage the plant on which there yet remains somewhat over £2000 to be liquidated. Several well known mining men, who are thoroughly conversant with the resources of this section of the Ballarat field, intend making overtures to the bank for the purchase of the property, in order to again prospect for the shoots of gold bearing stone believed to exist within the area of the claim. Nothing definite will be known in this connection for some days, but it is considered no obstacle will be placed in the way of giving the property another trial. The New Kohinoor Co. consists of 48,000 contributing shares, in respect to each of which £1 3/8 has been called up, leaving 10/4 at call. The present company has paid no dividends, but the original venture, which was famous in the early history of Ballarat, raised gold valued at £437,955, from which over £250,000 was paid in dividends."

The mine was still in operation in August 1907: "NEW KOHINOOR MINE. BALLARAT - It was unofficially, reported on Monday night that nice gold bearing stone had been struck in the New Kohinoor mine at Redan in the rise over the 600 feel level. During the past week they have been in veiny country on the rise, and the stone has also been presenting a promising appearance in the main east crosscut at the 850 feet level."

In September 1908 the company was seeking government funding to continue mining: "WORK SUSPENDED AT NEW KOHINOOR. BALLARAT.— The New Kohinoor Company, Redan— one of the oldest mining companies in the Ballarat district— temporarily suspended operations on Thursday, pending the result of an application to the Government for a grant of £5000. They have been working at comparatively shallow levels, and have latterly been driving for the continuation of the rich run of stone worked long ago by the famous Washington company."

In February 1911 there were good prospects reported: "At the New Kohinoor, Redan, they have now gone over 6 feet into the Consols lode in the crosscut at the 600 feet level. On a well defined hanging wall there is about 1 foot of gold bearing stone. The formation is at present disturbed, but it is expected to make solid again shortly."

Mining ceased in September 1911: "WORK SUSPENDED AT THE NEW KOHINOOR. BALLARAT. — The New Kohinoor, Redan, on the Sebastopol line of country, have suspended operations owing to the death of Mr. J. S. Trethowan, a well known mine manager, who was a large shareholder in the venture. The drawing of the lifts was commenced on Thursday. Work at the claim has latterly been practically carried on by the financial support accorded by Mr. Trethowan."

In the Government Gazette of October 1911, the mining lease was described as abandoned: "Gold mining lease expired—No. 3035 dated 4th September, 1896, the New Kohinoor Company, N.L., 27 acres, Ballarat. Application for renewal of a lease abandoned.—No. 3035, Ballarat, A. Pearson, New Kohinoor Company 27 acres, Ballarat."

There was still gold to be found on the site as this report from February 1912 shows: "A party of Chinese, who recently purchased for £100 the right to treat the old ground under the battery of the abandoned New Kohinoor mine. Redan (Vic.) have obtained gold valued at £500."