Ayrfield No 3 Colliery

Ayrfield No 3 Colliery was located on the Rothbury Estates near Rothbury and Branxton, NSW. It was on the western side of the Cessnock-Branxton main road (Highway 82).

Prior to 1937, Rothbury Estates operated Rothbury Colliery.

In 1932, the mine was leased by James Ruttley who renamed it Branxton Colliery.

On 1 July 1935, Robert W. Miller leased part of the land, and, by October 1937 held all the coal leases within the Rothbury Estates. RW Miller & Co renamed the colliery Ayrfield No 3 on 26 June 1936.

Athol Lightfoot was appointed the first certificated colliery manager of Ayrfield No 3 in October 1938.

The history of the colliery written by the late Jack Delaney may be read at the Newcastle Regional Museum's site -

http://hosting.collectionsaustralia.net/newcastle/greta/ayfl3.html

Source

Delaney, John. 1998. A history of the Greta coal measures

These photographs are from an album presented to Jack Keily, Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, on his retirement. He was Electrical Engineer in Charge at Ayrfield No 3 from March 1973 - June 1974.
Click each thumbnail to see the full-sized photo.