Estevan Valley Coal Mine

** WARNING **
Old Abandoned Underground Coal Mines can be Very Dangerous,
Due to Collapse, and Mine Gases (Noxious and Flammable).
Extreme Care should be taken around them, due to Falls, Sudden Ground Collapse, and Bad Air,
and in NO Circumstances should People enter into ANY Mine Openings, or Associated Caves.

The Material Contained on my Sites, is NOT to Encourage Personal Investigation of these Mines,
But only as a Historical Record of these Long Abandoned Mines.
Please View these Mines from a Far, Safe and Legal Distance.
Always Observe Private Property Rights, and Obey ALL Warning Signs.
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Estevan Valley Coal Mine
aka J. Parkinson Mine
aka Jimmie Parkinson Mine
-SE of Estevan

LSD 11, NW Section 1, Township 2, Range 8, W2

photo of Mine Office courtesy Duane Bill, Calgary AB

Photo of mine courtesy Duane Bill Calgary AB

Owned and Operated by James "Jimmie" Parkinson

One James Parkinson was buried in Estevan City Cemetery
b- Nov 26, 1879
d- June 18, 1958

Then 1911 census,
there was a James Parkinson living in Estevan
b- Apr 1886 in England, age 25,
brother to a Job Parkinson
whose family he was living with.
Shown as a miner.
Same fellow, or 2 different ones?

A James Parkinson was Town Councillor, ca 1931,
during the Bienfait Miner's riot.
also Chairman of the Relief Committee

A James (Jimmy) Parkinson
owned the Victoria Cafe in Estevan at one time

Jimmy Parkinson came from a Lancashire coal mining home.
Described as a "Welshman".
Came to Canada as a boy of 18 years old, ca 1897.
Spent sometime in the east of Canada,
before coming west with a pre-war harvester excursion
Farming wasn't his calling, so he went into a job
with the railroad as a pumpman.
While doing this job he went out prospecting for coal.
Before he could buy a coal mine lease with surface rights,
he joined the Army Medical Corps in WWI.
address shown as Abram Lancashire England
next of kin, George Parkinson,
Platt Bridge, Lancashire, England.
James showed his occupation as Contractor (waterworks),
not married, enlisted at Valcartier, Sept 23, 1914.
Reg # 33863
On his return he picked a 300 acre plot, 3 mi SE of Estevan.
in 1930 he was mining coal for 65 cents a ton.
15 cents of that was clear profit for him.
in 1930 he had a prospect of selling his mine
for $4,000,000.00. a lot of money now, never mind then.
he had 3 more mines at this point.

See Louis Parkinson mine for more family info

I think George Parkinson was his father- a Collier