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Teasses Colliery Shaft 1

Ceres, Fife.

Coal Shaft

About 1 7/8 miles E. by N. [East by North] of the farm house of Pratis.

A number of coal pits on the farm of Bonnyton, the property of the Earl of Glasgow, and leased by David Graham farmer, Bonnyton though the colliery is on the Largo Estate which is the property of Mrs Durham the minerals belong to the Earl of Glasgow. The name "Teasses Colliery" applies to all the coal pits in this district.

NOTICE - Wanted, for Teasses Colliery, from Twenty to Thirty Good Steady Colliers. Those unconnected with Unions will be preferred. Teasses Colliery, February 24, 1838. [Fife Herald 1 March 1838]

One of the early tenants was fisherman John Bisset. He was living in one of the dwellings at the time of the 1891 census with his wife Helen (nee Horne) and their daughters Grace and Georgina. In 1891 the building had not yet acquired the name Downfield. By the time of the 1900 valuation roll John Bisset had become the proprietor of Downfield and the name of the property had been established. Presumably he had purchased the building from David Gillies at some point after his career change from fisherman to mine manager at Teasses Colliery. [ScotlandsPlaces]

When Mr Bisset died in 1931, the St Andrews Citizen noted that he owned an extensive poultry farm at Buckthorns and was "a native of Largo" who "spent his early years as a fisherman before going to Teuchats Farm, where he also managed the Lime Works. He was for fourteen years in charge of the pumps at Durie Colliery. He left Teuchats and entered upon the tenancy of Buckthorns Farm in 1914. Mr Bisset took a keen interest in the development of Largo as a summer resort and was an active member of the committee for the improvement of the pier."[Vintage Lundin]

Alternate Names: None recorded.