landed property in the Newcastle and Maitland Districts." On his daughter Agnes's birth certificate (1888) he is described as "Landowner". He eventually bought up much of the Newcastle district known as North Waratah, subdividing it as the city environs grew, and renaming it Mayfield after Ada May, one of his daughters. Other streets in the suburb still bear his surname, his wife's maiden name of Greaves, and some of his daughter's Christian names: Clara, Ada, Dora, etc. He sold at a handsome profit the land at Mayfield, some of it bordering the Hunter River, upon which just before World War I was built the new BHP steelworks (now demolished), and other huge heavy industries. Owning much coal-bearing land on the Kurri Kurri and Cessnock districts of the South Maitland coalfields, he also became involved in the coal-mining industry. In 1887 he employed Mr. T. W. Edgeworth David to assess his lands for coal seams, and the following year he formed a syndicate including a Melbourne partner and established the Richmond Vale Coal Company.<ref>Kingswell, George H., The Coal Mines of Newcastle, New South Wales, Newcastle, 1890.</ref> Scholey's investment in the new company was his land. In October that year they sunk a bore finding huge seams on this land outside Kurri Kurri, and in January 1890 they sank a new shaft, "the Scholey shaft". However the following year only 2500 tons was produced, the industry suffering a severe depression. In 1897 the company sold a lease of the operations to J & A Brown and Abermain Seaham Collieries, for £39,500 and Brown's changed the name from Richmond Vale to Richmond Main Colliery, although oddly continued to name their rail link the Richmond Vale railway line. As time progressed this colliery produced the largest daily tonnage in the State, as well as providing, from 1912, all the electricity requirements for nearby Kurri Kurri and other townships. In 1904 he was also a Director of Aberdare Collieries Co. Ltd. Scholey was one of the earliest directors of the Newcastle and County Building Company, and one of the prime movers in the establishment of the Waratah Municipal Gasworks which went on to become the principal gas suppliers to the City of Newcastle. Civic positions John Scholey, as Alderman (elected 1882) and thrice Mayor of the Municipality of Waratah, New South Wales, received an official invitation to the New South Wales Government's State Banquet held