 Coal has been mined at Bradford since at least the early 17th century , when the endeavour could be very profitable albeit with significant financial risk . Thomas Charnock is recorded as having invested £ 300 in his Bradford Colliery during the reign of King James I ( 1603 – 1624 ) ( equivalent to more than £ 500 @,@ 000 as of 2009 , At about that time the seams at Bradford were producing about 10 @,@ 000 long tons ( 11 @,@ 200 short tons ) of coal a year , and probably an average of 20 @,@ 000 – 30 @,@ 000 long tons ( 22 @,@ 400 – 33 @,@ 600 short tons ) a year over the course of the 17th century . The early mines were shallow , exploiting seams close to the surface of what was a largely rural area until the growth of nearby Manchester . Colliery records date from 1740 , when Oswald Mosley of Ancoats Hall granted a 200 @-@ year lease of mining rights . The first shaft for a deep colliery was sunk in 1840 . By 1856 the colliery was in the ownership of Thomas Livesey , and had two 18 @-@ foot ( 5 @.@ 5 m ) diameter shafts to the Parker mine at a depth of 540 yards ( 490 m ) , providing ventilation . 
