The Hodbarrow Iron Mines

p152: In 1855 ... the Earl of Londsale granted a license to search for minerals on Hodbarrow Farm ... With the help of his nephew William ... John proceeded to explore the limestones ... close to Hodbarrow Point ... ore was discovered in 1856 ... the find was not very substantial, though it undoubtedly prompted further exploration

p154: ... most of the exploratory work was carried out under the supervision of John and William Barratt.

p155: There were times between 1856 and 1860 when the ultimate success of the mine must have been in doubt. ... A growin sense of frustration is apparent in Nathaniel Caine's complaint to William Barratt in October 1860 that, after several years of hard work, the company had only "an engine house and boiler and a few bore holes to show for it all"." In the following month, however, Barratt was able to inform Caine that the trial bores included "one 50 ft. deep in Ore and others 30 ft., 20 ft., 12 ft., 10 ft., and etc. etc. and none of them through the Ore ... there cannot be any doubt that a large deposit of Ore has been met with". Cain was also told that "our chances of making discoveries in other parts of the grant are very great ... " ... Encourages by these discoveries, Nathaniel Caine and John Barratt in 1861 secured a lease on the mine ... for a period of 21 years

Summary: after this time pace of work quickened dramatically