Table of Contents


Banks Mine

Pinto, Saskatchewan, Canada

Hugh Banks Mine,
aka Banks Mine

Operated by Hugh Banks. 

There were three brothers James, Hugh, and Harry Banks, who all came to the Pinto area in the early 1900's.  James left to New York, but Harry and Hugh both had coal mines in the area. 


Banks Mine location #1, map above part of my Dad's 1927 map

Location #1 located on LSD 9,10,15 & 16 (NE corner) Section 26, Township 1, Range 6, W2


Mine Plan Document
Lease No C42 and C43
Granted Mar 17, 1906
Dept Natural Resources Plan #98
No 1 and No 2 Mines

Lease C42, Date of Issue May 7, 1909,
Authority CS No 311, LSD, Sec 26, Tsp 1, Rge 6, W2.
Lessee- Hugh Banks
Surveyor- Robert John Campbell Lee
Supervisory Mining Engineer- C. C. Ross, Department of the Interior, Ottawa ON (See Charles Cathmer Ross's bio below)

In 1932 the plan below has a hand written addition
Hugh Banks
Pinto Coal & Brick Co. Pinto
Hugh Banks from Not Trust
all 1/4 sec Coal? + Surface
Lease 43, on LSD 10
name Pinto Coal & Brick Co. void for
Hugh Banks
LSD 9 (almost in NE corner), SE Section 26, Tsp 1, Rge 6, W2
4 1/2 ft Coal Seam, clay Floor and clay roof,
Mine 1 and Mine 2
the Key plan shows the location of LSD 9 on Sec 26
Mine Plan Hugh Banks Mine


Mine Plan Map
Mine #98
Red Pencil Additions dated Apr 10, 1935

Then we find Banks Mine at location #2


2nd Location Mine Plan Map
On SW corner of LSD 16,
Section 31, Township 1, Range 6, W2
dated Sept 1945/46
5 Ft Coal Seam.
62E2SW written on document above
unfortunately the 1/4 section of Section 31 is cut off on this copy.
was it NE, NW, SW, or SE Section 31?

Credit
Mine Plan Documents and maps above, copied from Original Documents, held by Saskatchewan Government, Mines Branch, Regina,
Acquired by Richard (Dick) Wright, P. Eng, and contributed by Mr. Wright for viewing here.
He was assured they were Public Documents, and Web Use allowed.

There were several Hugh Banks in the area but the most likely one is this one:

Click for Hugh Banks Bio

Hugh Banks

  • b- Apr 22, 1893 , Golborne, Lancashire, UK
  • d- ,

Bio

Most likely owner of Banks Mine

* NOTE There were several people wiht similar names in the same area. I am fairly sure of the following information but some could likely be incorrect. Please Contact me if you have further information

* He enlisted in WWI in Winnipeg Feb 1, 1918, Regimental # 2380285,

  • Hugh was shown as Methodist, single, Miner and farmer 

1901 UK census shows James Banks as a Coal Hewer, age 39

ADDITIONAL INFO FOUND IN SEPT 2010

  • 1920 Hugh Banks age 27, returned from Liverpool to Quebec City, Canada on SS Megantic,
  • Sept 11, 1928, shown as single, (meaning wife and children below may not be accurate, or this is another Hugh Banks)
  • lived in Canada for 8 years when he came back this time,
  • born in England, heading to Taylorton SK, occupation Miner.
  • returning Canadian on CPR

then I found Hugh Banks immigrating June 30, 1913, arriving in Quebec City from Liverpool England on SS Lake Manitoba, age 20 He came with a brother, Thomas Banks, age 23, both joining a Miner brother at Taylorton SK, both shown as single, both Prim Methodist, both shown as Coal Miners. So now we have a Thomas Banks in the mix too.

May 6, 1912, Harry Banks, age 22, came to Quebec city from Liverpool, on SS megantic, single, Prim methodist born in England, heading to Taylorton SK, coalminer. He worked as coalminer for 9 years prior to this, planned on becoming a farmer.

now we know he was the possible first brother.

Spouse

Ruth Banks

  • b-
  • d-
  • m-
  • Again not 100% sure if this is “this Hugh Banks” wife and children

Children:

Jim Banks (Son)

  • b- unk
  • d- unk



Lorna May Banks (Daughter)

  • b- May 24, 1925 
  • d- Sept 28, 1983
  • Lorna married Clarence Jahn

Lila Banks (Daughter)

  • b- 1928
  • d- Mar 3, 1952
  • Lila married Mike Dzuba

Ruth Banks (Daughter)

  • b- Dec 12, 1930
  • d- Jan 12, 2009 in Regina General Hospital

Ruth married Frank Nieviadomy. I know She grew up in the Pinto area for sure. Ruth and Frank were great friends of my Mom and Dad. Their Daughter Bernice Banks, married a Demers, living in 2009.

Father

James Banks

  • b-1862, Ashton in Makerfield
  • d-
  • 1901 UK census shows James Banks as a Coal Hewer, age 39

Mother

UNK

  • b-
  • d-

Siblings:

James Banks (Brother)

  • b- bet Oct- Dec 1895, He was 5 in 1901, in Golborne, Lancashire, UK
  • d-



Thomas Banks (Brother)

  • b- 1890
  • d-

came with a brother Hugh from Liverpool, both joining a Miner brother at Taylorton SK,  

  • shown as single, both Prim Methodist, Coal miner



Harry Banks (Brother)

  • b-
  • d-

May 6, 1912, Harry Banks, age 22, came to Quebec city from Liverpool, on SS megantic, single, Prim methodist, born in England, heading to Taylorton SK, coalminer.

  • worked as coalminer for 9 years prior to this.
  • planned on becoming a farmer.

now we know he was the possible first brother.

 


Charles Cathmer “Charlie” Ross B. Sc.,
b- June 14, 1884 in Ottawa ON (shown as 1883 in 1901 census)
d- Sept 12, 1938 on a street in Vancouver BC, age 54
Married Catherine Mabel Ross, nee ?,
They had 2 sons

Father- James Walter Ross,
b- Apr 20, ca 1851, (1854 in 1901 census)
age 23 when he married,
His Father was a School Principal
1901 census shows him as a Post Office Clerk.
married his Mother, Jan 1, 1874, Sarah Ann Ronan, at St. Mary's Church, Navan, Prescott and Russell Co., ON.
b- Mar 25, ca 1850, (1853 in 1901 census)
she was age 24 when they were married.

Siblings of Charles Ross, all born in ON:

sister- Lily M. “Lillie” Ross,
b- Sept 15, 1877
School Teacher in 1901

sister- Birdie Ellen Elizabeth Ross
b- Dec 20, 1879
married Charles Franklin Atcheson, Sept 6, 1905 at 4th Ave., Hintonburgh
b- Ottawa, age 28 when he married
son of Joseph Atcheson and Adelaide Tough

sister- Emma Ross
b- Nov 3, 1888

1901 family living in Hintonburgh Village, Carleton, ON

Grandfather- Emerson Wallace Ross
Grandmother- Ellen Magdalene Ross, nee ?

Charles Ross was Lands and Mines Minister, in the Social Credit Government, in Alberta, resigned in late 1936.
When he signed the first Oil and Gas Lease in Alberta in 1936.
Charles Ross was raised in Ottawa ON.
He grew up to be a well known hockey player in his era, playing Pro for the Ottawa “Vics” Victorias, ca1906-1907, and Montreal Wanderers,
and even played in the Stanley Cup Finals, at one point in his career. He played at the same time as Art Ross played. relative?
Attended Lisgar Collegiate, Studied Engineering at McGill University, Worked on the Dominion Land Survey for 2 years, for the Dominion Government.
Became a Consulting Engineer in Saskatchewan and BC., Returned to Civil Service, as a Mining Engineer, and in 1916 made Senior Mining Inspector in Alberta.
1918 he went to Calgary, working for the Dept of Interior. 1928 promoted to Supervising Engineer in Ottawa.
In 1930 the provinces of SK and AB negotiated their own control of their natural resources from the Canadian Government.
Charles Ross was Company President of Anglo-Canadian Oil Company one of the big oil companies in the Turner Valley Oil Patch.

Pinto Coal and Brick Company

Aug 1909 this company was selling stock in the company
They owned the Pinto townsite as well as the mine
Head Office was in Winnipeg MB
They owned 760 acres
Located on the Soo Line
Mining 150 tons of coal per day here in Aug 1909.
They were adding equipment and a tipple and expecting 400 tons per day output.
Overlying the coal was a layer of excellent brick clay.
Authorized capital of the company $500,000

Executive of the Company:
President- Hugh Armstrong, Winnipeg
Vice-President- Donakd McLean- Moose Jaw SK
Sec-Treas- N. T. MacMillan, Financial Agent, Winnipeg MB
Thomas R. Deacon- Manitoba Iron and Bridge Co
William J. McMartin- President Winnipeg Ceiling and Roofing Co, Winnipeg MB
William S. King- Broker, Winnipeg MB
R. Vollans- Financial Agent, Broker, Winnipeg, MB
R. G. Thompson- Broker, Winnipeg, MB
J. B. Hugg, Barrister, Winnipeg MB