The limestone burned in the kilns came from the quarries north and north-west of Fourstones. The 1865 Ordnance Survey map shows that by this date a waggonway was in place between the quarries and the kilns. Part of this waggonway was worked as a self-acting incline. Much if not all of the lime that was produced was despatched via the railway. The works were visited by members of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers on 13 October 1877. At that time, there were nine lime kilns in operation, capable of producing 150 tons of lime per day. Some of the lime produced was made into selenitic cement, used largely for plastering in place of mortar. Presumably, this was despatched by rail in sacks, whereas untreated burned lime may simply have been loaded in bulk into wagons; either way, the wagons will have been carefully sheeted to keep the loads dry. Large quantities of untreated limestone were despatched to the ironworks at Whitehaven and Maryport for use as a flux in the blast furnaces.
As well as producing limestone, the quarries produced sandstone. This was ideal for building purposes, so much so that it was know by a specific name: Prudham Stone. At the time of the 1877 visit, Benson was using a patented stone-dressing machine to partly work the stone before despatch by rail. The visitors watched as a piece of stone about 5' 9'' long by 18'' wide was dressed in less than 5 minutes. The machine could cope with a piece of stone twice as wide. The partly-worked stone was despatched via rail across the north of England and Scotland; Newcastle Central station, for example, was built using Prudham Stone.
William Benson also owned a brick and tile works situated to the north of Fourstones. No doubt the output of this undertaking was also despatched by rail, though it does not appear at all on the 1898 Ordnance Survey, so was presumably long closed by then.
In due course, Benson brought his son into the business, and traded henceforth as William Benson & Son Limited. In the fullness of time, the next generation entered the business too. Fourstones Colliery continued to be worked, but by the early 1920s its continued viability was uncertain. Closure was formally discussed during the directors’ meeting held on 18 September 1924.(1) The directors decided to keep the colliery open. Indeed, during the meeting held on 24 March 1925, they resolved to equip it to deal with an output of 120 tons in a single shift. Authority was given to the manager to buy 40 new coal tubs and sufficient rails and materials to double the main haulage road for 900 yards.
