Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ix
'A day I shall never forget' xi
Glossary xiii
Introduction 1
Part 1 The Miner in Context 7
Chapter 1 Discovering the Working Life of your Miner-Ancestor 8
Getting set on 11
Homes and transport 13
First days: working at the pit top 14
First days: working underground 16
Pony drivers 19
Job variety and progression 22
Colliers 23
Bathing and women's work in the home 26
Officials: deputies and overmen 28
Under-managers and managers 30
Mining engineers 31
Pit sinkers 33
Engine winders 35
Pay 35
Further reading 38
Chapter 2 Accidents, Disasters and Disease 39
Everyday accidents and dreadful disasters 39
Occupational diseases and ailments 43
Research guide: 45
Burial registers 45
Civil registration 45
HM Inspectors' reports 45
Accessing annual mines inspector's and disaster reports 55
Newspapers and periodicals 56
Where to find newspapers 63
Internet sources 65
Other useful sources 65
Was your mining relative or ancestor in the mines rescue service? 73
Did your coalmining relative or ancestor receive a bravery or gallantry award? 75
Further reading, video and film 80
Chapter 3 Rights and Strikes: Associations and Unions 82
Union development c.1780-present 85
Strikes and lock-outs 86
Notable strikes and lock-outs 87
Demonstrations and galas 89
Banners 90
Miners' leaders 91
Women 92
Research guide 93
Further reading 94
Chapter 4 Women and Child Miners 96
'Invisible' female miners 99
Women pit-top workers 100
Women and children working underground 106
The Children's Employment Commission (Mines) and its two Reports 1840-42 108
Further reading 116
Chapter 5 Coalfields and Miners at War 118
First World War, 1914-18 118
Spanish Civil War, 1936-39 131
Second World War: 'We'll do the fighting if you get the coal' 132
Selective sources and further reading 138
Chapter 6 Using the Census 140
Incomers and Miner-Households: a case study of Treeton, near Rotherham in south Yorkshire (1891) 140
Further Treeton sources 151
Chapter 7 Making Use of Objects and Ephemera 152
Pit checks 152
Early union badges 154
Later union, strike and commemorative badges 155
Safety lamps 156
Ceramics and glassware 157
Small metalware 159
Ephemera 160
Awards 163
Clothing and equipment 164
Chapter 8 Collieries and Coalfields 165
Coalfields post-1947 165
Lists of coal mines 166
Printed maps and plans 169
Further reading 170
Colliery names 170
Part 2 Where to Find Information 171
Chapter 9 Regional Sources 172
Scotland 174
The coalfields of Scotland 174
England 184
Northumberland & Durham coalfield 184
Cumberland coalfield 192
Yorkshire (Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire) coalfields 194
Lancashire and Cheshire coalfields 204
Midlands coalfields 210
Bristol and Somerset/Forest of Dean (Gloucestershire) coalfields 219
Kent coalfield 224
Wales 225
North Wales coalfield 226
South Wales coalfield 228
Chapter 10 National Sources 238
Scotland 238
National Mining Museum 238
National Records of Scotland 239
National Library of Scotland 241
Scottish Screen Archive 241
National Museums Scotland 242
Rcahms 242
Scottish Genealogy Society 242
Online sources 243
England (& UK-wide) 244
National Mining Museum 244
British Library 244
Coal Authority 245
Institution of Mechanical Engineers 246
Iron Mountain 246
The National Archives 247
Num 247
Working Class Movement Library 248
Online sources 248
Wales 252
National Museum Wales 252
Big Pit National Coal Museum 252
National Waterfront Museum 252
National Museum Cardiff 253
National Library of Wales 253
National Screen & Sound Archive 254
Online sources 254
Index 256
