Welcome, Guest. Please login or register for free.
Did you miss your activation email?
Tuesday 18 November 08 15:20 GMT (UK)
Welcome Home Help Shop Search Calendar Login Register
Search Images Online
 
  First Name(s)
Last Name
 
News: Ad:

+  RootsChat.Com
|-+  England (Counties as in 1851-1901)
| |-+  England - General
| | |-+  Northumberland (Moderator: RootsChat)
| | | |-+  Lead Mining in North East England (Whitfield)
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print
Author Topic: Lead Mining in North East England (Whitfield)  (Read 283 times)
Michael Dixon
RootsChat Aristocrat
******
Offline Offline

Posts: 1788


I've not edited my PROFILE yet
Lead Mining in North East England (Whitfield)
« on: Sunday 22 May 05 22:55 BST (UK) »
In the past Chatters have asked about Lead Miners in Allendale... I think one family mentioned was Whitfield.

The info below might interest some Chatters...

From a book...( from my local library)..
" The History of Lead Mining in the North East of England"
by Les. Turnbull, published in 1975 by Harold Hill & Son of Newcastle upon Tyne. ISBN number 090046331..

On page 29 is a table of hours worked and wages paid to boys who were employed as Washers, ( of the ore) during the month of April 1841, in the Beaumont mine.

Of the eight boys under the supervision of the two Mastermen Washers, Edward Hewitson and John Lee, a Dawson Whitfield at 11 yrs and 9 months was the second youngest.

For week commencing 10 April, Dawson worked 4 days, w/c 17 April 3 days, w/c 24 April 3 days and w/c 1 May 5 days. For the total of those 15 days he was paid at the rate of 6 pence a day, totalling 7 shillings and 6 pence
( 37 and a half pence in today's currency.) But last column notes that " Cash forwarded in the month" was 10 shillings
( 50 pence)... so as far as April 1841 went, Dawson drew more pay than he earned !

The other boys were Anthony Johnson 16 yrs 2 months,
John Chatt 17-2, William Coats 14-1, John Snaith 12-11, William Dixon 12-11, John Robson 10-9 and Michael Stobbs 16-2.

The chapter goes on to explain that a Children's Employment Commission of 1842  found that the washerboys worked from 7am to 7pm, with an hour midday break, and that
" cruelty towards children, which is frequently mentioned in the reports of children working in the coal mines and the cotton mills, was never observed by the Commission during their visits to the lead dales"


Michael Dixon,
Blyth, Northumberland
Logged
Names.

GALLAGHER ( + variations).

Areas. Co Sligo, Co Leitrim, Co Mayo Ireland.
Ontario, Canada,
Lowell, Ma, USA
ENGLAND ( Counties of Northumberland & Durham)
-------------------------------------------------------------------

DIXON

ENGLAND (Cumberland.. Brampton, Carlisle)
Gareth
RootsChat Extra
**
Offline Offline

Posts: 37
Re: Lead Mining in North East England (Whitfield)
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 01 June 05 14:50 BST (UK) »
I knew Les Turnbull -  a very nice man!

Another notable thing about the lead mining industry was the siting of the smelters down in the valleys where there was easy access to water power, whilst the chimneys were way up the hillside - often 1/2 mile away  - where they could get more draught. The 'pipe' joining the two was built of stone and ran overground. Maybe 1 metre across? Anyway, since the smelting process was so inefficient a lot of ore got deposited as the air cooled going up this long pipe, and recrystallised on the walls of the pipe.  Since lead often occurs with silver, it was worth recovering.

Small boys were ideal for that process too. They were sent up the long dark flues with a scraper and a bucket.  I wonder what they got paid for doing that? And how long they survived? Cry

Gareth
Logged
Tyneside - Almond, Lowes, Lackenby, Johnston
Berwick - Ronaldson
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »


[Copyright] [Free RootsChat Webspace] [Your Surname Interests] [Shrink Link] [About Us] [Terms of Use]
All Census Lookups are Crown Copyright, National Archives for academic and non-commercial research purposes only
RootsChat.com cannot be held responsible directly or indirectly for the messages or content posted by others. Inline images in messages are the copyright of the respective linked sites.
RootsChat.com, Europa House, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5BT
0.136:21