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
