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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Northumberland Lookup Requests => Northumberland => England => Northumberland Completed Look up Requests => Topic started by: ambleetc on Tuesday 08 November 11 17:32 GMT (UK)
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I have recently aquired this photo entitled Coal Hewing on Amble Beach. However, I am confused as from my understanding of Hewing, it is carried out not on a beach. The only thing I can think of is that there is a darker bit on the right of the photo - could this be leading to underground? Can anyone explain this photo? I am not sure if it should be posted here or on the occupations part of Rootschat.
Finally - could anyone tell me roughly when they think this photo was taken? There is nothing at all on the back of it - and it is a copy I have anyway, and not the original.
Thanks as usual
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Hi
Coal seams are not always deep underground, although those nearest the surface have usually been mined out centuries ago. There are seams in the NE of England which run under the sea, and some of these are occasionally exposed, especially after storms, as they cross the beach.
Hibee
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People used to pick and bag sea coal from the beach to use on their fires at home,hewing was carried on underground but maybe there was an exposed coal seam on the cliff face that they were digging into.I can remember seeing 'owld gadjees' tekking a bag of sea coal yem ower tha bikes crossbar.The photo might be from when the general strike was on in1926?
Steve
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I wonder if the " Hewing" bit is a joke. i.e. " Compare how easy it is for these beach hewers with how hard it is for the real hewers underground !"
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In 1970s when I lived in County Durham, harvesting coal from the foreshores around Hartlepool was quite an industry. But I believed this coal was part of the stone, slag, dross etc, tipped into the sea via overheard tippers, from local collieries. The heavy stone etc sank, while the lighter coal was brought to the shore by tides. The coal had been put onto wrong belt by the screeners at the colleries
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Trivia Angle.
"Hew" = To cut. From Old English, from High Old German.
Surname " Eisenhower" = Iron Cutter
Michael
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Has the picture been posted
I think it could be of people picking sea coal
My mother in law taught me how to pick sea coal from the beach
I think the coal came from broken seams from under the pit shafts
there were quite a few pits near Amble at the time
When there was a stormy seas or high tides there was always plenty of sea coal on the beach'es
there was also what they called dross very fine coal and the men used to get for their greenhouses
my father in law had a stove in his greenhouse and we used to get it for him
Our eldest daughter still likes to wonder the beach and at odd times finds a piece of coal
her husband thinks it strange but many a day me and the little ones would go down with a bucket to pick coal I don't think the young mothers of today would do that now
Elizabeth
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Thanks to all of you (again!) for your really helpful replies to my question - I always learn such a lot from Rootschat - thanks again.
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It seems that the topic of taking coal from the shore/sea is much discussed
(including on the internet)
e.g. The 31 July 2001 edition of the Northern Echo (online archive)
The point is made that County Durham coal seams are deep underground and do not outcrop at sea, whereas Northumberland's coal seams do.
So the view concludes that coal from County Durham beaches/shorelines is "waste" coal, whereas Northumberland's is from coal seams outcropping at
sea .
The shoreline south of the River Coquet mouth has a ridge of rock outcropping on the shoreline. The colliery of Hauxley was adjacent to these rocks.
Michael
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Yes Michael your right
I have looked at the photo and I am sure the man in the front with the stick is my husbands uncle George
When he comes back home i will let him see the photo as he has picked sea coal as they call it here from being a little boy
This place looks like what I think they called Dakers not sure you will see they are standing on sea weed
Elizabeth
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Huband says it looks like his uncle and these men would be looking for coal
Its not dakers as I thought it is beside cave near to the Saltpans
known now as Island View
Elizabeth
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Thanks again - really great to know exactly where the photograph was taken - will have to visit the spot next time I am in the area. Fancy the photo being your husband's Uncle!
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To be truthful I spotted it as his cousin who looks very like his Dad also named George
Do you know where the Saltpans are (Island View now )
its along by the old cemetery on the Links road
Elizabeth
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Husband says it looks like his uncle and these men would be looking for coal
Its not dakers as I thought it is beside cave near to the Saltpans
known now as Island View
Elizabeth
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I walk the dog often at Amble and it's not what I would call a coaly beach. It's sandy.
There are an awful lot of men on that photo, more than I would have thought to be out picking up sea coal on an average day, even in the Depression days.
There also seems to be a lot of "stuff" on the beach. Were they perhaps picking over the wreckage of a coal boat?
There are however remains of coal staithes at Amble, the beach near there maybe had enough spillage to search through?
The photo isn't clear enough to enlarge to see more detail, unfortunately.
Gen in Northumberland England
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Gen
You mustn't have been here about 50 years ago
On a stormy day I used to or should I had to leave my little ones with my invalid father in law to help my mother in law carry coal up from the beach yes its sandy now
and you will see what we call the little shore is a digrace at the moment
You most likely park your car at the bottom of my street
Elizabeth
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I've only known Amble in the last 5 years so it's probably changed quite a lot since you went coal gathering:-)
If it used to have coaly beaches and now it's sandy, makes me wonder where the coal went???
Gen in NBL UK
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It all got gathered up by my mother in law and many more :D
The pits have been closed for years and the seams all sealed off
Hence no coal to get out of the seams
Elizabeth
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Sometimes coal seams were found just inches under the surface of the ground.
When I was a youngster, I would spend my Summer holidays with my Auntie in Esh Winning, Co. Durham.
I recall her telling me about the horrible cold Winters when they nearly froze to death for lack of fuel.
Imagine her surprise, when years later the Wimpy Opencast Co. moved onto the land, and found coal deposits just six inches under the surface of her land. :)
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My Father was a coal miner, working in pits throughout the North East.
One day, in the 1950's, he told me he had been working all that day."under the sea"..
They had travelled down into the shaft, then continued almost a mile under the North Sea...
What a scary thought.!
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My father ( lived Cowpen, worked "A" Pit Bedlington Station) used to say he had been to Blyth beech- under it, not on it.
Also that he had fish paste sandwiches for his " bait", made by himself after putting up his hand to snatch a fish from the sea.
He also boasted about how posh the flushing toilets were down the pit !
Michael
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:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
When I was a school we were taken down Shilbottle pit by some students I would be about 14 at the time
the best thing about the trip was the meal we had in the canteen there
Elizabeth
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Thank you all of you for your replies to my original question - I have learnt such a lot!- glad I posted the photo now. Much appreciated.