Lancashire Collieries & Emigration

[janeycherokee]

I have found that my Lancashire ancestors worked in the coal mines during the early-mid 1800s before emigrating to the USA. Where can I find information online about the lives of colliery workers at that time? I am also curious as to how much it cost a person circa 1850 to emigrate across the ocean, and how someone with such limited funds and a large family could have managed it on miner's salaries-were they financed or indentured back then? If anyone knows or could suggest link(s) to help me find out, I would greatly appreciate it.

[skb]

You could try these coal mining sites

www.cmhrc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

and

www.pitwork.net

[janeycherokee]

I have used both links, and posted a query on pitnet in their forum as well.  I know they lived near Lancaster, and that with 6 children it must have taken something momentous or disastrous to travel across an ocean to an unknown place.  I am trying to understand how and/or passage was obtained when they had barely enough even once here to keep body and soul together for a time...I don't believe they had the luxury of merely looking for adventure in another land!

[Charlieralph]

Also worth a read.Hard times!
http://www.blackcountrysociety.co.uk/articles/b&briots2.htm
Charlie

[janeycherokee]

Sometimes the most brave and noble are not the nobility, evidently. Thank you for sending this. I cannot fathom how they could have paid their way here, and worry they put themselves in an even worse position to do so. Heartbreaking...

[Mobo]

 

You cannot talk about mining without the same of WIGAN cropping up - it was said that at one time, the coal in the area was so abundant, people could just scoop it up from the soil. Naturally, there has been much emigration from this area of mines and cotton mills.  Try this link - you may find it interesting.

http://www.wiganshades.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/wigan_mines.htm

[janeycherokee]

Thank you for the link-blueyonder is an amazing site, I have found.