Coal Hewing Amble Beach? COMPLETED WITH THANKS

[ambleetc]

 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

[Hibee]

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

[nort]

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

[Michael Dixon]

 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 !"
                   ----------------------------------------
 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

           --------------------------------------------------

 Trivia Angle.
 "Hew" = To cut. From Old English, from High Old German.

 Surname " Eisenhower" = Iron Cutter


  Michael

[aspin]

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

[ambleetc]

Thanks to all of you (again!) for your really helpful replies to my question - I always learn such a lot from Rootschat - thanks again.

[Michael Dixon]

 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

[aspin]

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

[aspin]

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