Coal Mining

[sallyyorks]

List of Occupations associated with Coal or Lead Mining
(will add more info )

Banksman , Banker , Barrowman , Brakesman , Bye Workman , Bottomer , Coupler , Caller , Chalker-on , Collier , Craneman/Crane Hoister , Dataler , Drawer , Driver , Deputy , Deputy Overman , Colliery Electrician , Engineman , Flatman, , Foal (Putter) , Furnaceman , Gin Driver , Headsman , Hod Boy , Hewer , Helper up , Horse Keeper , Inspector , Jigger , Keeker , Lamp Keeper , Labourer , Labourer Underground , Master Shifter , Miner , Oncostman , Onsetter , Overman, Back Overman , Pikeman/Pickman , Pit Lad , Pit Lass , Putter , Pit Brow Labourer , Prop Man , Prop Maker , Trimmer , Runner , Screener , Shackler , Shotman , Stoneman , Shifter , Small Leader, Switch Keeper, Timber man , Trapper/Screen Trapper , Trimmer , Viewer , Way Cleaner , Wasteman , Wood/Water Leaders , Worker Overground , Wailer , Wagonway Corporal , Water Leader , Way Cleaner , Windroad Boy , Wood Leader

Links to websites

Durham Mining Museum
http://www.dmm.org.uk/mindex.htm

Coal Mining History Resource Centre
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/home/index.html

[mauricej]

A page of Mining Occupations at the very useful Durham Mining Museum site;

here:

http://www.dmm.org.uk/educate/mineocc.htm

[GrahamSimons]

Another very useful site:

http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/index.html

[sallyyorks]

Thankyou for your input Maurice and Graham   

Some more links

cmhrc searchable data base of accidents and disasters
"This is a database of over 164,000 records containing the details of coalmining accidents  and deaths in the UK"
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/disasters/index.html

NUC History link
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUminers.htm

The 1926 General Strike
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_United_Kingdom_general_strike

List of Collieries at work , 1880
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cmhrc/list80.htm

Interesting description of the  mining town Bagilt  ,  North Wales 1848
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagillt

Child Labour in the mines
http://www.historyhome.co.uk/peel/factmine/childmin.htm

[mauricej]

North Wales coal Mines:

http://northwalesminers.com/sites/sites_coal.htm

North Staffordshire coal mines:

http://northstaffsminers.btck.co.uk/

[Meezer]

Another that might be of interest;

http://www.archive.org/stream/glossaryoftermsu00gresrich/glossaryoftermsu00gresrich_djvu.tx

[sallyyorks]

Apologies if this has already been linked , but there are A LOT of coal mining terms on this site   

"This information was researched over many years by Dr E Lloyd Boardman"

Coalface Glossary of coal mining terms

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/coalface/glossary/Terms.htm

[sallyyorks]

Some books that document UK coal mines

The Wonderland of Work by Clara L Mateaux (1884 )
Free to read online. Page 9 has some statistics
"The guide tells us that in one year - 1878, for instance - our supply of coals, which consisted of 132,612,063 tons, cost 1,413 lives; that out of every 336 workers one was killed..." [an average of 3.87 lives a day]
https://archive.org/stream/wonderlandofwork00matrich



The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell (1937)
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Wigan_Pier
".....George Orwell set out to report on working class life in the bleak industrial heartlands of the West Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire. Orwell spent his time living among the people and as such his descriptions are detailed and vivid..
Chapter Two describes the life of miners and conditions down a coal mine. Orwell describes how he went down a coal mine to observe proceedings and he explains how the coal is distributed. The working conditions are very poor. This is the part of the book most often quoted..."

[sallyyorks]

The 1842 Royal Commission Reports (includes child labour)

http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/literature/royalcommissionreports/