Centuries of Coal and its Effects on Children in Mining Commuities by Marian Lewis Coal a substance made of carbon, which was laid down in the Carboniferous times over 300 million years ago. This shiny black rock called coal was found in Co. Durham and has been mined here for hundred of years. Conditions have changed considerable in the last few centuries. Working conditions in the 19th century and earlier were extremely bad with women and young boys working in the mines. Things were much better by the time I was born in 20th century, conditions had much improved Children of my generation lived a care free life compared with our ancestors even if a world war was raging at the time. Now in the 21st century coal mining does not exist in Co. Durham children who want to find out about coal mining have to visit museums such as Beamish and Kilhope mining museum. I wonder though whether the children like myself born in the 1940’s enjoyed the best of both worlds, the freedom to roam freely to enjoy simple games with out having to be escorted everywhere by our parents like this modern generation and not having to endure the hard ship of working like our ancestors. Children of a Mining Village in the 19th Century Mining has existed since Roman Times. Coal is mentioned as a method of paying rents in the Bolton book (the North East version of the Doomsday Book) Before 1700 Monks were known to have worked pits and there were also Bell Pits and Drift mines. These were small‐scale coalmines and the coal was used locally inn the homes and for local industry. Following the Industrial Revolution demand for coal grew; coalmines got deeper and became more dangerous. However many of the pits and pit villages were established in the 19th century with people coming from all over the country (my ancestors fron Norfolk and Staffordshire) Deep mines held many dangers, flooding explosive gases (called fire damp) and poison gases were fond in the mines. Falls of rock and stone were common, the weight of the ground above a worked coal seam was huge and wooden beams called pit props were the only support for the roofs. Methods were used to try to prevent accidents (www.history learning site. co. uk) A crude system of ventilation was used to clear mines of gases (Explosive and poisonous) Young children called trappers earning 2 pennies for a 12 hour day would have to sit underground, they would have to open and shut doors to allow mining wagons to pass this also allowed air to circulate. They sat in darkness in a hole hollowed out for them pulling a piece of string to open the doors. Children as young as four and five worked at these jobs older children worked like pit ponies dragging cowl wagons wearing “soames” a harness which passed between the legs and was hooked to a ring attached to a leather belt. Some “coal bearers” carried loads of coal on their backs in big baskets. “One girl – Ellison Jack 11year old, told the commission of Enquiry that she had to do twenty journeys a shift pushing a tub which weighed over 200kilos. She claimed she was whipped if caught slacking. Children worked up to their thighs whilst underground. Pregnant women worked in the mines, as they need the wages. One woman claimed she gave birth and had to go to work the same day. In an unnamed coal mine 58 deaths in one year out of 349 involved children of thirteen years or younger. See (www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/happy/) (www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/victorian/) It was reports such as these that brought about the Mines act of 1842. This act of Parliament abolished female labour in the British Coal Mines but refused to raise the age limit for boys beyond ten years. And no one under 15 was allowed to work winding gear in the pits. Whilst this act stopped the misuse of children and women in the mines most families would have missed the income they brought into the household small, as it would have been. On the 27/8 1891 an act called the Free Schooling Act was brought out making education easier for the children of pitmen etc Note: The views that are expressed on the website are the contributors own and not necessarily those of Durham County Council. This is a community website so no guarantee can be given of the historical accuracy of individual contributions