HistoryExtra podcast Mining history: everything you wanted to know
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Feb 23, 2025 In this conversation, Professor Robert Colls, a Research Professor of English History with expertise in British mining, delves into the rich history of mining in the UK. He reveals how much miners earned for their hard labor and discusses the often-overlooked roles of women and children underground. Colls explains the curious use of canaries as early gas detectors, while also highlighting the evolution of safety measures, such as the Davy lamp. The struggle and unity among miners during significant strikes provide a poignant insight into the social dynamics of mining communities.
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Working Hours and Union Power
- Hewers, experienced miners, often worked six-hour shifts but spent unpaid time traveling to and from the coal face.
- The powerful miners' unions in the North East secured better bargaining terms, including shorter shifts.
Pit Head Baths: A Turning Point
- Pit head baths allowed miners to return home clean, improving their self-esteem and social standing.
- This innovation also significantly reduced the burden on miners' wives, who previously handled the arduous task of washing soiled work clothes.
Mining Attire and Safety Lamps
- Miners often wore their old clothes to work, sometimes stripping down to shorts (hoggers) in hot mines.
- The Geordie and Davy lamps, invented by George Stephenson and Sir Humphry Davy, improved safety in gaseous mines.