Concessionary coal –New Brancepeth Workmen’s Coal Ticket
Concessionary coal –New Brancepeth Workmen’s Coal Ticket
I have such a ticket and it dates from 1953, the year in which the colliery closed. There are columns on the ticket that show the date of issue of the coal, as well as the Keeker’s initials [which are CB] and the initials of the Checker [WS].In Durham County coalmines the Keeker was in charge of the coalmine surface. This particular record indicates that one ton of coal was delivered to the employee every month of the year until pit closure. Although no charge for the coal was made by the National Coal Board it was very much a part of each worker’s pay package. In the early 1980s the National Coal Board’s view was that it was an inherited obligation from pre-nationalization days. The Board felt that it would have been too expensive to buy out this long term arrangement.
Were there any problems during WW2 with people tripping over the parked concessionary coal during blackout? Did you pay someone to put the coal in your bunker? Did coal dust really dirty the washing on the clothes line? What is known of Mr ‘CB’ and Mr ‘WS’? I suppose they may have moved to Ushaw Moor to take advantage of the post war council house building programme.
The Sanders' family
What sort of Christmas did miner William Sanders, of 7 Ladysmith Terrace, have in 1900? He had a large family – namely: Elizabeth [wife], and children John, Ralf [or Ralph], Grace, Mary, Elizabeth, Robert, Gilbert and the youngest, George. It is true that his sons’ John and Ralf were also employed in coal mining and that would have helped financially. Clothes could easily be handed down and of course that still goes on in families today – a very sensible idea. It appears that the number of employees at Ushaw Moor was steadily growing during the early years of the 20th century so I imagine that the family was probably not hit by unemployment during that first decade - but of course I cannot discount the possibility of injuries. Are there any descendents of the Sanders family still living in Ushaw Moor?
Coffins
We already have an immensely interesting ‘coffin’ story submitted by Geoff Turner [see note 7 of my article published on 20/09/06]. Now we have another - but admittedly it relates to the village of Langley Park - still Langley Park is not far from Ushaw Moor! In May 1942 an elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Bolton, who lived at Blackburn Cottages Langley Park, were notified that their youngest son private William Bolton had been killed and that his body would be flown home for a funeral with full military honours. The turn out at the funeral was enormous. About two weeks later he turned up at home. Understandably his mother fainted.
[Source ‘Esh Leaves’ issue 10 in the month of November 2003]
Happy New Year
WB
I have such a ticket and it dates from 1953, the year in which the colliery closed. There are columns on the ticket that show the date of issue of the coal, as well as the Keeker’s initials [which are CB] and the initials of the Checker [WS].In Durham County coalmines the Keeker was in charge of the coalmine surface. This particular record indicates that one ton of coal was delivered to the employee every month of the year until pit closure. Although no charge for the coal was made by the National Coal Board it was very much a part of each worker’s pay package. In the early 1980s the National Coal Board’s view was that it was an inherited obligation from pre-nationalization days. The Board felt that it would have been too expensive to buy out this long term arrangement.
Were there any problems during WW2 with people tripping over the parked concessionary coal during blackout? Did you pay someone to put the coal in your bunker? Did coal dust really dirty the washing on the clothes line? What is known of Mr ‘CB’ and Mr ‘WS’? I suppose they may have moved to Ushaw Moor to take advantage of the post war council house building programme.
The Sanders' family
What sort of Christmas did miner William Sanders, of 7 Ladysmith Terrace, have in 1900? He had a large family – namely: Elizabeth [wife], and children John, Ralf [or Ralph], Grace, Mary, Elizabeth, Robert, Gilbert and the youngest, George. It is true that his sons’ John and Ralf were also employed in coal mining and that would have helped financially. Clothes could easily be handed down and of course that still goes on in families today – a very sensible idea. It appears that the number of employees at Ushaw Moor was steadily growing during the early years of the 20th century so I imagine that the family was probably not hit by unemployment during that first decade - but of course I cannot discount the possibility of injuries. Are there any descendents of the Sanders family still living in Ushaw Moor?
Coffins
We already have an immensely interesting ‘coffin’ story submitted by Geoff Turner [see note 7 of my article published on 20/09/06]. Now we have another - but admittedly it relates to the village of Langley Park - still Langley Park is not far from Ushaw Moor! In May 1942 an elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Bolton, who lived at Blackburn Cottages Langley Park, were notified that their youngest son private William Bolton had been killed and that his body would be flown home for a funeral with full military honours. The turn out at the funeral was enormous. About two weeks later he turned up at home. Understandably his mother fainted.
[Source ‘Esh Leaves’ issue 10 in the month of November 2003]
Happy New Year
WB
