in the Lords last night. Happily disappointed. Bill passed
satisfactory. Weighing clause safe. Boys ten hours from bank to bank.
A vote of thanks was carried to Mr Crawford, the Government, and to
the Home Secretary for the able manner in which he had conducted the
Bill through Parliament.
CLAIM FOR ADVANCE OF FIFTEEN PER CENT.
At the ordinary Council meeting held on Saturday, 7th September, the
number of members reported was 35,000. Mr Crawford gave the result of
a conference which had taken place with the coal owners with respect
to another advance of fifteen per cent. Nothing definite had been
done, as the employers were indisposed to comply with the request,
and it was adjourned for a fortnight. That meeting was held on Friday,
September 27th, in Newcastle. The deputation was informed that the
subject had been fully considered. Coals were falling in price, the
demand was declining, and the commercial prospects were assuming a
more unfavourable aspect, and therefore they could not give any
further advance in wages. The meeting terminated, but the deputation
expressed their dissatisfaction with the result, and they were
supported in their objection by a Council which was held on Saturday,
September 28th, and they were instructed to again meet the employers.
1873
The Mines Act--The third Advance--Death of "Tommy" Ramsey--The
drawing Hours--The second Gala--Advance in Wages
On January 1st the new Mines Act came into force. It is no part of
this history to enter into all the changes made by the new measure,
but there are three portions of it which deserve a brief notice--these
are the weighing of minerals, the position of the checkweighman, and
the hours of the boys.
The weighing of minerals clause was to provide against the "Rocking"
customs such as had obtained at the Brancepeth Collieries, and which
had caused the "Rocking" strike. The new Act set forth that:
Where the amount of wages paid to any of the persons employed in a
mine to which this Act applies depends on the amount of mineral
gotten by them, such persons shall, after the first day of August
one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, unless the mine is
exempted by a Secretary of State, be paid according to the weight of
the mineral gotten by them, and such mineral shall be truly weighed
accordingly.
The clause further provided for deductions and for exemptions by the
Secretary of State from the weighing clause if it were proved that the
exigencies of the mine warranted it. In a note to this section Mr
Maskell W. Peace, Solicitor to the Mining Association of Great
Britain, warned the employers that: "This is an entirely new
enactment. Care must be taken to provide the necessary machines for
carrying out the provisions by the 1st of August 1872."
The portion of the Act relating to the appointment of the
checkweighman was a great advance in the direction of freedom of
choice. Prior to this the choice of the workmen was confined to those
employed on the colliery subject to the confirmation of the manager,
and the man chosen was as liable to be discharged as any other of the
workmen for any reason. The new Act provided that one of the workmen
could be chosen either from the mine or under the firm. He need not be
sanctioned by the manager, and could only be removed "on the ground
that such checkweigher has impeded or interfered with the working of
the mine, or interfered with the weighing or has otherwise
misconducted himself." The last provision gave rise to some very
glaring removals for acts done away from the mine. These anomalies
were corrected by the Act of 1887.
THE HOURS OF BOYS
There were two provisions in the new Act relating to the hours of
boys. One was for those between the ages of ten and twelve, and they
were for the purpose of employment in thin seams; their time was to be
for only "six hours in any one day." The other provision (which still
exists) was for boys between twelve and sixteen years. The weekly
hours were fixed at fifty-four. This latter provision was the cause of
some confusion, seeing the hours of drawing coal were twelve, and the
difficulty was to bring these boys away without interfering with that.
A very important Council was held in the Town Hall, Durham. There were
two questions before the meeting--first, the demand for fifteen per
cent. advance; and second, the working hours under the new Mines
Regulation Act. As stated in the review of the previous year, meetings
had been held on the advance in September, but the employers would not
give way, and asked us to wait. In consequence there was a very strong
feeling in the county which found expression at the Council. There was
some complaint that the Executive Committee had not been so energetic
in the matter as they ought to have been. Mr Crawford defended the
Committee. An attempt was made to increase the amount claimed to
thirty-five per cent., but in the end the original request was
confirmed. The question of the number of hours the pits should draw
coal was next considered. The employers were asking for eleven hours,
but this was felt to be difficult because of the Act in its
application to the boys under sixteen. There was a desire on the part
of many delegates that the coal drawing should be limited to ten.
During the discussion Mr Crawford said:
No more important question could occupy their attention than that
before the meeting. Not even the question of an advance exceeded it
in importance, because whether or not that was given a great deal
depended on how they settled the question of the hours. He might hold
views very different to what were entertained by many in that room,
but he was bound to state them. The question had occupied his
attention, and he was of the opinion that the owners would be unable
to keep the men fully employed for eleven hours. They had, however,
requested to be allowed to work those hours, and they had a perfect
right to do so if they could employ the men. At the same time, he did
not believe they could keep the men employed during the last hour
after the lads had gone to bank.
Eventually it was resolved that the employers should have the
unreserved right to draw coal eleven hours per day, providing they did
not violate the Mines Act relative to the boys under sixteen, nor keep
the men in the pit the last hour doing nothing.
The meeting with the employers on the advance was held on February
8th, Mr Hugh Taylor presiding. In a very long statement he reviewed
the state of the coal trade. He reminded the deputation that, although
there had been delay, there had not been any breach of faith. He
brought before them the question of short time, which was an evil not
only to those engaged in the coal trade, but to the country at large.
He urged again the request of the employers that there should be an
agreement binding men to work so many hours at the coal face. The
Mines Act had been passed. It did not satisfy anyone. All they asked
was that the men should do their duty. In the face of these
difficulties, but in the hope that the men would help them, they had
decided on an all-round advance of fifteen per cent.
There were some of the lodges who refused to carry out the eleven
hours' arrangement, and with a view to induce them to do so the
following circular was issued:--
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE DURHAM MINERS' ASSOCIATION
Fellow-workmen,--In the inauguration of any new system, difficulties
always occur; whether these difficulties are easily overcome, or
otherwise, will much depend on the manner and extent to which men, or
classes, are affected thereby. As a matter of consequence, we have
found these difficulties amongst ourselves in putting into operation
the new "Mines Regulation Bill."
These have arisen from various causes.
We have, first, a very erroneous impression gone forth, to the
effect, that after the commencement of the new Mines Bill, on the
first day of the present year, no pit, or no person in a pit, must
work more than 10 hours per day, or 54 hours in any one week. In the
Minutes of Committee Meeting, held on the 4th inst., we clearly and
distinctly stated that this view was a wrong one. We again beg to
emphatically state that the law, in this particular, affects only
boys under 16 years of age, and that so far as regards all parties
above this age, matters remain identically as they have been. It
would appear, however, that in the face of this intimation, some
collieries of men are still insisting on the general adoption of the
10 hours per day, and 54 hours per week. In addition to this, we have
existing at many collieries, both where men work two and three shifts
per day, difficulties as to what the working hours ought to be.
Under these circumstances, the owners asked your deputation to meet
them last week, for the purpose of discussing, and if possible
arranging, some understood mode of action. This meeting took place,
at Newcastle, on Friday last.
The first question asked was, what objection we had to owners working
their pits 11 hours per day, and 11 or 12 days per fortnight as
usual, so long as they did not violate the Act of Parliament relative
to boys under 16 years of age? After talking over the matter for a
long time, we retired, and in consulting among ourselves, failed to
see any reason why pits should not draw coals 11 hours per day as
heretofore they had done. We returned and told them that we could see
nothing to prevent them from working the pits 11 hours per day, if
they thought desirable to do so, and they could find men or boys to
bring the coals to bank; but that, in trying to carry this into
effect, they must not keep men laying at their work for the last hour
doing absolutely nothing, as, if such cases did occur, they would
most certainly be complained of, and a remedy sought by an appeal to
the Joint Committee, in which case they would be exposed to the
entire county throughout.
Respecting boys being brought into the pit an hour or two after work
commences, or sent home an hour or two before the pit is done at
night, we cannot see that any difficulties should exist. The question
was asked, should a boy be sent home for the first 5 days, having
worked less by far than the allotted 10 hours' per day, and such boy
should purposely remain at home on the Saturday, would such boy claim
his 5 days' pay, remembering that for 5 days he had worked short time
for the very purpose of going to work on the Saturday? To this the
owners demurred, when we suggested the desirability of seeing boys,
or their parents, and making with them necessary arrangements.
We may be told that the boys are sent home to suit the owner's
convenience, but we must not forget, for whatever purpose sent home,
that while they worked short time they were paid full hours, and we
certainly cannot see the wisdom of preventing boys from receiving 6
days' pay for working 54 hours, when, but a short time ago, they
worked 66 hours for the same money.
The employers, by Act of Parliament, are compelled to reduce the
working hours of boys under 16 years of age, but we cannot expect
them to reduce the hours of all datal men, if work can be found for
them for the ordinary time. We must not lose sight of one very
important fact, viz., that a reduction of working hours to those who
are paid a datal wage means an advance of price, a reduction of
hours, from 11 to 10 per day, is equal to 9 per cent., which
practically means 9 per cent. advance, seeing that the productive
powers are lessened by so much. In this manner it must be seen too,
that no boy under 16 years of age is allowed to be in the pit more
than 10 hours in any one single day, or 54 hours in any one week. If
this is strictly seen to, a great work has been accomplished, and
don't let us spoil that which is really good by trying to accomplish
too much.
Those lodges who object to the pit drawing coal 11 hours per day,
ought to bear in mind that a reduction to 10 hours is a very serious
curtailment in the drawing or producing powers of the pit, and as
such only tends to lessen the power of owners to pay good wages. The
profits arising from the produce of any article are up to a given
quantity consumed in paying current expenses; and, therefore, the
more the produce is restricted, the less means are there at command
wherewith to pay all classes of workmen. The disadvantages arising
from the operation of the new Mines Act must necessarily tell heavily
on the mine owners in the two Northern Counties, where the
double-shift system is worked, and it would be an act of
imprudence--not to say injustice--and materially militate against our
own interests, to increase drawbacks beyond an absolutely necessary
point. We would, therefore, strongly urge on all our associated
collieries to allow the employers (1) to work their pits 11 hours per
day, where they can find men or boys to keep them going that time,
without, of course, infringing the law, relative to boys under 16
years of age. And (2) to allow boys to be sent home on one or more
days, so as to make up six nine-hour shifts in the week. By this plan
no workman can lose, while the boys would materially gain thereby.
We have so far worked successfully, but that success has been
greatly, if not altogether, owing to the caution we have exercised,
and the general reasonableness of our requests, having at all times a
respect for the right, while we have tried to bring into active
operation the duties of capitalists. Let us not then mar that success
by an imprudent or forward act of ours, particularly at a time when a
change which must tell very severely on the interests of mine owners,
and which, moreover, is of our own seeking, is just being introduced
amongst us, and from which boys at least must gain immense
advantages.
By order of the Committee,
Wm. Crawford, _Secretary_.
Offices--16 North Road, Durham.
_Jan. 20th, 1873._
While these questions were claiming and received the attention of Mr
Crawford and his colleagues a foul attack was made upon him by G.
("General") Jackson of Nettlesworth. He published a number of letters,
which were not very choice in language, but prolific in the lowest
form of abuse. He spoke of "that fellow Crawford," "that bully" who
was feathering his nest by defrauding. This went on until the
Executive came to the defence of Mr Crawford. They published a
circular, pointing out the false charges which had been made, and that
Jackson was a member of the Committee during the period in which he
alleged the misappropriation of money had taken place. They reminded
him of the neglect of duty implied in his not exposing such things
before, and ended the circular by saying: "Further this Committee begs
respectfully to say that they have the greatest esteem for their
secretary, Mr Crawford, and are fully convinced that he has always
acted in harmony with the highest principles of moral rectitude."
On Thursday, 8th of May, the first of the pioneers who crossed the
border line, "Tommy" Ramsey, died at the house of his brother at
Blaydon at the age of sixty-two. He was buried in the cemetery at
Blaydon on Monday, the 12th. The number of people attending his
funeral was a proof of the high esteem in which he was held.
According to the account there were fifty of the Trimdon miners, where
he worked last, present, while from collieries around Durham large
numbers also attended. The procession was headed by the Blaydon Main
banner. We have made a note about him, as one of the leaders, but we
may add a few words from an obituary which was published at the time
of his death.
"Old Tommy," as his brother miners of every degree loved to call him,
was chiefly known to the pitmen at large as a Unionist. With a face
furrowed with care and the hardships of his laborious calling, and
scarred by many an accident in the pits, he was never afraid to stand
up before his brethren and agitate for that amelioration in the
condition of the working pitmen which has at length been conceded. His
style of oratory, if it were not strictly grammatical, was gifted with
a warmth of expression that told forcibly on his hearers of his own
class, and his perfect knowledge of the one subject he engaged
upon--the danger and the excessive toil of the miner's life--caused
him to be held in respect by masters and men alike. In every movement
that had for its object the freedom from the bondage the miner was
held in, Ramsey was always to the front, and none mourned in bygone
years more sincerely than he did the failure to establish on a firm
and lasting basis the Union, by which alone he maintained were they
likely to obtain their rights as workmen. When the present Association
was started, amongst the dozen delegates or so who assembled at the
Market Hall, Durham, bent if they could on forming a union, was "Old
Tommy"; and there he attended every meeting, when to be identified as
a delegate was to almost sign his own death warrant so far as
employment was concerned. "Men and brothers," he said, addressing a
public meeting near Thornley a few weeks after the Association was
formed, "I've been a Unionist all my days, and with the help of God I
will remain one to the end of the chapter."
At the Council meeting held on 31st May we have the first mention of a
hall for the use of the Association, with offices and agents' houses.
After a lengthy discussion the project was endorsed, the money to be
taken from the general funds, and the Executive were appointed a
Building Committee. The Committee immediately commenced operations by
purchasing a block of houses known as Monks Buildings, the site of the
Hall and houses, and offering a premium of £25 for the best design for
hall and offices. This was won by Mr T. Oliver, Architect, of
Newcastle.
The other important question was the eleven hours' drawing of coals.
The system received general condemnation. At the conclusion of the
consideration a very long resolution was adopted. It set forth that
when the Mines Act came into operation the workmen did not think it
right to curtail the producing powers of the pits, and they,
therefore, fell in with the views of the owners. Having tried the
system they had no hesitation in pronouncing it an utter failure on
the following grounds:--
"1. Because of the great difficulty, if not impossibility, of working
the pits full time on both the first and last hour of the day, thus
inflicting a positive injustice on large bodies of men. We have the
testimony of Lindsay Wood, Esq., in his evidence before the Coal
Committee that the system of eleven hours' work entails great danger
on the boys going and coming out of the mine while the pit is at full
work. We regret to say that this system has already borne fruit in
the slaughter of one or more boys in going and coming out of the mine
during the day. This being so we now find ourselves compelled to make
an emphatic appeal to the mine owners of the county to work their
pits only ten hours per diem in order to obviate both this injustice
and danger."
As I have said, it will not assist the history we have on hand if we
dwell upon the whole series of our galas, and therefore we will only
make a reference to the second one in the series. It was held on
Saturday, the 14th of June, and the gathering was larger than the year
prior. There were three platforms. The chairmen were J. Cowen, J.
Laverick, and J. Fowler. The speakers outside were P. Casey,
Yorkshire; A. M'Donald, Scotland; B. Pickard, Yorkshire; Lloyd Jones,
London; J. Shepherd, Cleveland; T. Burt, Northumberland; and R. Fynes,
Blyth, with the addition of the Executive Committee. The speeches need
not be referred to beyond the references by Mr Crawford, as indicating
the progress of the Association during the year. They had added 5000
to their numbers, bringing the membership up to 40,000, and they had
increased their funds from £12,000 to £34,000. They had proved their
leading principle was amicability. "That principle had been not to get
a thing because they had the power, but first of all to ask the
question was it right that they ought to have it."
The ordinary Council meeting was held in the Town Hall on July 26th.
It is important because of the attempt that was made to censure Mr
Crawford. For some weeks a personal controversy had been taking place
between Mr E. Rhymer and Mr Crawford. Mr Rhymer had complained that,
although the miners had invited him to the demonstration, yet Mr
Crawford had stood in his way. This was denied very strongly, and some
very curious epithets were applied to him (Mr Crawford) for making the
statement. At the Council a resolution was on the programme from Ushaw
Moor as follows:--
"That Mr Crawford receive three months' notice from next delegates'
meeting, for his behaviour to E. Rhymer and also the Bearpark men."
In a note he sent out with the programme he said "he was prepared to
account for all he had done in open day, and after that, if the
Association was so minded, he was prepared to leave them not in three
months, but in three days or three hours." The result of the
discussion was the withdrawal of the Ushaw Moor resolution and the
carrying of one from Hetton which not only exonerated him, but
expressed their high approval of his conduct and work in the county.
On the 4th of October a Council meeting was held. The object of the
meeting was to consider the advisability of applying for a twenty per
cent. advance. In the end the resolution was carried, and Mr Crawford
was instructed to arrange for a meeting with the employers. This
meeting was held on October 17th, but was refused by the owners, and
in refusing they intimated that, as the state of trade was, they would
shortly be making a claim for a reduction. The refusal was reported to
a special Council, when the deputation was again instructed to meet
the employers. The second meeting was held on November 14th. After the
question had been discussed the following resolution was handed the
deputation:--
"This Association cannot accede to the application of the Durham
Miners' Association for an advance in wages, but is prepared to refer
to arbitration the question of whether since the last settlement of
wages in February 1873 there has been such a change in the condition
of the Durham coal trade as to call for an alteration in the wages
now paid, and if so whether by way of advance or reduction and the
amount in either case."
This offer was discussed at a Council meeting, when the arbitration
was agreed to; but the submission was disapproved of, and the
Executive Committee instructed to draw up a counter proposal, to be
submitted to a subsequent meeting for approval.
Another meeting with the employers was held on Friday, the 12th of
December. At the conclusion of the meeting the employers intimated
that they would send their decision to Mr Crawford. On the 13th a
Council meeting was held. A letter was read from the employers, in
which they objected to accede to the request of the workmen for an
alteration of the submission they had proposed. After a further
discussion the following resolution was proposed:--
"Having fully considered the objections of the employers to our
suggested basis for arbitration we fail to see the soundness of such
objections. Nevertheless in order that no difficulties may arise in
carrying out this matter, we are willing to alter that basis by
leaving the question entirely open. Allowing both parties to bring
forward all reliant matter which may bear upon their respective
positions, leaving it to the arbitrator to say whether any advance
ought to be given and that the Durham Coal Owners' Association be
urgently requested to consider this matter on the earliest day
possible."
There are two matters which deserve a brief notice here, although not
essentially part of the Association. These were the Royal Commission
to inquire into the coal supply and the causes of the high prices, and
the rise of the Franchise Association. The former of these was
appointed on 21st February 1873 by the following resolution of the
House of Commons:--
"That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the causes of
the present dearness and duration of coal, and report thereon to the
House."
This Committee examined a large number of witnesses, including all
classes connected with the coal trade. The following is a portion of
their report:--