No one would dare charge them with lack of true heroism. Let me urge
upon you the same spirit. The road may seem longer, and the processes
more painful and slow, but these need not damp your spirits. They
should brace you for the struggle, strengthen your purpose, fix more
firmly your hopes, give you larger faith in the future, induce you to
realise your place in life and not be drifters with the current. There
are too many who are satisfied to merely exist. They have no
aspiration nor ideal nor hope. No man has a right to pass through life
indifferent to the wrongs around him. Two things we must avoid:
impetuosity in associated work and stagnation in the individual life.
Each life should be a clear current, invigorating, not a mere moral
miasmatic pool, but cleansing, elevating, ennobling. There are three
voices calling upon this generation: the past with the work done for
us; the present with its demands upon our help for rectification; and
the future with its possibilities of a better and purer life. There
are many powers opened out to you, but there are three which stand out
prominently: sobriety, education, association. These used, the
darkness will disperse, the downtrodden be raised, and England made
truly a home for her people. The continuous sunshine in which some
dwell and the dark poverty in which thousands exist will be blended,
every soul-enslaving fetter be bruised and broken and cast away, and
the world be brighter for our living in it; and we, when called to our
account, will feel cheered that we have done what we could to cast out
the old and cruel conditions and ring in the Christ that is to be,
when want and hunger shall be no more and that state which the rich
provision in nature and the wonderful production around us provides
for shall be realised.
APPENDIX I
THE GALAS, WITH THE DAY AND DATE UPON WHICH THEY WERE HELD
1871 Saturday, August 12th, at Wharton Park, Durham.
1872 " June 15th, on Race-course, Durham.
1873 " June 14th " "
1874 " August 15th " "
1875 " July 3rd " "
1876 Monday July 3rd " "
1877 " July 16th " "
1878 Saturday July 6th " "
1879 " July 5th " "
1880 " July 31st " "
1881 " July 30th " "
1882 " July 1st " "
1883 " July 14th " "
1884 " July 5th " "
1885 " July 25th " "
1886 " July 31st " "
1887 " July 23rd " "
1888 " July 14th " "
1889 " July 6th " "
1890 " July 12th " "
1891 " July 4th " "
1892 " July 23rd " "
1893 " July 29th " "
1894 " July 21st " "
1895 " July 27th " "
1896 " July 18th " "
1897 " July 24th " "
1898 " July 16th " "
1899 " July 22nd " "
1900 " July 28th " "
1901 " July 20th " "
1902 " July 26th " "
1903 " July 18th " "
1904 " July 23rd " "
1905 " July 29th " "
1906 " July 21st " "
APPENDIX II
CHANGES IN WAGES FROM 1872
Date of change Advance Reduction
taking effect per cent. per cent.
February 1872 20 --
July 1872 15 --
February 1873 15 --
April 1874 -- 10
November 1874 -- 9
April 1875 -- 5
February 1876 -- 7
September 1876 -- 6
April 1877 -- 7½
May 1879 -- 8¾
July 1879 -- 1¼
December 1880 2½ --
April 1882 3¾ --
August 1882 -- 1¼
November 1882 1¼ --
February 1883 1¼ --
August 1884 -- 1¼
May 1885 -- 1¼
May 1886 -- 1¼
February 1888 1¼ --
May 1888 -- 1¼
August 1888 -- 1¼
November 1888 1¼ --
February 1889 1¼ --
August 1889 10 --
December 1889 10 --
March 3-10, 1890 5 --
December 29, 1890 5 --
January 5, 1891 -- --
June 1, 1892 -- 10
March 1893 -- 5
[1]October 16, 1893 5 --
May 6-13, 1895 -- 7½
October 7-14, 1895 -- 2½
August 14-21, 1897 2½ --
[2]May 16-23, 1898 2½ --
May 16-23, 1898 2½ --
Oct. 31-Nov. 7, 1898 2½ --
[3]April 17-24, 1899 2½ --
July 24-31, 1899 2½ --
November 6-13, 1899 3¾ --
February 12-19, 1900 5 --
May 14-21, 1900 7½ --
August 13-20, 1900 10 --
November 12-19, 1900 10 --
February 11-18, 1901 -- 1¼
May 13-20, 1901 -- 11¼
August 12-19, 1901 -- 7½
November 12-19, 1901 -- 5
February 17-24, 1902 -- 1¼
May 12-19, 1902 -- 2½
August 11-18, 1902 -- 2½
February 9-16, 1903 1¼ --
May 11-18, 1903 -- 1¼
August 10-17, 1903 -- 1¼
February 8-15, 1904 -- 1¼
May 16-23, 1904 -- 2½
November 7-14, 1904 -- 1¼
February 5-12, 1906 1¼ --
August 6-13, 1906 2½ --
November 12-19, 1906 1¼ --
[Footnote 1: Originally given as a temporary advance for six pays,
afterwards converted into an ordinary advance.]
[Footnote 2: Originally given for six pays, afterwards continued for
further period of six pays, and again extended until pays ending 15th
and 22nd April 1899; it was then continued as an ordinary advance.]
[Footnote 3: Of this advance one and a quarter per cent. was given for
seven pays, and afterwards merged in the ordinary percentage.]
APPENDIX III
Table showing the explosions and inundations, with the date and number
of lives lost, since the beginning of 1869, in Durham, brought down to
the end of 1906, with two statements on the dust theory by Mr J.
Forman.
Lives lost
1869--May 25, Monkwearmouth 7
1871--October 25, Seaham 30
1878--July 6, Craghead exploded 4
1880--September 8, Seaham Colliery exploded 168
1882--February 16, Trimdon Colliery exploded 74
1882--April 18, Tudhoe exploded 36
1882--April 13, West Stanley exploded 13
1885--March 2, Usworth exploded 41
1885--June 3, Houghton-le-Spring 12
1885--December 2, Elemore 28
1889--November 2, Hebburn 6
1895--December 13, Eppleton 3
1896--April 13, Brancepeth A Pit 20
1897--May 6, East Hetton, inundation 10
1899--August 15, Brandon C Pit 6
1902--May 20, Deaf Hill 1
1903--November 16, Sacriston, inundation 3
1906--October 14, Wingate, explosion 24
1906--December 17, Urpeth Busty, explosion 4
A THEORY SHOWING HOW COAL DUST IS IGNITED AND EXPLODED IN A COAL MINE,
MORE ESPECIALLY ON IN-TAKE AIR ROADS
In the first place, there must be a considerable quantity of very fine
and dry coal dust in the immediate proximity of a shot when fired; and
if the shot is a strong one the concussion will be very great.
This force, acting on the air, throws the finest particles of coal
dust into the circulating current, in a finely divided state, with
orbid motion, thereby causing each particle of coal dust to be
surrounded with air, and these particles of dust in this condition
coming in contact with the flame of a shot, are easily ignited.
At the moment of ignition the temperature of the particles of dust is
low, but as the ignition extends to other particles, and they become
ignited in quantity, the temperature rises, so that the motion of the
heated particles becomes more rapid by expanding and compressing the
air, until their velocity is so great that the temperature of the
burning dust is raised to the temperature of gas flame, exploding the
coal dust in its course.
At this high temperature, the expansion of the air will develop great
force, which acting on the dust at rest, will whirl it into the air
current, and this will be continued so long as there is a sufficient
quantity of coal dust and air to feed the flame.
JOHN FORMAN.
* * * * *
To J. Wilson, Esq.,
Secretary to the Royal Commission on
Explosions from Coal Dust in Mines.
Dear Sir,--In October 1871 an explosion occurred at Seaham Colliery,
and my attention was called to it; and, after considering all the
circumstances of the case, I eventually came to the conclusion that
the shot fired by the two Simpsons ignited the coal dust and caused
the explosion.
In September 1880 another explosion took place at Seaham Colliery. I
went down the pit in the evening of the day of the explosion with Mr
Stratton (the manager) and other Mining Engineers, and I remained at
Seaham Colliery for 12 months, until the last body was found, and was,
during that time, down the pit almost every day as an explorer. I also
attended the inquest and gave evidence. I was satisfied from what I
saw that the shot fired by Simpson and Brown ignited the coal dust and
caused the explosion.
In February 1882 an explosion occurred at Trimdon Grange Colliery. I
went down the pit and attended the inquest, and from what I saw and
heard I concluded that the explosion was caused by a flushed kitty or
straw at Maitland's shot firing a small quantity of fire-damp, which
ignited the coal dust and caused the explosion.
In April 1882 an explosion occurred at West Stanley Colliery. I
attended the inquest, and from what I could learn the shot fired by
the two men (Douglas and Hutchinson) ignited a small portion of
fire-damp, which fired the coal dust, and brought on an explosion.
In March 1885 an explosion happened at Usworth Colliery. I attended
the inquest, and came to an opinion that the shot fired by the two
men, named Brown, ignited the coal dust, which produced an explosion.
In December 1886 an explosion occurred at Elemore Colliery. I went
down the pit and attended the inquest. I was satisfied, in my mind,
that the shot fired by the three men (Johnson, Appleby and Luke)
ignited the coal dust, thereby causing the explosion.--Yours, etc.
JOHN FORMAN.
_December 1886._
INDEX
A
Accountants, 128, 164, 314
Aftermath of 1892 strike, 245
Agents' districts, 23-24
Alteration of the "First Caller," 59, 337
Amicability in disputes, 340
Arbitration, Deputies', 170
-- earliest, 33
-- first general, 85, 103
-- second, 109
-- third, 113
-- fourth, 118
-- owners refuse, 152
-- working hours, 169
Armstrong, W., 103, 109
Attempts to form Union, 6
Average, county, 162
-- theoretical and real, 147
Award, 1879, _pro tem_., 157
-- J. R. Lyn's, 220
Awards, Lord Davey's, 1895, 267-269
Award, Lord Davey's, 1902, 319
B
Bank Holiday, 318
Banking account, 18
Benefits, reduction of, 199
Blagdon, Rev. M., 26
Bond, yearly, 17, 47, 49
Boys' wages, 309, 324
Broken price agreement, 325
Brown, W., 8, 35
Building, the, 16
Bunning, T. W., 47
Burt, T., 8, 20, 103, 182
C
Cairns, A., 23, 26, 32
"Caller, First," 59, 337
Candymen, 96
Cann, T. H., appointed treasurer, 276
Care for life, 341
Changes, 337
Checkweighmen, 73, 338
Clerk, first appointed, 105
Coal-drawing agreement, 323
Coal Owners' Association formed, 46
Coal Tax, 310
Commission, Royal, 86
Committee, 1879, 160
Compensation Act 1897, 291
Conciliation Board, 263
-- first members of, 266
-- renewed, 294, 331
Co-operative colliery, 90, 110
-- Committee, 110
County Council, 209
Crake, W., 7, 13
Crawford, W., 6, 9, 23, 26, 31, 33, 37, 103, 109
-- attack on, 80
-- censure on, 84
-- candidature of, 88
-- death of, 215
D
Dale, D., Sir, 103, 109, 157
Dark Days, 197
Deputies' basis wage fixed, 301
-- difference as to, 120
-- hours, 1870, 121
-- wage, 1870, 121
-- wage, 173
Derby, Lord, 160
Desire for better houses, 343
E
Educational benefit of Union, 340
Emigration, 131, 165
Employers' Liability Act, 172
Entrance fee, first, 18, 121
Equality, 339
Evictions, Wheatley Hill, 96
Ex-Committee condemned, 145
-- expelled, 114
-- rules, 114
F
Federation Board formed, 140
-- condemned, 145
-- first members of the, 141
Federation, Miners',
-- Durham miners and the, 251, 256
-- expulsion from the, 259
-- refuses Durham, 277
Fillers' agreement, 333
Firemen's week-end shifts, 316
Five days per week, 183
Forman, J., 36, 38, 103, 105, 119
-- death of, 302
Forsters', W. E., award, 109
Fowler, J., 61
Franchise Association, 88
-- extension of, 191
G
Gala, first, 31-34
-- first on the race-course, 59
Galbraith, S., appointed, 305
Golightly, W., 105
Gordon, W., 114, 118
Graham, Coroner, 298
Gurney's, Russell, award, 103
Guthrie, R., 207
H
Hall, the new, 82, 118
Hand putters' basis wage, 324
Heath, Mr, 337
Hewers' datal wage, 306
Homes, Aged Miners', 297
Hopwood's, C. H., award, 113
Hours arbitration, 132
Hours', arrangement, ten, 214, 217
-- eight, 199
-- ballot on, 248
-- second ballot on, 321
-- of boys, 32, 48, 74, 77, 83
Houses and house rent, 307
Housing condition, 104, 110
House, W., appointed to Joint Committee, 292
-- appointed President, 305
I
Imprisonment of Messrs Cann, Jones, and Forbes, 244
Increased knowledge of the miners, 343
Industrial Remuneration Conference, 190
Isaacs, Mr, 336
J
Johnson, J., appointed treasurer, 217
-- fin. secretary, 276
Johnson, Mr, and Gateshead, 328
Joint Committee, formation of, 66
-- first meeting, 69
-- suspended, 164, 329
Jones, L., 83, 103, 109, 119, 196
Judge, a, puzzled, 30
L
Labourers' basis wage, 306
Labour representation, 194, 326
Leaders, the first, 37
Lords, House of, 192
M
Macdonald, A., 17
-- death of, 180
Meynell, Mr E., 112, 335
-- award, 134
Miners' demand for trained miners, 90
-- International Congress, formed, 223
-- National Conference, 25, 124
-- Act 1861, 1
-- Act 1871, 71
-- Act 1872, 71, 72
N
Negotiations of 1890, 211
Notices given to enforce a reduction, 101
-- again given by owners, 107
O
O'Connor, Judge, 197, 335
Officers, first, 14
Opposition, 41, 42, 43, 44
P
Patterson, W. H., 8, 13, 26, 39, 113
-- appointed corres. secretary, 216
-- death of, 273
Patterson's, Mr, statue, 319
Political power, 342
Position of the Association, 136
President, first, 19
President, permanent, 105
Putters' hours at datal work, 316
-- short shift, stone, 324
R
Ramsey, T., 8, 25, 80
Reduction, first, 89, 91
-- second, 98
-- third, 105
-- fourth, 111
-- fifth, 115
-- of bankmen, 104
-- of 1879, 141
Reductions, private, 148
Relief Fund, first, 129
-- second, 187
Rent paying in 1892, 247
Resolutions, first gala, 61
Restriction of output, 167
Rhymer, E., 6, 84
Richardson, J., 7, 11
Rocking Strike, 2
S
Salary of first treasurer, 25
Sanderson, R. B., 68, 112
Screenmen's basis wage, 306
Seaham strike, 55
Shaw Lefevre's award, 119
Simpson, C., 114
Sliding Scale, first, 124
-- second, 163
-- third, 174
-- fourth, 185
-- abolished, 202
-- violation of, 167
Smart money, 309
Stobart, W., 46
Strike at Silksworth, 223
-- at Wheatley Hill, 95
-- of 1874, 93
-- of 1879, 154
-- of 1892, 231
Strikes illegal, 24
Surface firemen's wages, 325
T
Taylor, Hugh, 47, 63
-- J. W., 328
Thornley meeting, 13
Timber leaders' hours, 317
Trotter, L., 197
Trustees, first, 14
W
Wage Board, first mention of, 235, 251, 254
Wages, advance in, 48, 50, 63, 71, 76
Wages in 1898-99, 288, 293
Washington strike, 281
Water leaders' hours, 317
Wearmouth strike, 3
Westcott, Bishop, 241, 262, 299
-- death of, 313
Wheatley Hill inundation, 28
-- "Putt Pay," 188
Wilkinson, N., 8, 14, 38, 113, 119, 182
Wilson, J., 114, 118, 182, 192
-- appointed fin. secretary, 217
-- appointed corres. secretary, 276
Wood, Lindsay, Mr, 68, 83, 157, 207
J. H. VEITCH AND SONS
DURHAM
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.
Hyphenation has been rationalised.
Variations in spelling and punctuation have been retained.
Words in _italics_ are denoted thus.
The repetition of the title on page 1 has been removed.