Durham and Northumberland's Coalfield
NEEMARC Creates an Archive of Historical Documents
Oct 1, 2009
For over four centuries coal mining was a major industry in the North-East of England. The coal hewn from the narrow seams of pits in Northumberland and County Durham heated countless industrial furnaces and homes around the country.
The Development of Mining Communities
The evolution of the coal mining industry had a major impact on the region. Close-knit communities developed around the pits which provided work. The people who worked in the collieries - women and children were employed, in addition to men, until the introduction of labour laws during the nineteenth century - were exposed to dangers including gas explosions and cave-ins. The miners worked hard in potentially dangerous environments for their pay. And changes to the national economy could bring significant fluctuations in the miners' lot.
Industrial Action in the Coal Industry
Industrial action was just one of the methods employed by miners to improve, or sometimes maintain, their pay and working conditions. The Miners' Strike of 1984-85 was just one of many struggles in the industry's history. But it was to be the last stand for many of the collieries of Durham and Northumberland, an area sometimes referred to as the Great Northern Coalfield. Some would argue that the closures which followed the strike of 1984-85 were an economic inevitability. Others, however, contest that the closures came too soon; before the time and money invested in establishing seams under the North Sea could see returns.
An Industrial Landscape Transformed and Regenerated
Only a few small coalmines and open cast sites now remain. Most of the pit wheels and slag heaps that once marked the north-east's countryside have gone. These days they are overgrown or, in the case of Herrington Colliery, transformed into a landscaped country park.
That said, some of the traditions associated with coal mining are still evident. The Durham Miner's Gala, long a major event in the calendar of trade unionism and the Labour Party, has experienced something of a revival in recent years. The marching of union and mine lodge banners is still carried out and an enthusiastic crowd of 100,000 attended the 2009 event.
And steps are being taken to collect and maintain records and documents relating to all aspects of the once great industry. They are being archived and made available to historians and interested parties through the NEEMARC project.
National Lottery Heritage Funding
The project has, so far, received £270,000 in Heritage Lottery funding. NEEMARC has created a resource which has relevance for those interested in economic, political, social and cultural history. The archive includes maps, photographs plus forms and files relating to broad range of record types. Among them are financial, disaster investigation and union related documents. These throw light on subjects as diverse as working conditions in the coalfield, the development of communities and accidents within the mines. Local and family historians may benefit by accessing records within the archive.
The North-East's coal mining industry may have declined markedly over the past generation, but the resources of NEEMARC ensure that its history can live on.
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