Changing Britain - Coal Flashcards
Revision
What was the nickname given to Scotland’s valuable coal?
“Black Diamonds”
What are the early coal deposits found on beaches and shores called?
Outcrops
What type of mines did early miners use to extract coal from exposed deposits?
Drift Mines
What were the first mine shafts dug into the ground called?
Bell Pits
Who were responsible for carrying coal to the surface in early mining operations?
Bearers
By what year was coal production in Scotland approximately 40,000 tons?
1500
What was the annual coal production in Scotland by the year 1700?
500,000 tons
Who’s invention increased the demand for coal during the Industrial Revolution?
James Watt’s Steam Engine
What is the title given to the leader of a mining team who cut coal from the coal face?
Hewer
What were the baskets called that women and children used to carry coal?
Corves
At what age did children begin working in mines as trappers?
4 years old
How did the Government react to the findings of the Royal Commission?
As a direct result of the findings of the Royal Commission, the government passed the MINES ACT of 1842. This banned women and girls and boys under the age of ten from working underground.
Who enforced the 1842 Mines Act?
To enforce the new law, the government appointed one INSPECTOR for the whole of Britain. He was not given the right to go down the pits until 1850.
How did many pits react to the 1842 Mines Act?
Many pits ignored the new law and kept on using children whenever they could reasonably do so. Since compulsory registration of births only began in 1855, it was difficult to prove the age of a child anyway.
What did the 1842 Mines Act do for men and boys over the age of 10?
The 1842 Mines Act completely ignored the working conditions of men and boys over the age of ten.
What did the 1860 Mines Act do?
This forbade boys under 12 from going underground unless they could read and write.
What did the Mines Act of 1909 do?
This Act introduced an eight-hour working day for underground workers.
What did the 1872 Mines Act do?
This made it compulsory for the mine manager to hold a certificate of competency which was gained only after passing a national exam.
What were most mining accidents caused by?
Roof Falls
How did miners detect carbon monoxide in the mines?
For many years, miners carried CANARIES or MICE down the mines as they would show the effect of the gas quite quickly by collapsing.
What was the job of the Hewer?
He would cut coal from the coal face.
What was the job of the Bearers?
They would carry the coal from the face along narrow tunnels called galleries to the bottom of the shaft and then lifted up to the surface. In most cases, women and children did this job.
What was the job of the Trapper?
Opening and closing the TRAP DOORS which ventilated the mine to allow the coal wagons to pass through.
What was the youngest age of people working down in the Mines?
FOUR YEARS OLD working shifts between 12 and 18 hours long.
How did Life expectancy in the mines compare to other jobs?
Miners could expect to live ten years less than men in other jobs.
