Notts Mining and the 'Spencer Union'

[banksofthetrent 0]

Hello all, I don't often post here but I read the forum often and greatly enjoy all the memories posted on here.

I've been doing a project for a while now on the pre-nationalisation colliery companies and the Notts. Miners' Industrial 'Spencer' Union, particularly in the Dukeries but more generally across all of Notts, and I was just wondering if anyone on here either remembered those times or has any recollections of how the companies and the Union was remembered after nationalisation and would be prepared to share them ... any related memories at all really, I'd love to hear 'em.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

You need Dr Griffins Book "The Miners of Nottinghamshire 1914-1944"

He was area historian for the NCB during the 1960/70 era and covers the Spencer union.

[banksofthetrent 0]

Thanks Ayupmeducks; I'm familiar with the secondary literature, I was just wondering if there was anyone on here with any relevant memories that they would be willing to share.

[mick2me 3,033]

Why only read and no post BotT?

And we would be interested in your work on the Unions?

[Limey 242]

Unfortunately, I don't know many of the details, or even which pit he worked at, but my maternal grandfather, Charles Martin, died from injuries he received in a roof fall. I believe it was in either 1916 or 1918. Of interest is the fact that his wife, my grandmother, received a pension from the Union. We believe she was the first woman to receive a "widows pension" from what eventually became the NUM.

On a more interesting note to the miners here, is what caused the roof fall. He was "pulling timbers" to allow the roof to fall in the "gob" or "goaf" area behind a longwall. They were pretty particular about pulling them out as the cost was deducted from their pay. The "official" method of removing them was to attach a chain, or cable, to the bottom of the timber, then use a "come along" or similar device to pull the timber out from a safe location. The "unofficial" method was to knock the timber out with a sledge hammer, hoping the roof would hold long enough to get away. Of course, the unofficial way was much preferred due to the time it took - meaning you could get on with mining coal (and making money).

Guess what my grandfather was doing!

[banksofthetrent 0]

Why only read and no post BotT?

And we would be interested in your work on the Unions?

Ah, I don't have as much time as I would like, but also the things that get discussed on here - Drury Hill, the Black Boy, Nottm before the planners destroyed half of it - were before my time by quite some distance. I love to hear about it, but it doesn't really seem to be my place to pipe up.

I'll post up an account once it's done if you like, most of the information comes from documents in the Derbyshire and Notts Record Offices, newspapers as well as various other collections scattered across the country, there are also a good selection of oral recordings from the 60s-80s in the Local Study Library. Most of these sources peter out after the 80s and usually have some form of bias or another. As I say though, I'd love to speak to anyone who either lived through those times or has memories related to it.

[banksofthetrent 0]

Unfortunately, I don't know many of the details, or even which pit he worked at, but my maternal grandfather, Charles Martin, died from injuries he received in a roof fall. I believe it was in either 1916 or 1918. Of interest is the fact that his wife, my grandmother, received a pension from the Union. We believe she was the first woman to receive a "widows pension" from what eventually became the NUM.

On a more interesting note to the miners here, is what caused the roof fall. He was "pulling timbers" to allow the roof to fall in the "gob" or "goaf" area behind a longwall. They were pretty particular about pulling them out as the cost was deducted from their pay. The "official" method of removing them was to attach a chain, or cable, to the bottom of the timber, then use a "come along" or similar device to pull the timber out from a safe location. The "unofficial" method was to knock the timber out with a sledge hammer, hoping the roof would hold long enough to get away. Of course, the unofficial way was much preferred due to the time it took - meaning you could get on with mining coal (and making money).

Guess what my grandfather was doing!

Thanks Limey, you forget sometimes the sort of conditions men worked under. There are the accident books for various pits held at both the Notts and the Derbyshire Record offices, as well as the records of the Nottinghamshire Miners Association up at the N.U.M. library in Mansfield which might include widows pensions. If it was the first to be administered then it would almost certainly get a mention in the minutes. If I find any reference to a Charles Martin or his widow I'll pass it on.