There was mining at Longton before the end of the 17th century, and the supply of cheap coal in the area is given as one of the reasons for the location of the first porcelain works in Staffordshire at Longton Hall.

Coal Mining Burslem.doc

Evidence of coal mining in Burslem goes back at any rate to the beginning of the 14th century and probably to the 1280's.

Mining in the Fenton’s can be traced from the end of the 17th century. There was then coal-working in Fenton Culvert, possibly in the Pool Dole area.

Coal Mining Hanley.doc

Although the Hanley-Shelton area abounds in coal, the mining industry has never been as extensive there as in the northern part of the Potteries. Its records, however, go back nearly as far.

Coal Mining Tunstall.doc

On Monday 12th August 1821 a most distressing event occurred at Sladder Hill coal pit near Audley in North Staffordshire.

Some of Enoch Wood's papers appertaining to coal mining 

Mark Hackney, a collier, age 21 was charged with rioting at the parish of Wolstanton.  

Safety Lamps 1834.doc

There was a copy of the petition presented on Tuesday 25th March 1834 by Mr. Littleton, M.P. for Staffordshire and this humble petition of the coal masters and Members of the Staffordshire Collieries

But 11 men that were in the pit only 1 was found alive, the remaining 10 unfortunate persons being all suffocated.

On Saturday morning 22nd June 1839 an accident of a fearful description occurred at on of Mr. Sparrow’s collieries, Lane End, by an explosion of firedamp, in a coal pit called “Railroad Pit,”

For the first time, many thousands of  workers’ acted together, creating unity, cohesion, and a feeling of common interest that provided a basis for building working class organisations. 

An accident of a frightful character, attended by fatal results, occurred last Wednesday June 20th, at noon at the Hamill colliery, Burslem, belonging to the representatives of the late John Wedgwood, Esq.

In North Staffordshire, unlike Derbyshire, the coal-owners did not make a determined attempt to crush the union. Perhaps they wished to avoid the repetition of the orgy of violence that had occurred during the general strike two years previously.  

It was the opinion of the miners present, that it would be in their interest to unite with each other for their mutual protection; and that they approve of the rules of the Miners’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland, 

Gentlemen – We, your humble servants, are desirous of offering to your notice some plan whereby our condition may be bettered, and likewise calculated to assist you in obtaining such a return for your capital.

Mr. Edward Fourdrinier, of Cheddleton Mill, has just brought before the attention of the colliery owners of this district a very simple and ingenious but most important  contrivance which cannot but be hailed as an invaluable boon by all who are engaged in mining operations.  

Below is a short story I think should be recorded for the younger generation of today, when boys of 12 yrs and 15 yrs were killed in the mines trying to earn a living when today they would be at school.

An explosion that has been attended with very serious consequences, occurred on Thursday 12th January 1871 at the Crewe Coal and Iron Company Collieries at Leycett.  

 The Miners’ Association in this district is growing fast, and its members are beginning to see that the Amalgamation is a reality.

There were many persons in the district who took great interest in the miners Hall, and he thought it would be an incentive to combination amongst the miners of the Chesterton district.

Mr. William Brown, the excellent and much respected agent of the North Stafford miners’, was the recipient on Monday night 30th March of a handsome testimonial from members of the Miners Association (North Stafford district). 

 He was in a long strike in 1844, he was in a 40 weeks strike in 1858, he commenced beTestimonial to Mr. Brown Miners' agent 1874.docing a miners’ agent in July 1863 when 1.400 men were locked out

Early on Monday morning, 5th august 1874 considerable excitement was caused in the neighbourhood of Bucknall, Ubberley and Northwood by the report of an explosion apparently proceeding from the direction of the Ubberley Hall colliery.  

Explosions of fire-damp have occurred in five colliers only, but causing the loss of 78 lives and in each case this sad effect was produced by causes over which careful management and  good discipline have full control.

In compliance with the National Conference held in Leeds of April last, and following days, the sub-committee appointed to lay the basis of a National Union have been in meeting two days this week.

He could not understand a man who was reaping the advantages of the union, and yet was not in the union himself.

Never was there a larger gathering of miners in Silverdale than the one that was seen on the Crown Bank on Thursday evening May 1st 1875 when about 3.000 crowded every available foot of ground,

A large meeting of miners was held on Wednesday morning 19th May 1875 in the Frederick Street schoolroom out of which the seats had to be taken in order to accommodate the great number present, many not being able to enter the room.

A mass meeting of several thousands of miners’ was held on Monday morning 30th May 1875 on the Crown Bank, Hanley.

A vast cloud of smoke rushed through the up-cast shaft, accompanied by a deafening noise, which, it is said was heard at a distance of 4 miles away.

For some moths past the members of the miners’
association have been working hard in order to place themselves upon a firmer
foundation and make their institution one of the best in Great Britain. 

By union the sick man will be visited and assisted; by union widow and the fatherless will be fed and clothed; by union the aged miner will be supported; by union colliers can defend themselves under all circumstances, and secure those rights which all men have a right to enjoy.

The present year has been a period of anxiety to most persons engaged in the coal and iron trade; and none have escaped without much annoyance and in many cases suffering heavy and severe losses.

Before the invention of the safety lamp, the only means of guarding against the ignition of fire-damp consisted in the employment of an apparatus called the “steel mill.” 

On Tuesday 2nd July 1877, at the Town
Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, a public inquiry was held concerning the conduct of Mr.
Frederick Southall, certificated manager of the Park Hall colliery, near
Cheadle.

At No.1 Burley pit, Apedale colliery, North Staffs, owned by Stanier and Company it was feared that up to 30 lives were lost between 1.30 pm. and 1.45 pm. on 27th March 1878.

He was in a long strike in 1844, he was in a 40 weeks strike in 1858, he commenced being a miners’ agent in July 1863 when 1.400 men were locked out

On Monday evening 9th February a
meeting was held in a large room adjoining the Kings Head, Audley. The
attendance was large and a good union spirit was manifested.  

On Thursday evening 22nd January 1880 a crowded meeting of miners was held in a large tent adjoining the King’s Head Inn, Audley.

A well attended miners’ meeting was held in the club room at the Crown Inn, Red Street, on Tuesday 11th October 1880.  

The miners of North Staffordshire have now
another opportunity to build up a great association.

About 5.15 on Monday morning 21st November 1881 an explosion of gas occurred at the Deep Pit, Far Green, Hanley.

The report of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of mines
for the year 1881 has just been issued. The general summary of the statistical
portions of the reports shows that during the year 1881.  

Mr. J. Strick read a paper on “The re-opening of
the burley Pit, Apedale,1882 after the explosion in March 1878.”

Mr. J. R. Haines, secretary, read a paper on
“Underground Haulage,” which he classed under the following heads, first the
tail rope system.

Proposed reduction of wages, a meeting of the North Staffordshire Coal and Ironstone Masters was held at the Queen’s Hotel, Hanley, this afternoon April 19th 1883, to consider the question of wages. 

A disastrous explosion occurred at the Hanley Deep Pit, early on Sunday morning 1st September.  

On Wednesday afternoon 14th May what might have proved a most serious explosion occurred at No. 6 Sheriff Pit, belonging to the Butterley Company.

The annual demonstration promoted by the committee of the North Staffordshire Miners Federation took place on Monday 23rd August 1885 in the Burslem Athletic Ground, Moorland Road.

The use of ordinary blasting cartridges in the gaseous coal seams of North Staffordshire has frequently been pronounced by the Government Inspectors to have been the cause of explosions attended, not infrequently, by disastrous loss of life and property:

You, as the certificated manager, allow a boy, seventeen years of age to go down and contract with a man to do his work for a shilling, whilst he (the lad) went on the spree. What can you expect it will end in but disaster and manslaughter.

As an leading and active member of the royal commission appointed in February, 1879 to inquire into the whole question of the loss of life in mines, Sir Frederick Abel  

He said that it had been proved that coal dust was one of the principle agents in colliery explosions, and was probably the chief cause of the great loss of life in such disasters. 

Mr. J. Lucas president at a special meeting of the members of this Institute, held at Stoke-on-Trent on Monday evening June 23rd, to consider the proposed new special rules for North Staffordshire.

List of Colliery Owners, Certificated Managers

"The Old-Sal's gone up" was the awful cry that was going round the village and from all directions people came running towards the colliery

One man killed and 6 injured, plus 20 ponies suffocated. The neighbourhood of Kidsgrove was last night, (Tuesday 16th October)  

The bodies of George Badderley, fireman and William Hewitt, loader, were recovered Thursday afternoon February 5th Hewitt was found at the top of the thirling and Badderley at the bottom of the same thirling.

“The Board shall in settling any minimum rate have regard to the average daily rate of wages paid to workmen of the class for which the minimum rate is being settled.”  

But for the fact that it was Saturday half-holiday, about 500 men would have been working in the pit.

Re opening of Norton Colliery 1912.doc

One of the workmen at the collieries said to the Sentinel “representative”: “It is a good thing and a bad thing.” He was referring to the fact that if the water had flooded the pit while the men were engaged on the day shift, the loss of life might have been terrible.

By the time they realised their danger and made the effort, the smoke was so dense that instead of retreating by either the back dip or left hand gate, they lost their way and were overcome by smoke.

Edwards was born at Talk-o'-the Hill and became a coal miner as a child. He was elected to Staffordshire County Council before becoming President of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain in 1904, and then MP for Hanley in 1906.

Joseph Cook was born on December 7th 1860 in Vale Place, Silverdale, North Staffordshire. 

A collection of short stories regading North Staffs coal mining. 

A collection of short stories relating to North Staffs mines.

Rogersons were living in the village of Scot Hay in 1911, overlooking the pit at Leycett. 

Florence colliery was originally named after the eldest daughter of the owner, the Duke of Sutherland. Three shafts were sunk from 1874 to 1916.   

The original North Staffordshire Mines Rescue Station was opened by the North Staffordshire Colliery Owners Association in a converted house in January 1911.  

A. J, Cook, secretary of the Miners Federation of Great Britain said; “The history of the coal mining industry in Britain is one long record of struggle between profits and human life.