Coal hewer

[Digger Barnes]

Hi

Most of my dads side (Harrison) were coal hewers in Tanfield, Durham.   My grandfather through mining damaged his hand and it had stuck where he use to use the pick, dad said granddad use to have to push the pick into his hand.  In the end granddad had to stop in the mines and he was award £7,000 for damages, this is going back many years so it was a lot of money.  Granddad moved then out of Durham to Rugby in Warcs to a nice little bungalow.

Can anyone tell me what an Overseer was in the mines please.

[dennford]

        I'm not too sure about overseer, could it have been an overman? The progression from worker to manager was as follows. Shotfirer - as the name suggests was responsible for carrying out blasting proceedures. Pit deputy - responsible for the safety of all the men working at a specific coal face or district,  Overman - was responsible for a section of the mine that  may include several faces or districts. Undermanager - Was usually the manager of a particular seam being worked at a mine. Mine manager - manager of all operations both bove and below ground
        This are a short description and lacks in much detai but I hope it gives you some idea.

                                          Denn

[Digger Barnes]

Hi Denn

I will be seeing dad this weekend and hopefully he will know, but I think last time he couldnt remember.  I will put a post on here if I get the answer, many thanks for the information, no wonder grandad was a coal hewer he was only 4ft 11 tall.

Will keep you posted when if I get the info.

Many thanks

Yvonne

[Greyhound]

Just looked up the meaning of overseer in the Oxford Dictionary, overseer = Superintendent, hope this helps.

Steve.

[Digger Barnes]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply, yes it sounds like a some kind of foreman doesnt it, there is 1 or 2 ancestors of mine were overseers.

When you read about the miners in them days, the way they worked and lived it must of been a hard life and most of my Harrisons had anything between 5 and 15 children including dad who is one of 14.  Dad tells me stories of life when he was young and told me as soon as you turned 14 that was it off down the mines, no ifs and buts you had to go as you were living in cottages run by the mines.  I have one ancestor who was 9 in the mine.  We dont know where born in this day and age.

Many thanks

Yvonne

[Greyhound]

Yvonne,

Yes I agree, life was really hard in those days, the family I am trying to trace on my grandmas side ( Ashtons) were all coal hewers or coal hewers labours, Just wished I had picked Grandmas brain back in those days. It would have made my task a lot easier, as  only one or two of her side are still alive.

Regads
Steve.

[Candidiasia Ibberrson]

I have on the 1901 census.

A 2nd Great Grand Uncle

Edward Henry Turnbull he is a Colaminer Hewer,  Later in the years he is a Miner Wasterman (below).

Candis