Co Durham History - any book recommendations?

[tomatillo]

I was wondering whether anyone had any good recommendations for books on the history of Co Durham. I've got lots of leadmining ancestors from Weardale from the 18th C and coal miners all over the county throughout the 19th C. I'm not really looking for anything on my ancestors (though obviously it would be nice!) more general work to put their lives in a bit more context and for general interest. We have lots of family 'memories' of people being kicked out of their homes into the snow during strikes/after a death etc and I'd also like to see how much truth there might be in them. I guess I'm looking for some kind of 18th/19th C social history. All the book shops seem to be full of books on aristocrats and I definitely didn't have any of those!

Thanks for any recommendations

[Brie]

Hi,

If you go to the Northern Mines Research Society website (just google them) and then look at their publications you will find one called Weardale by Fairbairn published at £12

I haven't read this title so don't know exactly what it contains but you could e-mail them to find out.  I have read others in the series and found them a mine of information 

Brie

[Mr. Tibbs]

Try getting in touch with Killhope Leadmining Centre.  Their recently retired manager has written a book on the subject of Weardale and leadmining.  I'll try and find the title.  The Centre itself has a wide selection of books on the subject.  It's also a great place to visit with lots of knowledgeable staff and hands on experiences of the process of leadmining.  The history of leadmining and the social life of the miners is very well shown, as well as chronicled.

[mim]

'Life and Work of the Northern Lead Miner' is interesting and also has lots of photographs. (Arthur Raistrick & Arthur Roberts. ISBN 0-86299-826-3).

[Mr. Tibbs]

Try getting in touch with Killhope Leadmining Centre.  Their recently retired manager has written a book on the subject of Weardale and leadmining.  I'll try and find the title.  The Centre itself has a wide selection of books on the subject.  It's also a great place to visit with lots of knowledgeable staff and hands on experiences of the process of leadmining.  The history of leadmining and the social life of the miners is very well shown, as well as chronicled.

Found it. "Lead Mining Landscapes" - Forbes, Young, Crossley and Hehir  ISBN 0-902178-20-2.  Also, "Lead and Life at Killhope" - Forbe ISBN 1-897585-70-5.  If you live close enough, Weardale Museum and High House Chapel at Ireshopeburn are worth a visit.  Website for Killhope: killhope@durham.gov.uk

[Mr. Tibbs]

That was the e-mail.  Website www.killhope.org.uk.

[stanmapstone]

"The Story of the Durham Miners (1662-1921)" by Sidney Webb, is downloadable at http://www.archive.org/details/storyofdurhammin00webbuoft


Stan

[tomatillo]

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. They all look exactly what I was looking for thank you. Thanks also for pointing me in the direction of the Killhope and Northern Mines sites - they are both really interesting in themselves.

Many thanks for your help

[McTalbert]

Coal Mining

The best historical book I have read on pitmen is "The Miners of Northumberland and Durham" by Richard Fynes, first published in 1873 but subsequently republished a number of times. I purchased my copy from W.H. Smiths about 3 years ago. The excellences of this book is that it was written by a pitman and concentrates on the workmen themselves rather than mining technology.

Coincidentally the dust cover of this book mentions the following publications on Lead Mining:

"A History of Lead Mining in the Pennines" by Arthur Raistrick & Bernard Jennings

"The Lead Miners of the Northern Pennines" by C.J. Hunt

I haven't read either of these books but they can they were published by Davis Books Ltd.McTalbert