Norfolk farm labourers in the Northumberland/Durham coalfields

[Mofamily]

In 1851 my 3x great grandfather was a farm labourer in Ketteringham. In 1861, aged 65, he had moved to Earsdon Northumberland with his wife, the youngest of his 14 children and a grandson. He remained a farm labourer but the two young men were coal miners. Other members of his family, sons, daughters, nephews and nieces also travelled North, settling in either Northumberland or County Durham. In each case the men worked as miners or as labourers in related industries. Some moved with their Norfolk spouses others found partners in their new home.
I haven't followed all the families but so far I haven't found a record of any returning to Norfolk. (The exodus seems to have escaped oral history-my late mother was unaware that any of the family had ever left the county. )
I assume that changes in agriculture and lack of employment opportunities drove the families northwards. Presumably it was fairly easy to travel in returning coal barges.Was this a common occurrence or were my ancestors unusual?

Hi there

No, your ancestors weren't unusual.

My family did the same thing.  Four brothers from the same family moved to Durham Pits.  Two stayed (one of them my family) and the other two went back.

See attachment.  I found it very informative regarding my great great Uncle Dan.  It seemed it was definitely hard down the mines, but thought it was better to return to Norfolk (where he lived until he was 105 still working on a farm!).

[Peckfamily]

I have just discovered that my 2x great grandfather John Peck went to Durham around 1871, as he was listed in the Census for that year living in lodgings, Westoe, Southshields with 3 others 2 labours and one bricklayer.  I was wondering if they moved up to work at the Souter Lighthouse which was being built around then. My ancestor went back to Norfolk and was with his family by the following census 1881, where he was listed as a farm labourer. Thank you for your posts I have enjoyed reading them.

[Pete E]

Hi, my 3 x great grandfather Richard Pyle (Pile) came to Northumberland sometime between 1836 and 1839 with his wife Maria and family from the village of Thornage in Norfolk. They settled in Cramlington with Richard working as a miner (1841 and 1851 censuses). Sadly I have recently identified Richard's possible death in an underground accident in 1852. I have yet to positively prove this, but it's tragic if he had moved in the hope of a better life. The Durham Mining Museum website "in memoriam" pages, http://dmm.org.uk/mindex.htm make grim reading of the men and boys who lost their lives in the mining industry in the North.

[Pooters]

My ancestors also came from Norfolk{Corpusty,Saxthorpe}and they were agricultural labourers who went to work in the coal mines.Lord Hastings owned the land around Saxthorpe as well as mines in the NE.The Norfolk Family History Society is an excellent resource for delving into family trees.Many Norfolk people used to go back to the area for holidays.

Wow. My first time here and I find your post
My ancestors on my father's side came from Saxthorpe/Corpusty and William Wade moved from there in 1844/6. He had 6 children born in Saxthorpe, then 3 born in Northumberland - as was my father, and I was too (Ashington). My grandmother was delighted when dad (a chemist) said he was moving from Southport to Norwich. "That's where your father's family came from!" she said.
I still live in Norwich.

[Creasegirl]

My lown family were agricultural labourers from Norfolk but moved up to Durham and throckley to mine. 

[radstockjeff]

My wife's family members all moved to the Tyne and Wear area from other parts in the 1800s.
The Smiths from Sculcoates to Gateshead, the Julnes from Kings Lynn to Sunderland, the Greaves(Grieves) from Brancaster to South Shields and the Nurses from Weybourne to South Shields.

[Gadget]

This might be of interest:

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=395157.msg2676855#msg2676855

Gadget

Added - ref to the book here:

 Although it is usually difficult to find specific reasons for a flit, the Blyth-born RICHARD FYNES in his book ( 1873), "The Miners of Northumberland and Durham" covers various drifts of folk to and from the NBL & Durham Coalfield in 1800s.

[PaulJ56]

Hi,
Just found this thread, like many one of my antecedents hails from Norfolk.
Sometime in the mid 1850's Timothy Hurn (Herron/Harn/Hearne) left Sustead, Norfolk with wife Maria and 5 children with another child George Timothy born in the north east in 1856. So Timothy left the life of an agricultural labourer to become a miner. Sadly Timothy was killed in a mine accident at Hartley Colliery in 1860, not the disaster of 1862, where due to a miscommunication, he fell out of the cage and fell to his death at the bottom of the shaft.
It looks like his wife Maria received some pension following Timothy's death as in the 1871 census she is listed as being an 'annuitant' - someone in receipt of a 'private income;.
Different branches of the family have taken the surname as Harn, Herron and Hurn which are obviously Northumberland interpretations of the Norfolk accent as spoken to the invigilators filling out the census forms over the years (the 1871 census could have Maria as 'Neron' but I think that is just our Mormon friends reading of the text (some readings DO leave a bit believing)!