"An Appeal to the Public from the Pitmen"

Taken from "The Miners of Northumberland and Durham" by Richard Fynes, published in 1873, republished in 1986 - ISBN 0 946865 05 1

"Delegates' Meeting, Newcastle, May 6th, 1831.

"We, the pitmen of the collieries on the rivers Tyne and Wear, do certify to our friends and the public, that on Thursday, the 5th inst., we convened a meeting on the Black Fell, for the purpose of laying before the same the terms offered us by the select number of viewers, when the Marquis of Londonderry was present, who, with some magistrates, backed by the military, and threatening to bring more from Newcastle and Sunderland, more than once threatened to read the Riot Act if we did not disperse. But, by reason of our importunity that they would accede to our reasonable demands, his lordship volunteered (as we hoped) to be a mediator if we would disperse, and we accordingly acceded to his request and he positively promised to guarantee one point, and to meet the delegates at Newcastle on the 5th. We met him accordingly, and he agreed to that one point; but to-day we met, expecting to come to a happy conclusion, and three of the select number of viewers, put the following questions to the deputation from the delegate meeting

"Question 1.—Will you give up every other point and go immediately to work upon the terms offered by the collieries on the 19th of March, subject to the various concessions already made, provided the 30s. offered by the Marquis for 10 days, and subject to the fines, be given up ?

"Answer.—We cannot agree to this in consequence of the fines not being taken into consideration.

Question 2.—Will each colliery go to work as they severally agree with their employers without reference to other collieries ?

"Answer.—As soon as the eight points respecting the bond are settled each colliery will then endeavour to agree with their employers and go to work.

"The following are the eight points referred to in the bond

"I. Respecting being turned out of our houses as soon as our time of hiring is up; we want this clause done away out of the bond.—The owners offer to give us 14 days after the expiration of the bond. Agreed to.

"II. Putters' Renks (the distance the putters go for each corf). We ask for the first renk to be 60 yards at is. 4d.—The owners propose 80 yards at 1s. 2d., and 1d. per score advance as soon as the distance exceeds 80 yards. with conditional price for heavy putting. Agreed to.

"III. Working Hours (the time we are to be underground). We want the time to commence as soon as the lads begin to go down the pit, viz., to work 12 hours from that time.—The owners offer that the pit draw coals 1 2 hours ; and again they want the lads to be half-an-hour down the pit before the 12 hours commence. Agreed to.

"IV. Binding (the time the bonds are to be read). We wish the binding to be at the usual time. Agreed to.

"V. Adjusting of the Corves (to have the corves made less when they get too large, or made larger when they get too little). We are willing to send 20 pecks to bank, or rather 87.249ths imperial gallons, but to have the privilege of seeing that the corves are not to be larger than is necessary to hold 87.249ths imperial gallons, provided that we do not stop the work, and to be done within three days. Agreed to.

"VI. Fines (for a small mixture of stones, rusty, or small coals, sixpence, one shilling, and sometimes more for one corf). We want only to be fined the price of the corf for laid-out. --The owners will not agree to this.

"VII. Working days with the rate of wages in the minimum. We ask 1 1 days per fortnight for 25 fortnights per year, subject to the provisions in the 7th article of the bond, the wages to be 3s. per day or 33s. per fortnight, out of which the fines are to be deducted.—The owners offer 10 days at 3s. per day, if we agree to the propositions offered on the 19th of March.

"VIII. Respecting laying the pit idle. We want this amendment made to the 7th article of the bond :— ‘That if by any accident happening to the engine sufficient to lay the pit idle, or the pit be rendered unfit for working, and the said parties,' &c.—The owners want, that if by ‘any accident happening to the engine or from any other cause, a pit shall be rendered unfit for working, and the said parties,' &c. We wish another obnoxious part to be entirely taken out of the same article which says, ‘and in case they are permitted by the said owners to find employment elsewhere, and that such employment may be had.'

"These are the points upon which we have been contending, and the progress which had been made towards their adjustment, before the last meeting; from which it will be seen, that upon five of the points in dispute, the pitmen had agreed to the proposals of the owners. But because the pitmen have not given up the remaining points, the owners now want them to come to the terms offered on the 19th of March, before any of the above points were adjusted. From this plain statement, the public will be able to judge between us, and see which party has made the most concessions."