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Monthly Circular.
No. 1.	May.	1915.
TO THE MEMBERS.

GENTLEMEN,

Kindly permit me to return thanks for the practically unanimous vote by which I was promoted to the vacant position of General Secretary, created by the deeply lamented death of our leader, Dr. John Wilson.

One of the duties pertaining to the position is the issue of a monthly record of matters of general and particular interest to our members.

In issuing this first circular, permit me to claim the indulgence of the members for any shortcomings contained therein. I have never claimed, nor do I expect to emulate, the literary ability of our late General Secretary; but, as far as lies in my power, I propose to continue the practice of monthly comment ; and trust, in spite of all disabilities, to be able to impart some useful in formation, even though the language in which it is given may not be above criticism.

Death of Dr. John Wilson.

It is when dealing with events of this sad character that one experiences the difficulty of finding words to adequately express the deep sense of loss.

I have known our departed colleague for a period of 30 years, during 19 years of which we were fellow Agents of the Society; but it is during the last 10 years that it has been my pleasure and privilege to be in a good deal closer relationship with him, owing to the fact that our duties were more closely interwoven ; and the more intimate the connection the greater the appreciation of the many sterling qualities that the life and character of John Wilson portrayed.

If I had to write an epitaph over his grave it would consist of the simple, yet all complete sentence: "Here lies the body of a man.". For with all the necessary qualities that go to form one's conception of what true manhood consists of, John Wilson was richly endowed.

When we take into consideration the lowly circumstances under which he was born, ill calculated as they were to foster and develop the finer attributes of manhood and shorn, as he was, practically in infancy of a mother's loving care, and at a little later period of a father's guiding hand, it is a speaking tribute of the power of self-effort, that in spite of the many obvious and grave disabilities he was confronted with in early life, John Wilson, by the force of personality, combined with an indomitable desire to play an active part in the amelioration of mankind, rose to a position that many may aspire to, but only few, who begin life under similar conditions, attain. He passed away in the fullness of years and loaded with honours which, though not the stimulating influence of his life, were none the less richly deserved.

The time has not yet arrived to endeavour to estimate with any degree of accuracy the almost incalculable loss that the Mining Community has sustained; but my colleagues and I who have been privileged to share in the wisdom of his advice, and learn from the able and intelligent manner with which he at all times acquitted himself in all our deliberations, will feel that we have lost the service of a trustworthy pilot, whose hand was always ready to take the helm when periods of trial and difficulty arose.

For over 40 years his connection with our Society has been a close and active one, practically in the van all the time ; and the strength of our organisation, at present one of the largest in England, is an indisputable testimonial of the efficacy of the part that he has so worthily played in its development; and I am convinced that if John Wilson could name the reward most in keeping with the aspirations of his life, it would be that the usefulness of our Society should never abate, but move onward in its work for the betterment of mankind.

It may be and probably is true that his early struggles, lacking, as they did, the inspiring influence of parental sympathy and guidance, may have developed that spirit of brusque antagonism that would probably be the first impression created on those who might find themselves in opposition to his policy or opinions but beneath the crust of what might be, and frequently was, construed to be intolerance, lay a keen and earnest desire to give every credit to any difference of opinion which resulted from conscientious belief, or was the outcome of imperfect experience ; and the more intimately it was the good fortune of any individual to know John Wilson, the more clearly this fact was revealed.

Any movement in the direction of improving the moral and social well-being of the people always found a most active supporter in him ; and I have no hesitation in saying that any young man who contemplated devoting his time, energy and talents to helping to unravel the complexities of life received all the assistance that John Wilson was capable of giving.

May I venture to hope that the example his career furnishes may be copied by the young men of our Society ; and if the same success attends their efforts, as accrued to his, then when their call comes they can feel that life has not been lived in vain.

In dealing with the loss our Society has sustained during the last two or three months by death, I am somewhat forcibly reminded that the Grim Harvester has been cutting off several of our old standards, viz. J. Campbell, a prominent member of Houghton Lodge and for many years a delegate to our Council Meetings; J. Laird, for 22 years Secretary to Washington Lodge; Stephen Turnbull, of Seaham Lodge, who could almost be described at one period as the "Father of our Council Meeting;" and Wm. Bottoms, of Usworth, for many years an active leading member of that Lodge.

When it is remembered that all these men were taking a foremost part in the promotion and consolidating of Trade Unionism, at a period when it was viewed with considerably less favour than is the case now, we feel that the loss we have sustained is by no means a transient one.

The ripened judgment they brought to bear upon all questions of vital importance to our members, together with that necessary prudence and caution, so essential to a wise decision, which advancing years invariably bring with them, always constituted a safety valve to the more impulsive section of our members, whose sometimes impatient and ill-considered, even though well meant, actions might have ended disastrously to our Society.

War Bonus.

One of the most important and probably most serious periods in the history of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain is that during which the negotiations were in progress, with a view to obtaining an advance of wages, rendered so imperatively necessary by the huge increase in the cost of living.

It is necessary to remind our members that it was laid down as a principle that, as the increased price of the necessaries of life had a universal and uniform application to workers, any advance sought for should be on national lines, and not through the usual medium of County or District Conciliation Boards. It is essential that it should be made clear to our members that this was a direct mandate from the Miners' Federation, and one that we as a County had to loyally adhere to, or, as an only honourable alternative sever our connection with the Federation.

The reason I am emphasing the point is, because in the various stages of the National agitation, your Ex. Committee have been bombarded with a good deal of censure and criticism, on the ground of their failure to take steps to obtain an advance. The reason your Committee did not make a move was not because they did not feel the absolute justice of the demand, but because loyalty to the Federation prevented their taking any local initiative ; and further, they were profoundly convinced that the circumstances which gave rise to the claim were such as could only be met in a satisfactory manner by National action.

Although the movement as a National one, eventually collapsed, owing to a most humane reluctance on the part of the Federation to precipitate a situation, the results of which were incalculable, no real or adequate reason has been put forward to convince us that our opinion — that the question should be settled nationally — was an unwise one. However, the eventual decision to relegate it to the Districts was, in my opinion, a further proof, if such were required, that the miners, as a class, are prepared to make sacrifices for their Country in its hour of need.

The result of the local negotiations is now in the bands of the members ; and it is not necessary to go further into the matter, except to say that, although a long way short of our original demand, it does mark a material advance which will enable our members to face the problem of living with more equanimity than previously existed.

Dismissal of Checkweighmen.

I have been requested to draw the attention of Lodges to the increasing number of Checkweighmen who, during the course of the last few months, have been dispensed with, owing to the fact that the number of coal hewers have been decreased, as a result of the National Crisis. The lamentable feature in many of the cases lies in the fact that the men, after years of faithful service, have arrived at an age which seriously limits, if not altogether precludes, their chance of employment elsewhere; and the opinion has been expressed that just a little self-sacrifice on the part of the members, minimised as it would be by being shared amongst a number, would tend to prevent the scrapping of these servants, the best years of whose lives have been spent in the service of their fellow men. I submit this matter to the serious consideration of the members; and would just like to point out that acts of this kind do not help to improve the prestige of Trades Unionism, nor do they increase its usefulness.

I earnestly hope that such collieries as are feeling the strain of increased payments for supporting checkweighman, made temporarily necessary by the demands of their Country, will endeavour to bear the burden until normal conditions relieve them of it; and by doing so, they will be able to claim that they have striven to "Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you."

Compensation Cases.

It may cause this circular to appear somewhat lengthy, but with a view to maintaining continuity, I am giving the results of the Compensation Committees from the period of discontinuance up to the present.

Compensation Committee. — March.

Mr. House gives me the following account of the Compensation Committee's work :—

Fatal Cases

Fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Dean and Chapter	T., Blenkinsopp	38	Rolleywayman
Wingate	George, Brown	61	Wagonwayman
Shotton	S. D., Butler	39	Hewer
Horden	James, Harris	43	Stoneman
Dean and Chapter	H. P., Metcalf	16	Offtakes Lad
Hebburn	William, Stoker	39	Hewer

Non-fatal Cases

Non-fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Wearmouth	James, Askew	21	Lamp Cabin Man
Black Prince	R. J., Bradwell	31	Hewer
Dawdon	Thomas, Cherry	56	Stoneman
Browney	Thomas, Ditchburn	44	Hewer
Dawdon	Edward, Garritty	18	Driver
New Herrington	C., Jacques	26	Hewer
Lintz	Edmund, Jewitt	32	Hewer
Beamish, Air Pit	John, Kilgallon	44	Hewer
Edmondsley	William, Liddle	21	Hand Putter
Tursdale	Joseph, McCormick	19	Mining Landing
Tursdale	Thomas, Nelson		Hewer
Mainsforth	J. W., Oliver	23	Hewer
Leasingthorne	George, Rodda	22	Mining Motor Pump

Compensation Committee. — April.

Fatal Cases

Fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Brancepeth	Joseph, Armstrong	51	Stoneman
Hetton	Thomas W., Berrisford	16	Pony Putter
Black Boy	Thomas, Bowman	15	Driver
Shotton	S. D., Butler	39	Hewer
Tudhoe	Thomas, Dodds	24	Hewing Putter
Lumley	George S., Elliott	38	Hewer
Boldon	J. W. F., Grant	16	Driver
Shotton	James, Laidler	31	Labourer
Elemore	Thomas, Larmer	38	Shifter
Usworth	M., Monaghan	19	Putter
South Hetton	Aaron, Morris	65	Shifter
Hebburn	William, Stoker	39	Hewer
Dean and Chapter	William, Taylor	58	Horsekeeper
Lambton	William, Wilson	42	Shifter

Non-fatal Cases

Non-fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
South Pelaw	Cornelius, Barton	18	Pony Putter
Oxhill	John, Beaney	70	Shifter
Brandon	James, Bell		Stoneman
Lambton	T. A., Birkett	25
Westerton	A., Cartwright	19	Hanger On
Hedley Hill	James, Chambers	46	Hewer
Murton	Charles, Daglish	19	Putter
Hetton	Herbert, Davis	21	Driver
Stargate	James, Dunlavey	38	Hewer
Ryhope	William, Hall	61	Hewer
Seaham	James, Halpin	19	Putter
Hetton	Harold, Harvey	21	Rope Guider
Marsden	Thomas, Hughes	50	Coal Hewer
Waterhouses	James, Hunt	26	Putter
Blaydon Burn	Robert, Jowett		Hand Putter
Browney	Robert, Maddison		Hewer
Eldon	P., McCarrick	62	Stoneman
Marsden	Patrick, McDermott	41	Hewer
Sherburn House	James, Morgan	38	Hewer
Auckland Park	A., Proud	70	Stoneman
Dawdon	Frederick, Saville	17	Driver
Houghton	Thomas Henry, Smith	18	Landing Lad
Littleburn	Thomas, Wales	28	Stoneman
Ushaw Moor	John, Wilson	16	Off-hand Lad

Compensation Committee. — May 3rd.

The Meeting on May 3rd was quite formal, and after allocating the monies in the cases of full liability, the Committee dealt with the following cases :—

Non-fatal Cases

Non-fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Seaham	R. W., Dodds	17	Driver
Horden	F., Idle	15	Shaft Lad
Langley Park	H., Stephenson	54	Stoneman

Compensation Committee. — May 21st.

Fatal Cases

Fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Langley Park	George, Bell	39	Hewer
Hetton	Edward, Henry	61	Deputy
Byers Green	Ernest, Hetherington	16	Driver
Houghton	L., Langley	14	Driver

Non-fatal Cases

Non-fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Sacriston	William, Anderson	46	Stoneman
Langley Park	Simeon, Burgess	22	Putter
Sunnybrow	Lister, Goldsborough	52	Hewer
Tudhoe	George, Graham	32	Stoneman
Sunnybrow	Jonas, Hartley	39	Hewer
Marsden	Patrick, McDermott	41	Hewer
Louisa New Pit	William, McNeal	29	Hewer
Eldon	Alfred, Nixon	20	Pony Putter
Chilton	Ralph, Robinson	15	Driver
Hetton	Robert E., Shannon	49	Hewer
Houghton	John, Smith	52	Hewer
Langley Park	Michael, Waters	22	Putter

Durham, May 1915. T. H. Cann.

 

Source:

NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/40, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1915 (two volumes: covers Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)