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Safety Badges

Safety Badges

Safety Badges & Certificates

Notes:

• Age: generally the courses were taken by those aged between 14 and 16, however, where the original source provides the age we will show it here.
• Date: this is the date of the newspaper article from which we extracted the name. Click on the link to see the whole article.
• Colliery/group: where the classes were provided for a specific colliery we show it here. If we cannot isolate the specific colliery or if the classes are for a group of collieries then we will show that.
• Award: Badges are awarded after successfully completing the first year training. If the boy goes on to complete a second year he will be awarded a certificate in addition to his first year badge. So those boys shown as being awarded a certificate will have received a badge previously.

 

Name	Age	Occupation	Date	Colliery/group	Award
McAdam, E.		Pit Lad	18 May 1940	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McBeth, J.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McCafferty, Patrick		Pit Boy	21 Apr 1939	West Sleekburn Colliery	Badge
McCall, J.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McCourt, R.		Pit Lad	20 Mar 1940	Waterhouses Colliery	Badge
McCourt, T.		Pit Boy	28 Sep 1936	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McCullen, E.		Pit Boy	16 May 1938	Herrington and Philadelphia Collieries	Badge
McDade, C.		Pit Boy	05 Feb 1934	Dawdon Colliery	Badge
McDonald, G.		Pit Lad	22 May 1941	Burnhope Colliery	Badge
McDowell, E.		Pit Boy	13 Apr 1934	Horden Colliery	Badge
McDowell, J. A.		Pit Boy	12 Sep 1938	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McEleavey, R.		Pit Boy	15 Apr 1939	Ushaw Moor Colliery	Certificate
McGann, C.		Pit Boy	16 Jun 1939	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McGann, C.		Pit Lad	21 May 1941	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McGeary, B.		Pit Boy	27 Dec 1938	Eppleton Colliery	Badge
McGee, F.		Pit Boy	11 Jan 1935	Ryhope Colliery	Badge
McGee, P.		Pit Boy	13 Apr 1935	Ryhope Colliery	Badge
McGee, R.		Pit Boy	12 Sep 1938	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McGee, W.		Pit Boy	11 Jul 1936	Shotton Colliery	Badge
McGhin, R.		Pit Boy	31 Jul 1934	Ryhope Colliery	Badge
McGill, Thomas		Pit Boy	14 Dec 1933	Ryhope Colliery	Badge
McGlave, T.		Pit Boy	16 Jun 1939	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McGlennen, P. J.		Pit Lad	18 May 1940	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McGowan, Denis		Pit Lad	09 Apr 1941	Bowburn Colliery	Badge
McGrath, M.		Pit Boy	11 Jan 1935	Silksworth Colliery	Badge
McGrath, M.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McGrath, W.		Pit Boy	11 Jan 1935	Silksworth Colliery	Badge
McGregor, Frank		Pit Boy	23 Jan 1934	Wearmouth and Hylton Collieries	Badge
McGrorian, John		Pit Boy	14 Dec 1933	Ryhope Colliery	Badge
McGuire, F. N.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McGuire, F.		Pit Boy	11 Jul 1936	Shotton Colliery	Badge
McGuire, R.		Pit Boy	16 Feb 1938	Elemore Colliery	Badge
McGuire, R.		Pit Boy	25 Apr 1938	Elemore Colliery	Badge
McGuire, R.		Pit Boy	21 Jul 1938	Eppleton, Elemore and Hetton Lyons Collieries	Badge
McHugh, T.		Pit Boy	01 Jul 1935	Murton Colliery	Badge
McKay, E.		Pit Boy	10 Feb 1938	Hylton Colliery	Badge
McKenna, C.		Pit Lad	18 May 1940	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McKillip, T.		Pit Boy	13 Mar 1934	Murton Colliery	Badge
McLean, D.		Pit Boy	07 May 1936	Blackhall Colliery	Badge
McLean, G.		Pit Boy	03 Jul 1936	Ashington Coal Co. Ltd. Collieries	Badge
McLean, G.		Pit Boy	03 Jul 1936	Ashington Coal Co. Ltd. Collieries	Badge
McLelland, A.		Pit Boy	15 Apr 1936	Murton Colliery	Badge
McLelland, A.		Pit Boy	24 Aug 1936	Murton Colliery	Badge
McLinden, J.		Pit Boy	16 May 1938	Herrington and Philadelphia Collieries	Badge
McLinden, T.		Pit Boy	07 Jun 1937	Herrington Colliery	Badge
McLoughlan, A.		Pit Lad	18 May 1940	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McMahon, Charles		Pit Lad	12 Apr 1941	Eppleton Colliery	Badge
McMahon, Charles		Pit Lad	12 Apr 1941	Elemore Colliery	Badge
McMahon, E.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McMahon, T.		Pit Boy	01 Nov 1937	Hetton Group of Lambton, Hetton, & Joicey Collieries	Badge
McMullen, P.		Pit Boy	05 Feb 1934	Dawdon Colliery	Badge
McMullen, T.		Pit Lad	21 May 1941	Seaham Colliery	Badge
McNally, J.		Pit Boy	08 Sep 1938	Murton Colliery	Badge
McNally, W. D.		Pit Boy	07 Jun 1937	Herrington Colliery	Badge
McQuillan, F.		Pit Boy	24 Sep 1937	Seaton Delaval Colliery	Badge
McQuillan, J.		Pit Boy	15 Apr 1939	Ushaw Moor Colliery	Certificate
McRoy, R.		Pit Boy	14 Apr 1938	South Hetton Colliery	Badge
McRoy, S.		Pit Boy	07 Jan 1936	Murton Colliery	Badge
McRoy, S.		Pit Boy	24 Aug 1936	Murton Colliery	Badge
McTeer, George		Pit Boy	21 Apr 1939	West Sleekburn Colliery	Badge
McVeigh, E. J.		Pit Boy	16 Feb 1938	Elemore Colliery	Badge
McVeigh, F. J.		Pit Boy	25 Apr 1938	Elemore Colliery	Badge
McVeign, E. J.		Pit Boy	21 Jul 1938	Eppleton, Elemore and Hetton Lyons Collieries	Badge

 

1933 — Training of Boys

The year marked the inception in Durham and Northumberland of the scheme for the instruction of boys in safety principles. Classes inaugurated by the Durham, Northumberland, South Shields and Sunderland Education Committees, were commenced in the winter session at various mining centres in the two counties.

The course, for which the small fee of one shilling is charged, consists of 12 weekly lessons each of 1Ѕ hours duration, and at many centres two complete courses will be held during the session. The classes, which are entirely confined to the teaching of safety principles, are conducted by practical certificated mining officials.

At the termination of the course a simple oral examination is held for those boys who have made three-quarters of the possible attendances, and successful students are awarded a badge, known as the Durham and Northumberland Mines Safety Badge, with their name engraved on the back. The cost of the badges is being defrayed by a grant from the Miners' Welfare Fund, In a number of instances special prizes are being given by the colliery companies and the workmen's representatives.

The classes are primarily intended for boys of from 14 to 16 years of age, but this limit has not been strictly enforced, and many lads up to 18 years of age have enrolled. The course is open to boys actually employed at collieries and also to boys who have left school and are desirous of entering the industry.

In Durham, including the County Boroughs of Sunderland and South Shields, 38 centres, comprising 49 classes, were arranged and 1,514 boys enrolled for the first course, while in Northumberland 252 boys enrolled at ten centres, making a total for the combined counties of 48 centres, 59 classes, with an enrolment of 1,766 students.

At the present time approximately 1,000 boys have qualified for badges, but the final results are not yet available as several examinations have still to be held owing to many classes starting late and others being held in alternate weeks in order to suit the different shifts.

The instruction is very simple in character, and the boys are taking a keen interest and are most enthusiastic. They are taught how to avoid the common dangers that may befall them, the proper way of performing their ordinary work, the use of safety devices, the principles of the flame and electric safety lamp, and the ordinary precautions to be taken both on the surface and below-ground. In addition, visits are arranged to the collieries where they are taken around the surface plant, including the shops, lamp-room, etc., so as to combine practical knowledge with what they have been taught in the classes. The colliery companies have provided the necessary practical equipment for the classes, such as flame and electric safety lamps, miniature tubs, safety devices, telephone and signalling circuits, etc., and any further apparatus that may be required.

It is to be hoped that as a result of this scheme the boys will continue to interest themselves in mining and first-aid work, and that they will take advantage of the various courses arranged in the counties. I am sure that the possession of a First-Aid Certificate, together with the Badge, would be of the greatest value in securing employment and would make the holder still better fitted for the performance of his work.

The greatest credit is due to the education authorities, who are financing and running the classes, the colliery companies, the workmen, and all other interested parties who have in any way contributed to the unprecedented success of the scheme. I am glad to report that this course is now being included by the education authorities in their ordinary evening class curriculum.

I would like to record the great assistance I have received from my colleague, Mr. W. F. Richardson, H.M. Junior Inspector. His enthusiasm and tact have been invaluable.

Source: 1933 Mines Inspectors Report by Mr. T. Greenland Davies, H.M. Divisonal Inspector of Mines.