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Description: | Song on the plight of northern pitmen.Printed in July 1831, this song refers to a strike of local pitmen. In 1830, largely as the result of work by Thomas Hepburn, a new union of pitmen was formed. When the time approached in March 1831 for the renewal of the annual bond or working agreement between pitmen and colliery owners, meetings of pitmen were held in Gateshead and Newcastle. Here the unions urged the men to demand regular work and wages, and shorter hours for boys working under ground.The employers, however, refused and by April the pitmen tightened their pressure by forcing collieries to join the strike. After seven weeks the coal-owners agreed to a 10 per cent increase in wages and restriction of working hours for boys to twelve hours a day. A repeat of the strike the following spring, however, was not a success. Coal-owners brought in outside labour and evicted their workers from their cottages. Much violence and rioting ensued and the pitmen were eventually forced to return to work. One of a number of songs printed in support of the pitmen, the author of this song was responsible for a number of strike songs, including the 'Keelmen's stick'. The accompanying illustration shows the principal characters involved in the strike of 1832.This song is part of the John Bell Collection. ; A collection of broadsheets on various subjects, with accompanying press cuttings and manuscript notes in the hand of John Bell. | Publisher: | Douglas and Kent Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | Rights holder: | rights holder : Newcastle University | Subjects: | miners & strikes & trade unions & protest industry and occupation & protest | Temporal: | start=1801;end=1840; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:N0132203 | Go to resource |
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