Coalmining Documents

Links to the coalmining documents in this site

These have been put together in this single section to enable you to see all the documents on one page instead of finding the links only from specific pages.

Act of the Scottish Parliament 1606 'Anent Coalyers and Salters' - tha act that led to the system of 'bondage' where colliers became bound for life to work at a coalpit.
Act of Parliament 1775 - the act which partially removed the system of bondage.
Act of Parliament 1799 - the act finally freeing all colliers from any state of bondage or the penalties of the 1775 Act

1771 Court Case - Clerk v Ross and others. Very interesting case over the right to use bound colliers belonging to Dryden coalworks at another colliery. Good details on some individual colliers.

Cowpitts Colliery Bounty Agreement 1809 (1) - Agreement to serve at Colliery for one year from 3rd July 1809. signed by 48 colliers and coalbearers.
Cowpitts Colliery Bounty Agreement 1809 (2) - Agreement to serve at Colliery for one year from 3rd July 1809. signed by another 14 colliers and coalbearers. Another 19 names of colliers lent money (some also appear in first agreement).
Cowpits Colliery Cheque Coal Bill, week ending 2 August 1806 - full accounts for that week listing about 54 colliers, and payments to other workers and all other expenses.

Craighall Colliery Cheque Coal Bill, week ending 10 March 1804 - full accounts for that week listing 60 colliers, and payments to other workers and all other expenses.
Craighall and Cowpitts Colliery Bounty Agreement 1806 - Agreement to serve at Sir John Hope's Collieries for one year from 3rd July 1806. signed by 135 colliers.

Dryden and Loanhead - Franks's Report - Evidence collected at Dryden and Loanhead Collieries by the Children's Employment Commission 1842.

Newcraighall - Franks's Report - Evidence collected at Newcraighall by the Children's Employment Commission 1842.

Check-bill of Edmonston Colliery 1760 - Account of coal produced for week of 14th January 1760. Includes names of 86 colliers, amount of coal they produced, and pit they were working in.
Edmonstone - Franks Report - Evidence collected at Edmonston by the R H Franks for the Children's Employment Commission 1842.

1823 Strike at Gilmerton - Papers relating to an 'illegal combination' and strike, also a serious assault on George Pride a collier there.
Representation of coal seam at Gilmerton 1786. Shows colliers and bearers at work.

Sheriffhall Colliery Cheque Coal Bill, week ending 29 August 1812 - full accounts for that week listing 75 colliers, and payments to other workers and all other expenses.
Sheriffhall and Somerside - Franks's Report - Evidence collected at these collieries by the Children's Employment Commission 1842.

Old and New Statistical Accounts for various parishes - Transcripts of Old and New Statistical Accounts for some of the mining parishes in Mid and East Lothian. Some are full and some are the parts only relating to colliers and coalmining.

• As far as possible in these documents, I have retained all original spellings, and abbreviations, but amended the puctuation and capitalisation in places to make things clearer.
• [Text in square brackets is usually to explain something in the text or show an abbreviated word in full]