Module Information

This module, and the associated module in the second semester, uses a variety of original sources to study the unique history of Britain's coalfield communities in the century before nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947. Industry was vital to the British economy in the Victorian era and coalfields became very important industrial centres – by 1914, almost a million men were working in the industry in Britain. In addition, miners and their trade unions were central to the development of the British labour movement and an important influence on politics in Westminster.
The first sessions consider the work of miners, including women and children, and the accidents and disasters that were so prevalent in the industry during the Victorian period. Subsequent sessions focus on the employers of the industry, who are often portrayed as exploitative and uncaring capitalists, before attention turns to the character of mining communities, through such themes as religion and leisure. Finally, we will consider trade unionism in the coalfields and the politics of the mining communities, particularly the relationship between miners as voters and the Liberal Party.

Semester 1: 1842-1914

1. Introduction: Coal and Coalfields in the history of Britain
2. Work in the coal industry
3. Female and child labour
4. Colliery disasters
5. Employers and labour policies
6. Coalfield communities
7. Religion
8. Miners' leisure
9. Miners' early trade unionism
10. Politics and 'miners' MPs'