Module Information

Module Identifier
HQ37220
Module Title
Life and Work in the British coalfields, 1914-1948 (Part 2)
Academic Year
2026/2027
Co-ordinator
Dr Steve Thompson
Semester
Semester 2
Co-Requisite
HQ37120
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Essay  2000 Words  50%
Semester Assessment Open Examinaion  2000 Words  50%
Supplementary Assessment Essay  2000 Words  50%
Supplementary Assessment Open Examinaion  2000 Words  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the social, economic, political and cultural history of British coal-mining communities in the first half of the twentieth century.

Demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences between the different coalfields in Britain and the effects of nationalisation in 1947.

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the debates and discussions over the character of coalfield communities as they appear in a variety of primary source types.

Demonstrate skills in analysing a variety of primary source types, including newspapers, images, ballads, poems, autobiographies and official materials.

Brief description

This module, and the associated module in the first semester, uses a variety of original sources to study the unique history of British coalfield communities in the century before the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947. In the second semester, the module will consider the history of the industry and the mining communities in a turbulent period when the relationship between employers and miners was affected by total war, economic recession, the growth of left-wing politics, and bitter strikes.
We will begin by considering new working conditions in the colliery, which came about as a result of the process of mechanization, and the working conditions in the house experienced by women, as well as the effects of the work on the health and condition of women and men. We will move on to study new developments in the ways in which employers treated and managed their workers before considering aspects of miner culture, including the ways in which miners and their communities were portrayed in the arts. Finally, we will study the political aspects of the coal industry, including strikes, trade unions, left-wing politics and, finally, the nationalisation of the industry in 1947.

Aims

This module, and the associated module in the first semester, presents the unique history of Britain's coalfield communities during the century before the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1947. A wide range of original sources will be used to study the work and lives of miners and their families in the various coalfields across Britain and these experiences will be placed in a wider social, economic and political context. This module will offer another option for third-year students choosing a Special Subject.

Content

Semester 2: 1914-1948

1. New working methods
2. Women's work in the home
3. Accidents, diseases and disability
4. Employers and welfare capitalism
5. Coal and the arts
6. The Miners' Welfare Fund
7. Trades unionism: Challenges from left and right
8. Strikes
9. Politics: The Labour Party and the Communist Party
10. Nationalisation

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Communication Through discussions in seminars and articulating arguments and points in written work.
Improving own Learning and Performance Developing skills in time management and submitting work by due dates. Making use of feedback on assessed work in order to improve performance.
Information Technology The use of information technology is an everyday aspect of the teaching and learning on the module.
Personal Development and Career planning Develop transferable skills, including time management, communication skills and analysis.
Problem solving Students are expected to engage with historical issues and undertake relevant research in preparation for seminars and the completion of written work.
Research skills Using a range of different academic outputs in order to form critical analyses.
Subject Specific Skills Develop the ability to interpret relevant primary sources relating to the period under consideration and the ability to treat critically the relevant secondary work.
Team work Take part in seminar activities and understand how to work productively with other members of the class.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6