No. 366. — April 19. Mr. Elliot.

Aged 20. Under viewer. Has been here about 2 years in this capacity. Commenced at Pensher colliery under his father. Cannot compare this with other collieries, except Pensher, which is a remarkably clean and well-ventilated pit.

The peculiarities of this pit are the extraordinary depth. namely, 265 fathoms to the Bensham seam, 15 fathoms lower being sunk for 'standage,' or for a reservoir of water. The ordinary time consumed in going down and coming up the shaft is about from 2 to 3 minutes respectively. The tub for drawing coals, and also men and boys, is 7 feet high. It holds 105 pecks of coals (Newcastle pecks). The weight of these 105 pecks of coals by themselves is 30 cwt.

The shaft produces always, or nearly so, a sensible weight on the drum of his ears when he descends and ascends the upcast shaft, which is always the case. The other division of the brattice being that for the pumping apparatus and only descended by the engineers, and sometimes the viewer-in-chief, witnesses brother.

No. 367. — Mr. George Elliot.

Aged 27. Is the head viewer here, and at Washington and at Belmont collieries. Has been viewer here about 3 years.

The peculiarities of this pit are its extraordinary depth and its consequent great heat. The heat of the unbroken coal or mine is at an average of about 75° (Fahrenheit). The extremist heat that he has known or worked in is 89 degrees, being of course increased by the heat of his body, &c., animal heat. Another peculiarity is its freedom from carburetted hydrogen. There are very small quantities of it, very contrary to common expectation. Perhaps 4 or 5 Davy lamps are used here, no more. Do not work here, as yet, at all in the broken.

There is not more than about one-seventh of the coal taken away at first. The strata above 60 is of such extraordinary thickness and weight as to require this remainder to support the roof and to prevent creeps. With all these arrangements the timber is very much broken. The expenditure for timber alone in this mine will, perhaps, be annually £1,500. The roof is of a shivery nature and frequent falls occur but no man has been killed by these falls. In the east and west direction in the pit the roof of the seam is of a very fragile nature, while in the north and south it is much less so. Perhaps not more than 6 or 7 accidents, of a comparatively slight nature, occur from falls in one year.

The height of the mainways is in the lowest 5 ft. 8 in., and in the highest about 7 ft. The height of the bords is about 5 ft. 8in., that being the thickness of the seam. Do not cut any of the tops or bottoms away, except in the horse ways. Allowing for creeps and every other accident, the lowest working place in the pit will not be lower than 3ft. 6in.

All the putters here put full tubs down a descent of 1¼ inch to the yard, maximum fall and an average fall of half an inch. When the tub is to be put down 1 inch to the yard, a helper-up is sent them. Wishes to agree to supply them with helpers-up when the dip is, or exceeds, 1 inch to the yard. Many times they ask for one before this. Wishes, whenever the tub would of its own gravity descend, to send a 'helper-up.'

'Putting to the dip,' is putting up an incline. 'Putting to the rise,' is when the coals descend of their own weight. Here it is considerably harder to put to the dip than to the rise. i.e. it is harder to put up than down; this is not always the case.

At Washington the dip putting is 3 inches to the yard, or 1 in 12 fall in the extreme in one of the pits.

The average is of course less there; perhaps, not more than 1 inch to the yard. A lad should never and seldom does put up a bank of a rise of more than 1 inch to the yard without assistance. Boys who put a tram alone range from 16 to 21 years of age.

The putters make better wages here than in any other place witness is connected with. A low average is 4s. 6d. a-day. Here they are an hour longer down than in other pits, because they have only one shaft here, and that of extreme depth. It takes a long time for the men to get ridden up and down thereby interfering with the hours for drawing coals. The boys work no longer than at any other collieries. The following is an extract from the colliery bond. The waggon drivers to have 1s. 4d. per day of 12 hours coal drawing. &c. i.e. boys from 10 to 14 years of age. Putters and others stop the same time.

The mode of doing away with boys for keeping doors, alluded to by witness in his answer to the query, is, a piece of mechanism, analogous to that employed for opening railway gates. This is effected by the wheel of the rolley touching the springs of the switches, which alternately open and shut the trap-door. Thinks this has never been tried down pits but is confident of its successful application. This mechanism is a little complicated, and in some places (as in the working of pillars and when the floor of the seam is 'uneasy') would scarcely be applicable. The idea was suggested from the exhibition of railway-gate models in the Polytechnic exhibition in Newcastle, in 1840. If adopted, perhaps this mode might equal in expense the present mode of door keeping by boys.

Would deliberately say that boys of 12 years of age alone should be employed in pits in way. Between the ages of 10 and 12 more is learned by them than in all the former years. Is very much pressed and ill-treated by parents to take children at a very early age, from 6 years and upwards. Has known boys of 5 years of age in some pits Could give two names and instances of boys of 5 years of age being employed in pits in the county of Durham. Would rather have the discretionary power of refusing children than be compelled by law to do so. There is a very remarkable difference between boys of the same age as to education and muscular power. Such a restricting law would be of benefit to the children, although it against the wishes of the parents. On Saturday last, at Washington colliery, John Bell widower, had a boy of 9 years old. John Bell wanted to be bound at the colliery and on his conditions was that his boy should likewise be employed. No reasoning on the part of the witness could alter this condition and he obstinately refused to be bound unless the boy was employed. Does not think he was bound at last. He was a worthy man; but this is an instance of the almost invariable case. Has not employed any boys under 7 years of age. One Robert Pattison, now employed down this pit, is now 6 years of age and has been down months. His father, who was not well off, earnestly requested that he might be taken; the viewer did not know his age till yesterday; neither does the boy know his own age. Would not object to the requisition of a medical certificate, stating the ordinary health of a be pretty fair before be went down the pit. Considers the morals of the lads here worse than most colliery districts. The cause is the nearness of the town of Sunderland. Another is that there is a prejudice against the depth of the pit. And respectable families do not come from this circumstance. Generally the neighbourhood of a town corrupts the people. Fairs, dances, theatres, &c., seduce them. Drunkenness is prevalent here. The police prevent at present many disorders.

If the parents had to pay for schooling they would very rarely send their children to school. Generally parents do not manifest much disposition to urge education. Schools, where the elements of mechanics and natural philosophy are taught, would not benefit the people as workpeople, so much as schools where religious and moral instruction are imparted. A very great number, indeed the great majority, of pitmen are dissenters and would most decidedly object to allow their children to go to the established church. This prejudice is lessening.

(On a former visit this witness said, in the presence of the owners, Methodists have a great hold on the pit people; and although I am not of that persuasion, I must say that Methodists have done more to ameliorate the pitmen than the whole church put together.')

Putting is extremely hard work in some cases but as putting is piece work putters will work very hard, from the desire to earn increased wages. This colliery is quite an asylum for asthmatic people and an asthmatic man who cannot possibly work at bank can work below. The mercury in the barometer at the bottom of this pit stands ordinarily at 32 in. and water boils at about 22 (Fahrenheit) degrees. Has commonly seen hewers and who have been many years in pits slightly affected in their eyesight. Sometimes getting into a confirmed habit of looking in an oblique direction, especially, for example, in lighting candle. The men, if told of this, would be quite annoyed. As to stature, they may, perhaps, be lower than other labourers but more muscular. They are thin but sinewy.

Does not think that boys require more holidays than they now have, viz, a fortnight at Christmas and in the remainder of the year having 3 days a fortnight holidays. Thinks food is usually sufficient. Will answer for it that white bread of the best flour is commonly used. They do not have much animal food, they say it makes them dry. Plenty of cheese and bacon are consumed, as well as quantities of cold coffee.

Believes that boils are frequently produced by some means in this pit; perhaps the excessive drinking of water, spring water, while they are heated. Had one boil himself, about the size of a marble, which annoyed him much. Does not think that now there is one person suffering from boils in the pit and thinks that on an average there will not be more than two at a time in the colliery suffering from boils. Has known persons, but to a less extent, have boils in other collieries. Has asked medical men about these boils but could not obtain a satisfactory account of them.

Is now sinking another shaft, which will introduce an increased quantity of air to cool this colliery.

(The above minutes were read over to witness, and signed by him.)

(Signed) George Elliot.

No. 368. — Messrs. Richard Pemberton and Smith, Owners of this Colliery.

Believe that the parents do not take sufficient care of the children. There is plenty of time for them to learn if parents would take care of their education. The condition of the pit boys is better than that of most boys in manufactories and they are as well-formed as most children. They live well too as to food and generally eat white bread. Pit people are extravagant in their living. The boys are generally well scrubbed after work and wash themselves carefully. The parents have great credit in keeping them clean after work hours. The boys are better dressed than most boys of the labouring classes. There are no diseases incidental to their work.

At this colliery they are worse in morals, perhaps, than at some others, on account of their being near a populous town (Sunderland). Children should not go down pits before they are 10 years old. Would not, as owners, object to a restriction enforcing this.

Witnesses are assisting some dissenters (Independents) in establishing a school here, by finding house and coal.

No. 369. — April 19. Alexander Ball.

Aged 18 and 4 months. A putter. Makes about 3s. a-day. Gets up at 4 o'clock. Goes down about a quarter past 4 a.m., begins work about 5. Has his breakfast before he goes; generally sufficient. Takes a bait in a bag down with him and a bottle of coffee. Takes that about 11 o'clock; cannot, perhaps, stop before that if the hewer has hewed many coals. Eats the rest when they want it, or take it in their hand as they are going on. Loose at 6 o'clock. or rather before. Worked at Hebburn and Wallsend. There went down at half past 3 a.m., and loosed at 4p.m. The first thing he does every morning is to prepare the tub by taking off the drags; then goes in bye, perhaps a mile-does not know exactly — to where the hewers are at work. There with the help of the men (hewers) fills the tub, then puts it along the tram ways, perhaps 60 or 70 yards, then returns for another. Went down (Walker) pit when he was 9 years old. Was a healthy boy. Is well now generally, but sometimes bad in his inside. Sometimes cannot walk well for this pain. Sometimes it comes on at home, sometimes in the pit. Is a very hot pit; hotter than Wallsend, Hebburn, or Walker pits. Heat sometimes gives him cold. Puts on a jacket when he comes up the pit. All work quite naked (except the drivers, trappers, and flatmen), with the exception of a front covering of flannel, and shoes. The putting is bard, but the hardest thing is the heat and the hours are very long. Sometimes he has a doctor; has been lamed twice rather bad. Once off 5 weeks; the second time 8 weeks. Is lame now in some degree, from slipping his foot on a plate. Can read an easy book. Writes very little; writes his name. Does not go to night-school but goes to Sunday-school.

No. 370. — William Donald.

Aged 16. A putter. Makes 3s. a-day. Can read an easy book. Writes his name. Goes to night-school. Goes to Methodist meeting sometimes but not to Sunday. The work tires him sometimes. It is over long to be constant on his legs for 13 or 14 hours. No accidents. Has been 3 years down the pit. Never sick. Sometimes is bad all over and has the doctor, and thinks the heat of the pit gives him cold.

No. 371. — George Allen.

Aged 15 in August. Is a driver. Is at present taking off the rope on the incline. Gets 1s. 4d. a-day. Works about 13 hours regularly. Before they get home they have commonly away 14 hours. Has been down 6 years. Has had 2 accidents. Was lamed by a horse flinging and was off 2 months. His head was cut and he was off 3 weeks. Has very good health. Whiles the salt water drops from the roof and the heat together strikes boils on the boys; not very often. Takes salts and senna to stop these. The pit is o'er warm and unless he gets a drink he is whiles sick. Has pains in his legs sometimes from being so long on his legs. Cannot read well. Writes his name. Does not go to night-school. but does to Sunday-school sometimes and whiles to chapel.

No. 372. — Richard Bell.

Fourteen in June. Driver. Gets 1s. 4d. a-day. Gets thumped whiles when a waggon gets off the way and it is not his fault. Sometimes they fling stones at him. The waggonway men do this. If he is long putting the lows (candles) in the bag the overseer whiles flogs him with a stick, as hard as be can. Makes him cry and leaves the marks on him. Last week he did this. Whiles he hurts him and others so as to lay him off work. Once he was hit over the head with a stick and laid off 2 days, The overman is Robert Robinson. Every time he gets into the pit he turns sick and dizzy; very often; twice last week. He brought up his victuals from his stomach soon after he had eaten them. Whiles he is sore tired after work. Is very sleepy when he gets up and is drowsy all day from the pit being so hot like. Has been lamed twice, his ankle split and his thumb burst. Can read the Bible. Writes his name. Goes to Sunday-school and used to go to night-school but left off from being too sleepy.

No. 373. — Thirty-nine boys.

The oldest is 15 in May; the youngest is 8. Six assist in putting. Eighteen drive. Five keep doors. Nine are employed in various other ways and at bank. Fifteen read an easy book. Eleven write their names. No boy goes to a night-school. Fourteen go to Sunday-schools. Fourteen have had 'lames' of a more serious kind. Nearly the whole of them complain of the heat of the pit and say that it makes them sick and bad at times.

No. 374. — Nichol Hudderson.

Sixteen. Is bound as a putter, but is unable to put yet. A year ago the horse ran away. knocked him off; trailed with the waggons. Off 10 months. Is lame now and will always be lame. His leg was set wrong at first. One leg is shorter than the other. The pit makes him sick. Has been very bad in his health ever since he went down the pit. Was very healthy before. Has been here nearly 6 years. This is the sixth year. The heat makes him sick. The sulphur rising up the shaft as he goes down makes his head work. Feels worst when he first goes down in the morning; at 3 o'clock in the morning and when he comes up at six o'clock he feels sick. It is nearly 7 o'clock before he gets home sometimes. It depends on how far he is in bye (how far from the bottom of the shaft). Very seldom when he gets home can he eat much; this is from the heat and long hours of the pit. Gets to bed at different times. Generally lying down by the fireside first and sleeping there first. Mother calls him about 3 o'clock; when he feels very sleepy and often so sick that he cannot eat when up, at least he cannot eat very much. Sometimes he can eat his baits down the pit, sometimes not. Sometimes so sick as to bring up his victuals again from his stomach. Did this twice last week. Most of the boys do this at times, once in a week at the least perhaps. About half a year since, a lad, John Huggins, was very sick down the pit and wanted to come up, keeper would not let him ride (come up) and he died of a fever one week after. (The father of this lad and his brother fully corroborate this statement; and the father says the doctor told him if he (the boy) had not been kept in the pit he might have been, perhaps, saved. This boy never had any thing the matter with him before he went down the pit.) Knows boys who have been sick in this way. Has known three boys killed about 4 years ago. The rope broke when the corf was going down, and they fell to the bottom: the rope falling them.

No. 375. — James Johnson.

Sixteen. Bound to put, but is driving. Has been lamed, a year ago, by the when a trapper fell asleep. Off 3 months. The doctors neglect has made him lame now. Sometimes is very bad; cannot eat his baits well. Takes home his baits 80 only part of them being eaten; perhaps once in a week. If he takes a drink of water in the morning when first he gets up it makes him bad. Only one has brought up his victuals the pit. Often sick, but not sore sick., Every night when coming up the shaft his h a little. Sometimes, when amongst the salt water, tile heat, &c. brings out boils size of a hens egg upon him, about his legs and thighs, and under his arms some of the boys, men and all have these boils at times. These boils, perhaps, last a fortnight they get ripe, and then they burst. Sometimes turpentine and linseed poultices are them before they break. A great white thing follows the boil, and is called a 'tanner'.

No. 376. — William Mackenzie.

Had about 20 boils on his back at one time, about two years since. These In three months. He was kept off work about a week. If he touched them against anything they were like death to him. But few of the boys have so many at a time; many of the boys get two or three at a time. The boys take physic to bring them all out; then they get rid of them for some time. If the salt water falls upon any part of them that is scotched by burns into the flesh like; it is like red rust. It almost blinds the boys if it gets into their eyes.

No. 377. — John Bell.

Twelve; driver. Often feels his head work; was off two days last week from this. Whiles he brings up his victuals from his stomach, perhaps three or four times in a fortnight sometimes. His father says the pit does not agree with him.

No. 378. — John Dickson.

Turned of 14; driver; often has his head working. Perhaps he may bring up his victuals again from his stomach three or four times in a fortnight sometimes; whiles he cannot stand after work. Cannot eat much when he gets up at mornings. Sometimes when the waggons get off the waggon way men strike him with their fists. Has been down pits six years.

No. 379. — George Nelson.

Between 15 and 16. Greases the waggons; gets 1s. 4d. a-day. Is often very bad. Never was bad before he went down the pits. Was between 5 and 6 (his mother says he was five and three quarters) when he went down at Rainton pits. Sometimes sick, and throws up his victuals, some weeks twice in a week; last week it might be twice. Thinks it is the heat and the sulphur makes him do this, as well as stopping so long in. About five years ago his eyes was severely inured and he was off six months. Sees well now.

No. 380. — William Hutterson.

Aged 10 (apparently 8 or 9). Keeps a switch door. Has been down the pit about a year. Feels his head work often and his belly work.

No. 381. — Robert Rotterbury.

Aged 10. Cleans the way; feels his head works, and sick whiles. Does not always eat his baits down the pit; cannot eat them.

No. 382. — Robert Patterson.

Aged 12. Feels his head work, and belly work, sometimes. Is a driver.

No. 383. — Thomas Pringle.

Fourteen. Driver. Feels his head work almost every day, as soon as he goes into the tub. Is not sick all day. Cannot often take his breakfast before he goes to the pit. Has never been well since his head was split down the pit, by his falling against a prop, and the tub falling against his head.

No. 384. — Colbert Solomon.

Aged 12. Driver. Has been down the pit two and a half years. Feels his head work nearly every day. Feels whiles sick. Perhaps once in some weeks he may be so sick as to throw up the victuals from his stomach soon alter he has eaten them. Whiles he feels weak in his legs. Whiles falls asleep down the pit. Many boys, when the waggons get off the way, are corrected with their hands, seldom with the whip; not enough to lay them off work.

No. 385. — W. J. Dodd, Esq.

Surgeon. Is employed by the owners for colliery accidents and also attends in ordinary cases of sickness on the principle and payment of the sick fund prevailing through the colliery districts. Sixpence per fortnight is usually kept off from the wages of the men; this is quite an optional arrangement on the part. of the men. They may employ a surgeon in this way or by hire, as in ordinary cases. They are bad paymasters in this as in other respects. The certainty of non-payment in any other way has compelled this plan. Has not observed any peculiar difference in this colliery excepting the great heat and consequent thirst and drinking of water. As to the 'boils,' when a fresh man comes to the colliery he generally becomes affected by these 'boils,' most probably from the heat in the first instance, and subsequently they are aggravated by the salt water. The salt water used to pour out in quantities from the dykes and troubles, which are very frequently met with in the earlier workings of the pit. The water alluded to is not caustic but exceedingly irritating. After a perhaps two or three months, the men become wholly free from 'boils,' and remain so after. In the first place the great heat, averaging perhaps about 80 degrees in the working affects the vessels and glands of the skin, which leads to the production of the boils, afterwards increased by the falling of the salt water upon them. Evidently the heat must be the chief cause, as these boils are sometimes on parts of the body that could not be reached by the salt water. The thing is more like a carbuncle than a boil. It discharges a little. The 'tanner' is a detached portion of cellular substance which is cast off from this carbuncle. These carbuncles appear in succession for a month or two and then perhaps wholly cease. A little aperient medicine and poultice generally suffice for them; they are very troublesome and irritating for the time they last. Has not heard of their occurring in other pits. The occurrence of these is so distinctive a mark of a fresh man, that witness is well aware of the man being unaccustomed to the pit from this occurrence. They come more on the hewers and men than the boys. The hewers are more exposed to alterations of temperature and greater physical exertion and confinement of space and consequently more heated) to suffer from carbuncles. The hewers work perhaps more naked than others, which exposes them to the salt water, &c. This water is more like the diluted brine of a pickle tub salt water in common. These carbuncles mostly appear on the legs from the knee downwards and on the forearm. Out of 12 fresh comers not more than three or four perhaps come to witness for these swellings. The continued operation of some deleterious effects in pits produces doubtless, in many cases, asthmatic affections but not to the extent generally supposed. Does not think that children and young persons are permanently injured by pit work. The hours are long but the amount of physical labour in young children is exceedingly small. Thinks the hours, 13 hours, are rather long and unfavourable for the growing youth, speaking generally. Throughout the colliery districts there is in those children constantly employed in pits a marked paleness of complexion, as compared with other children engaged in employments in the open air. Those children seem to enjoy ordinary health, though not apparently so robust as other children. Never heard of any boys complaining of the vomiting of food down the pit but thinks this might be naturally expected in some cases the result of ascending and descending smoky upcast shafts. Thinks the food afforded sufficient and much more than the children of the same neighbourhood otherwise employed get. The pit boys eat much and much at their leisure; the number of opportunities for recreation are scarce sufficient. Mortality is not greater here than elsewhere nor is there any prevalent surgical disease among the children. As to the amount of sickness it is not greater than amongst the children of the town of the same age and station. Is not aware of any acute disease peculiar to collieries except colic with which the men are frequently affected in all collieries, from the sudden changes of temperature. The stature of the children and men is a little below that of other labourers in the same district and the bulk of the body is generally less.

(The above evidence was read over to the witness and signed by him)

W. J. Dodd