Princess Royal Colliery

I was wondering if there's any chance that employee records from the Princess Royal Colliery or Flourmill Colliery exist anywhere. For the period from about 1910 to 1945.

Glos. Archives catalogue does show some records for Princess Royal or Flourmill Colliery, but they appear to be planning records etc, not records concerning individual employees.

Many thanks
downunder

Post reply

3980 views

Hi

I was wondering if there's any chance that employee records from the Princess Royal Colliery or Flourmill Colliery exist anywhere. For the period from about 1910 to 1945.

Glos. Archives catalogue does show some records for Princess Royal or Flourmill Colliery, but they appear to be planning records etc, not records concerning individual employees.

Many thanks
downunder

Not sure that they have survived ( sorry) may be able to help you if the individuals were Freeminers with a little more info

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Post reply

3586 views

Thanks for replying.

I'm fairly sure they were just ordinary colliery employees. One I would especially like background info on is described as a collier, later as a colliery roadmaster, then miner (retired) on his death certificate. He was born in South Africa and came to the area some time between the 1901 and 1911 census's. Living as a boarder in Lydney in 1911 so I don't think there's any property details before 1911 that would help for him. I have a feeling he arrived shortly before the census was taken but nothing to back it up yet.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

Post reply

3538 views

Thanks for replying.

I'm fairly sure they were just ordinary colliery employees. One I would especially like background info on is described as a collier, later as a colliery roadmaster, then miner (retired) on his death certificate. He was born in South Africa and came to the area some time between the 1901 and 1911 census's. Living as a boarder in Lydney in 1911 so I don't think there's any property details before 1911 that would help for him. I have a feeling he arrived shortly before the census was taken but nothing to back it up yet.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

William DALE I assume
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=41007

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Post reply

3521 views

He's one yes, but also some Preests and Lewis's.

The joys of family research.

Post reply

3505 views

Hi again DownUnder,
my your family got around didnt it :-), but as you say the joys of the research.
As Slowhands has said it seems very little employee records for any of the area's collieries seem to have survived, enquiries such as yours sadly rarely if ever seem to produce results (this prior thread contains suggestions as to the best websites for gaining more general history of the Dean pits which you may find usefull).
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=35220

Probably the best online history is from the superb Lightmoor site, I see the Preest name is prominent
http://www.lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalPrincessRoyal.html

Also this Princess Royal page from the excellent Durham Mining Museum website
http://www.dmm.org.uk/company/p1009.htm

I guess even in the big C20th pits the records maintained when operational weren't too detailed beyond name and addresses, this was all pre NHS, National Insurance was still in it's infancy, etc etc. When the collieries were closed it was very much a case of the scrapmen and bulldozers moving in, I recall reading about bonfires of such paperwork when Northern United (northwest Cinderdord) closed in the 60s, think this was the norm :-(
Any employee records that do survive usually refer to those who suffered accidents, or those in senior positions, plus maybe old photos of members of the Rescue teams etc. Any of the local welldocumented "old photos" websites are worth scouring for possible family, not yours I know but this photo carries names, for example
http://www.forestprints.co.uk/princess_royal_colliery_pump_house_v03.htm

Re accidents, this excellent site has an extensive UK database.
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/disasters/index.html
Be warned the site's search engine, like many others, can be temperamental and often best results are obtained by inputting minimal info then browsing thro the forthcoming results eg "Princess" gives 81 results, but not all are the Dean pit. One of the Dean results is a LEWIS, altho not a rare Forest name of course but maybe one of yours ?

"Mining Accidents - LEWIS Charles
Name: LEWIS Charles
Age: 30
Date: 18/01/1865
Year: 1865
Occupation: Collier
Colliery: Princess Royal
Owner: Samuel Morgan
Town: Forest of Dean
County: Gloucester
Notes: A rope by which he was ascending the pit broke and he fell to the bottom and lost his life."
http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/database/result/28082.html

Looks like him from this site's PRs:
Record_ID: 52042
Entry_Number: 484
Year: 1865
Month: Jan
Day: 22
Surname: LEWIS
Forenames: Charles
Residence: Darkhole
Age_at_death: 30
Officiating_Minister: Cornelius Witherby Incumbent
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/17
Page_No: 61
Parish_Chapel: Bream
Soundex: L200

----

I wonder if any such general miner's Employee Records that do exist are held at the Heritage Museum, altho I suspect not or Slowhands would have said so ?.

PS nice to see your boys gave some good entertainment for the post-Ashes rounders social last night.... shame it wasn't in the Forest they could have a skittles beer-match too ;-)

atb Jeff

Post reply

3806 views

Hi Jeff

Thanks for the fantastic info. Much appreciated as always.

My family did seem to get around. Had another great-great grandfather who was a Swedish sailor, jumped ship and walked to the Qld goldfields. A few months later he married my Welsh great-great-grandmother who had emigrated to Oz twice already. Fathered five children and then died in a mining accident while still a young man - though this one involved a faulty ladder. He has a most impressive monument in the old local cemetery here.

Glad we could provide some post-Ashes fun.

Off to check out your great links now.

Cheers!

Post reply

3513 views

Hi
There is a book or books with attendance records for the Princess Royal Collery held at the Dean Heritage Centre library. I know because i looked through the book for 1930s some years ago i remember i had to make an appointment to view them
I hope this may be of some help
Terry

Post reply

3456 views