BLACKHALL COLLIERY MINERS' WELFARE SCHEME

MINING INDUSTRY ACT OF 1920 - Section 20

There shall be constituted a fund to be applied for such purposes connected with the social well-being, recreation, and conditions of living of workers in or about coal mines and with mining education and research as the Board of Trade, after consultation with any Government Department
concerned, may approve.

The owners of every coal mine shall, before the 31st day of March 1921, and before the same day in
Each of the subsequent five years, put into the said fund a sum equal to one penny a ton of the output
Of the mine during the previous calendar year, and the sums so payable in respect of any mine shall
Be defrayed as part of the working expenses of the mine and shall be recoverable either as a debt to
The Crown or by the Board of Trade summarily as a civil debt.......


This act saw the creation of many 'Welfare Schemes' to provide for the improvement of social and recreational conditions in every colliery village.* Each colliery area made its own decision as to how to spend the money from its own welfare funds, and the following 'minute' shows the decision of the Blackhall Colliery committee.
"General meeting held 10th January 1923 - at the outset the report was given of the progress of the scheme and it was eventually moved and seconded that the reports be received as satisfactory." This grand scheme involved the building of the Institute (which opened 7th March 1925), a Welfare Hall (this opened 36 years later on 12 December 1959 despite being regularly 'minuted' at meetings from 1923 till 1937), and the provision of recreational facilities - cricket field, football ground, tennis courts, also swings, quoits and bowls.


The following names are some of the members on the committee during the early years of the scheme:- John Armstrong, John Bell, Joe Best, James Donnelly, Nicholas Ebdon, P Farrelly (who often chaired the early meetings), Joseph Franklin/and, George Hartley, James MacIntosh, James McCardle, Hugh McGeoghan, William Moore, John E. Raine (Secretary from 18 March 24), Thomas Robinson, Jackie Rookes, Charles Scott, John Shields, George Stoves, Robert Strange, James Tarn, J. Thomas, William Thornton, W. Urwin, George Whitehouse, James Young (secretary from 9 July 25). Mr Ernest Chicken, who was appointed Colliery manager in 1922, took a very active part in the 'scheme' chairing many of its meetings.


* (For further information on social conditions please refer to "Mostly Mining" by W A Moyes
Chapter 11. Published in 1969)


The Early Costs

1926 13 and 1/3 acres at £100 per acre - £1,305 paid for land on 13/5/1927

7/7/27 J J Mothersole and Son tender accepted. Recreation Ground £1,409 ..10s ..0d

26/10/28 Bowling Green £630; Concrete curb in football ground £35; Barrier around ground
£120; Retaining wall N. W. corner at 5/- per linear yard (about 30 yards);
Another bowling green - cost as before; Cricket practice pitch £12 .. 10s .. 0d.

12/2/29 Lawn mower for Mothersole £75 .. 6s ..0d

5/3/29 Caretaker/groundsman wage £3 per week. (Free house, coal and light)

5/5/29 Mr Thomas Anderson commenced groundsman's duties.

28/5/29 G Gradon tender for bandstand accept £248 .. 5s .. 0d.

26/8/29 Wire fence 9ft high east side of football ground £46 ..10s ..0d
Gradon and Son - cold frame tender £9 .. 6s ..0d

8/10/29 Insurance of house, pavilion and contents, bandstand. - £2750
Premium first £12 ..13s ..6d; Annual premium £2 .. 2s .. 3d.

8/11/29 Levelling and general work outfield of cricket ground £885 ..10s ..0d (Mothersole)
General work around bandstand £44. Price for material "tarmac" courts £60.

23/1/30 Entrance gates £85. (Add 'Blackhall Welfare'). Artificial stone pillars extra.
Query (Capt C Kelly) why extra cost of gates of £13 ..19s ..3d on blue print???

19/3/30 Assistant groundsman and cricket coach at £3 per week (close season), £4 (cricket).
Purchase of house - £100 deposit for above appointment.

26/4/30 Mr McKay offered £3 and £5 (including free house, coal and light)

31/5/30 R J Marshal estimate for Brick tiers for entrance gates £80
" " for building of 'roller' shed £60
" " for cold frame (estimate accepted) £12 ..11s ..6d.

13/7/30 Football professionals engaged at 5/- per match
R J Marshal tender for pay boxes at football ground £35.

1/5/31 Closed fence from cricket pavilion to entrance gates - £25 .. 3s .. 0d
" " and seating East side to Dene side - £70 (Lander and Company)

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