Hi,
Thanks to a fantastic donation to the Ogmore Valley Local History
Society last night, I may be able to shed some light on this topic....
I am no expert, but based on the book I have sitting in front of me I
can verify the following...... (I`m sure the list will take replies from
members with more knowledge on the subject than I).......
I am quoting directly from the book, which consists of eight
pre-printed pages detailing the "Memorandum of Agreement" between the
Coilliery owners and the workers.
It lists the "Owners Representatives" and the "Workers
Representatives"
in what I believe to be a "national" agreement for the Monmouthshire &
South Wales Coalfields, or at least the collieries owned by the
signatories listed on page 8.
Page 1 states:
(handwritten at top) Ocean Coal Co. Ltd (Owners), Western (Colliery)
"The following Agreement forms the contract between the Owners of this
Colliery as Employers and the Workmen employed thereat.
Memorandum of Agreement
made this eleventh day of December 1905, between the undersigned-
WILLIAM JENKINS, W.H. ROUTLEDGE, FREDERICK LEWIS DAVIS, M. WOLSTENHOLME,
JOSEPH SHAW, HENRY E. GRAY, THOS H. DEAKIN, WILLIAM EVABS, WILLIAM
SMITH, HUGH WATTS, THOMAS GRIFFITHS, FREDERICK CLEEVES, WILLIAM WALKER
HOOD, HENRY LEWIS, THOMAS WILSON, and HENRY T. WALES, duly authorised to
ct on behalf of the Owners of Collieries in Monmouthshire and South
Wales whose names or titles are set forth in the Schedule hereto
(herinafter called the Owners) of one part and the undersigned-
WILLIAM ABRAHAM, WILLIAM BRACE, ALFRED ONIONS, EVEN THOMAS, DAVID WATTS
MORGAN, JOHN WILLIAMS, JOHN THOMAS, JOHN DAVIES, THOMAS EVANS, BENJAMIN
DAVIES, WILLIAM VYCE, JAMES MANING, JAMES WINSTONE, ENOCH MORRELL, JOHN
DANIEL MORGAN, VERNON HARTSHORN, CHARLES BUTT STANTON, JOHN WILLIAMS,
THOMAS GEORGE, THOMAS HARRIES, WILLIAM HARRIS, WILLIAM HERBERT MORGAN,
THOMAS DAVIES, and JOHN WATTS, duly authorised to act on behalf of the
Workmen (excepting Enginemen, Stokers, and outside Fitters) now employed
at the Collieries of the said Owners of the othe part whereby it is
mutually agreed as follows:"
It then lists 7 pages of clauses, together with the names of the first
board, first Chairman (Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bart.) abnd the first
Workmens respresentatives.
Of interest is clause 18 on page 5:
"18 - A Copy of this Agreement shall be placed in a Contract Book at
each Colliery which shall be signed by or on behalf of the Owners of
such Colliery and also by each Workman employed thereat as one of the
terms of the engagement between the Owners and the said Workmen."
Thw Contract Book we now have is of the Western Colliery, Nantymoel and
contains the names of 930 colliers working at the mine from 20th Dec
1905 to the last signature on 07th Jun 1909.
Only had a chance for a quick squint at the names, but I have actually
found my great Great Grandfather, William Henry THURLOW and his brother
Robert Thomas THURLOW, working at the Colliery, which pinpoints the date
they moved from Pembroke to the Valley very nicely.....
There must therefore have existed "Contract Books" at all the
colloieries run by this band of owners, though quite where they are all
hiding is another of the mysteries of the Coalfields.......
Regards
Huw
Secretary, OVLH&HS
www.ogmore.plus.com
huw(a)ogmore.plus.com
A. Raulinaitis wrote:
Good Afternoon
I am trying to trace my Grandfather EDWARD O'NEILL.
I know in 1909 he worked in a Colliery, as 'Repairer at Colliery'. At that time
he lived in Castle Street, Blue Boar Cresent. I think later he lived in Urban Street,
Merthyr.
I would like to find which Colliery he worked at and if they would have records of their
employee's.
He married MARY TWOMEY in 1909 had two children. Joined up for the 1WW in August 1914 -
killed in France October 1914.
Does anyone have any information on the TOWMEY'S.
Any information on the Colliery or the families would be most welcome.
a.raulinaitis(a)ntlworld.com
Essex,England
Sheila Raulinaitis
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