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  1. #1
    Rachie
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    Default on the road~ in a stall

    Hi,
    I have a father and 2 sons in my tree, on the 1911 census the fathers occupation is given as coal miner ( in a stall) and the sons as coal miners ( on the road).
    I am guessing on the road is seeking work, but whats in a stall please?

  2. #2
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
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    If you Google "Coal miner's Stall" you'll get some very good answers, saves possible copywrite infringements here or rewriting text.
    In short, his work space in the mine.
    Happy Families
    Wendy
    Count your Blessings, they'll all add up in the end.

  3. #3
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    What does the census show for the industry and the occupational code (a number written in afterwards)?

    On a general point many occupational terms were regional so it is best to say where they worked.

    "Stall" was the work area at the coalface.

    "Road" was the underground roadway between the coalface and the shaft along which the coal had to be transported.

  4. #4
    Rachie
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    The father code is 150, and the sons 160, they are in Leicestershire.
    Thanks for the help

  5. #5
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    There you have it then

    150 Coal and Shale Mine - Workers at the Face

    160 Coal and Shale Mine - Other workers below ground

  6. #6
    Rachie
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    Thank you Peter.

  7. #7
    Jack Richards
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    Hi Rachie

    The two jobs that you mention i.e in a stall and on the road were two different jobs underground in a coal mine "pit".

    Imagine a tunnel underground such as a railway tunnel above ground - that was a "roadway" underground, hence a person working on the road would be a person who would have been doing one of several jobs. He could have been working with the empty or full tubs of coal of both - or taking supplies of timber, steel ot whatever from A to B - possibly to the coal face. In some pits, working "on the roads" could be a cold job depending on the temperature underground. This work "on the roadway" would not pay as much money as "in a stall" and would almost certainly be classed as "day work" whereas "in a stall" would often be known as "contract" work.

    In a stall was as it suggests, in an area ON the coal face (pick and shovel work) - later in some pits known as "stints" - other mining areas would probably have different names for the area. Working "in a stall" would in my opinion be before mechanisation - oh and the "stall" would be as low or high as the coal seam - and also my belief is "a stall" would be a confined space/area.

    Maybe someone will add to my response -I suspect "in a stall" would be common around say 1880s to maybe 1920s, perhaps a bit later.

    Hope this helps.

  8. #8
    Annesleyred
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    A stall would be in the old handfilled method of getting coal. The method was pillar and stall or bord and pillar. The stall would be a small area where the coal was mined and a pillar would be left (usually equal area) for support. Thsi was taken over by Longwall in my day .

  9. #9
    Annesleyred
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rachie View Post
    Hi,
    I have a father and 2 sons in my tree, on the 1911 census the fathers occupation is given as coal miner ( in a stall) and the sons as coal miners ( on the road).
    I am guessing on the road is seeking work, but whats in a stall please?
    If you didnt work on the coal face or on developement , it was known as woerking on the roads . Usually on haulage taking supplies to the coal face, other 'road' jobs included track laying, stonedust barriers, dust sampling , mostly anyhting away from the coal face

  10. #10
    Brian S
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    Stall was the term used when referring to a Coalface. Whether it be Bord and Stall or on a later "Longwall". Hand Filling. (pick and shovel)
    Older men still used the term Stall when referring to a coalface whether it was mechanised or not though. Still in use in the 1950s and 60s.

    A STINT was the length along a Coalface that each man was allocated to "fill out". I clearly recall stint lengths in the Dunsil Seam at Sherwood Colliery being 12yds. This usually average 2'3" - 2'6" in height. In the Top Hard seam the length of a stint was in the region of 8yds. This varied between 4'6" and 6'

    As the work was on "Contract" the more yardage you filled the more you were paid.



    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Richards View Post
    Hi Rachie

    The two jobs that you mention i.e in a stall and on the road were two different jobs underground in a coal mine "pit".

    Imagine a tunnel underground such as a railway tunnel above ground - that was a "roadway" underground, hence a person working on the road would be a person who would have been doing one of several jobs. He could have been working with the empty or full tubs of coal of both - or taking supplies of timber, steel ot whatever from A to B - possibly to the coal face. In some pits, working "on the roads" could be a cold job depending on the temperature underground. This work "on the roadway" would not pay as much money as "in a stall" and would almost certainly be classed as "day work" whereas "in a stall" would often be known as "contract" work.

    In a stall was as it suggests, in an area ON the coal face (pick and shovel work) - later in some pits known as "stints" - other mining areas would probably have different names for the area. Working "in a stall" would in my opinion be before mechanisation - oh and the "stall" would be as low or high as the coal seam - and also my belief is "a stall" would be a confined space/area.

    Maybe someone will add to my response -I suspect "in a stall" would be common around say 1880s to maybe 1920s, perhaps a bit later.

    Hope this helps.

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