My late friend Dulcie Hartley wrote about the Co-operative Colliery at Plattsburg as a follow-up to her work on the life and career of “The Miners’ Advocate”: James Fletcher. I’ve transcribed her unpublished typescript. Chapter 2 follows here:
After purchasing Thomas Ireland’s share, William G. Laidley became the sole owner of the Co-operative Colliery, and he and his heirs continued as proprietors for more than half a century. Laidley, a man of wealth and integrity, was soon highly regarded by the miners. This was probably his first venture into coal mining but he later purchased land at Thornton on which was situated the old Ironbark Colliery established in the early 1860s. Bloomfield Colliery was later opened up on part of his holding.
Laidley’s interests in the coal mining industry continued to expand with the purchase of land at Teralba and the opening up of the Rhondda Colliery towards the latter years of the century. As well, in 1885, he became a partner in the newly formed West Wallsend Coal Co. Laidley is given credit for the introduction of the first direct steamship service between San Francisco and New South Wales which was a great boon for coal exports. With the opening up of Rhondda Colliery a superior bunker coal known as “Laidley’s Blend” a mixture of Co-operative and Rhondda, was produced. In 1889 Laidley became a Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales until his death in 1897. The Co-operative Colliery prospered with the additional finance now available, and under the capable managership of James Fletcher and undermanager R. Davidson, a new viaduct was erected and a railway to the tunnel mouth. New screens were built and by the end of 1869 the colliery was being opened out.
Soon afterwards the company acquired business premises at 76 Scott Street, Newcastle, next to the Railway Station.
Coke had been manufactured from small coals since 1865 when six domed coke ovens on stone foundations were constructed with bricks made on site. Coal was burnt for one week, the first three days open to the air above and on one side, and afterwards closed up. Output was 4.5 tons from each oven, or 50% of coal used and sold in Newcastle for 35/- a ton. For many years Fletcher’s brother-in-law, James Birrell Jnr was in charge of these works under his father’s direction.
By 1872 about l52 miners were employed earning an average of l/- an hour for a day of eight hours, and many miners applying for work had to be turned away. The men averaged 7.5 to 8 days work a fortnight and production for 1872 was 80,000 tons. The coal miners in the twin mining townships of Wallsend and Plattsburg followed the gold discoveries with keen interest. In 1872 the Hill End and Sofala rush motivated the miners from the Co-operative Colliery to form a syndicate and two men were sent to inspect the field. Their report must have been favourable as in April a mass exodus to Hill End occurred. The following year at a meeting of the Coal Miners’ Association it was reported that Donald Ray was leaving the district to take up an appointment as manager of a rich claim at Hill End so perhaps the Co-operative syndicate was lucky.
Undercutting of selling prices by colliery proprietors had always been a problem in the coal industry as had intermittency of work, with miners seldom averaging ten days work a fortnight. In 1872 an attempt was made to rectify these problem with the drawing up of an agreement between colliery proprietors known as “The Vend”, to overcome price-cutting and to give each colliery a fair share of the trade. The partners in the Vend were: the AA. Co., Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co., Waratah Coal Co, New Lambton Colliery and the Co-operative Colliery.
Officially known as The Northern Coal Sales Association, each company was allocated a portion of the total expected production using figures from the previous year. This quantity was the permissible vend and where exceeded, the company concerned was to make a contribution to a vend fund from which those who fell short were to be compensated. With minor variation, this agreement, operative from January 1, 1873, lasted until 1880. The miners were to benefit by the introduction of a “Sliding Scale” of hewing rates whereby, when the selling price of best coal was 8/- a ton, the hewing rate was to be 3/6, such rate to vary by 3d per ton for every l/- increase in the selling price of coal.
The concept of the Sliding Scale – a method of wage fixation – came from England where it had been criticised by socialists as pegging earnings to profits as well as establishing a fixed rate of exploitation and hampering workers in any bid to increase their relative wages. A requirement of the Vend was that “both parties agree to submit any question of reduction (in selling and hewing rates) to a committee of arbitration to consist of a miner from each of the six collieries and an equivalent number of representatives appointed by the proprietors and an umpire to be jointly elected”.
There was, however, some opposition to the sliding scale and the vend from Newcastle business interests who felt threatened by the perceived radicalism of the coal miners. These businessmen considered that colliery proprietors had capitulated to the demands of the miners and that the end result would be lower profits. This judgement proved incorrect and a period of prosperity and stability ensued for both proprietors and miners.
The colliery workers believed that the agreement marked the beginning of a new era in the coal mining industry. A huge celebration followed with a procession of 4,000 marchers and brass bands etc. “Now strikes or lockouts will be things of the past” said Thomas Alnwick. John Wood thought “that capital and labour would now work for the common good. Wood, in his position as General Secretary of the Miners’ Association, had worked hard towards the formation of the Vend and Sliding Scale. From 1873 to 1879 the miners’ union was in the capable hands of William Davies as chairman, with Enoch Davies, treasurer, and John Wood as secretary. Thomas Alnwick also served a term as chairman. John Wood met an untimely end, dying a comparatively young man in 1877, after which John Dixon became secretary.
Surprisingly, industrial unrest occurred on January 1, 1873, the day for introduction of the Vend. At many district collieries men refused to commence work prior to 7am with the intention of working a nine hour day. As the managers refused to allow the men to come to work on these terms the mines closed and a lockout ensued. Union funds from miners at Lambton, Hamilton Borehole, Mount Pleasant and Mount Keira were distributed among the striking miners by a committee at a meeting of about 200 men at Harris’ Assembly Rooms, adjoining the Co-operative Inn on the corner of Cowper and Murnin Streets, Wallsend. This inn had been built by Charles H. Thomas, a prosperous Settler of the district, to especially serve the miners of the newly opened Co-operative Colliery. His brother-in-law, William Harris, was the licensee and the assembly rooms, used regularly for miners’ meetings, also became the cultural and social hub of the district for many years.
The Vend and the Sliding Scale
A decision was made at the meeting to stand by the union and, in future, miners decided to contribute towards a strike fund by small fortnightly subscriptions. The men returned to work on February 10, 1873, their former 12 hours working day now reduced to 10 1/2 hours, with the promise, (honoured on January 1, 1874) of a 10 hour day. The 1873 lockout welded the men into a more cohesive and disciplined group and in 1874 the union became known as the Amalgamated Miners’Association.
Industrial stability followed and Laidley continued expansion of the colliery. In 1874 coal was extracted from a new tunnel east of Ironbark Creek and during that year a new winding englne was built in Sydney by Chapman and Co. for £1000.
The District Miners commenced holding an annual demonstration to celebrate the signing of the agreement for the Vend and the Sliding Scale. In 1875 the Wallsend miners travelled by train to Newcastle and then marched behind a brass band to the Cricket Ground.
MLAs Stevens, Member for Newcastle, and Cameron, Member for West Sydney, were there to address the miners, as were Messrs. Fletcher, Wood, Roe and Davies – the latter Chairman of the Associated Miners. This was the Second Annual Demonstration and it was generally agreed that there had been prosperity and stability in the mining industry, together with an increased output of coal. The masters and proprietors of district mines had been invited, but only James Fletcher of the Co-operative Colliery accepted the invitation.
William Davies spoke, advising that the Miners’ Association wanted to cement the friendship between master and man. “We wish to make it lasting, binding, sincere and honest.” It was agreed by the meeting that the provision for disputes to be heard in arbitration had prevented many strikes. Davies also spoke on the proposed Emigration Bill and the 3000 coalminers who proposed emigrating to the colony. He thought it was a “strike at our social, moral and domestic happiness”. Under the proposed Miners’ Regulation Bill, boys of 18 years were to be permitted to work in the mines. Davies stressed, however, that in 1875 there were 1200 boys between five and 14 years in the district who would all require employment before reaching 18 years. Davies also expressed the view that if the father was getting coal, the sons should also have the opportunity of joining their fathers before reaching eighteen years of age.
John Wood said that he would like to see the Miners’ union amalgamate with other trade unions as “Unionism is strength′ and it is impossible to stand alone.” John Wood had worked as a boy in the coal mines of England 30 years earlier and could recall the times when young boys worked from 3am to 6pm. “The clocks were made to go 50 minutes to the hour at night and 70 minutes to the hour in the day. I have known boys to be lifted into their beds.” Under these conditions there was no opportunity for education at all.
James Fletcher addressed the meeting, expressing disfavour with the scheme for further immigration. “What would be the use.”’ he said “of l00,000 men in this country unless they were profitable consumers, not producers”. Fletcher said that many men were after work at the Co-operative Colliery, but had to be turned away and many were fossicking on the goldfields due to unemployment in the coal industry. He urged all miners to protest against further immigration and to “let the ballot speak!” He mentioned that it was proposed to spend £430,000 on the Emigration Bill “to take the bread out of your mouths”. Fletcher also spoke on the Eight Hour Day, believing that science had shown that men should work no longer than eight hours.
After several years of improved production at the Co-operative Colliery it became apparent that coal reserves were sorely depleted and residents of Plattsburg were apprehensive about the future. As a result, Laidley and Fletcher approached the heirs of the adjoining Wentworth Estate and successfully negotiated a mineral lease for 40 years on 1238 acres, extending from Wallsend to Minmi, much to the relief of Plattsburg folk. The future looked rosy in 1876 and, as a gesture of their appreciation, an illuminated address was presented to William Laidley by the Co-operative miners at a banquet held in a marquee on the Wallsend Racecourse, just off Minmi Road. There were about 500 present, including Co-operative miners and their families. Many well-known mining identities also attended and all enjoyed the music of the Wallsend Brass Band. In the speeches that followed the miners expressed appreciation of James Fletcher’s role in the negotiations.
The illuminated address was mounted in a massive gold frame with surrounding art works. The text of the address is indicative of the miners sincere regard for William Laidley:
We, your employees and friends beg respectfully to offer you our sincere congratulations on the satisfactory completion of your negotiations for leasing Wentworth Estate. We have watched your career as an employer in this district and in no instance have you acted in opposition to the interests of the working man. We are also sensible that your kind treatment of your employees has not only established a friendly feeling but has proved unmistakably that the interests of capital and labour are identical and that the interests of both can best be served where neither party takes advantage of the other. Your many charitable acts and particularly your handsome donation towards the erection of the Public School at Plattsburg whereby education has been placed within reach of our children have endeared you to everyone in this locality.
We sincerely desire that your new undertaking may prove a profitable investment and that yourself, Mrs. Laidley and family may be long spared to enjoy it and when the Great Ruler shall see fit to call you from this stage of action, we trust this, our humble token of esteem, may be handed down for your posterity as an evidence of the respect in which you were held by those acquainted with your many good qualities.
Signed on behalf of the Employees and Friends:- John Williams, Miners’ Chairman; George Cooper, Miners’ Secretary; Daniel Rees, Miners’ Delegate; James Richardson, Thomas Alnwick.
The illuminated address was the work of Sydney artist Lewis Steffanoni and, as requested in 1876, this “humble token of esteem” was handed down for posterity and is held in the archives of the Mitchell Library – unfortunately bereft of the massive gilt frame.
The text was justified praise of Laidley’s benign paternalism towards his employees. The Plattsburg people had found him ready to assist at all times in anything that conduced to the welfare of his men and the district generally. William Laidley had donated £300 towards the cost of the Plattsburg School and W. Platt donated one acre of land on which the school and residence for the teacher – R. Youll – was erected. After 12 months the schoolroom, measuring 65 ft. by 22 ft., was found to be too small and an infants department was built.
Unfortunately, after several years, mine subsidence from the Co-operative Colliery workings caused irreparable damage to the brick school building and led to its abandonment in January of 1881. It was not until 1884 that the new Plattsburg School (still extant) in Ranclaud Street, Wallsend, was opened. Classes had been temporarily held in the Mechanics’ Institute.
Prior to the banquet, James Fletcher wrote George Cooper, advising that he had heard of the proposed testimonial. He mentioned that although both he and Laidley appreciated the generous gesture, they did not want the miners to incur such a financial outlay. However, the men could not be dissuaded from their intended course of action.
A new tunnel was now driven towards Hill Street and the boundary of the Wentworth Estate where coal outcropped close to the surface. In 1879 it was decided to construct a surface tramway to the Charlton tunnel. Later workings were extended to the Minmi boundary and another tunnel opened known as “Hell Hole”. Double engines were installed, one pulling coal skips out of the tunnel and the other pulling them to Downings Lane where the engine at the screens pulled full and empty skips. At this time John Davis and Henry Buchanan were engine drivers. The Co-operative workings now extended from the screens to the Minmi boundary.
During 1876 members of the Coal Miners’ Association held a meeting to discuss the Coal Fields Amendment Bill as miners were vitally concerned to improve working conditions. It was reported at this meeting that Thomas Alnwick and Enoch Davies had travelled to Sydney on no less than 32 occasions to discuss amendments to this Bill in the Legislative Assembly. William Davies had also made the trip 21 times in the same connection. Prosperous years and industrial peace continued for both miners and proprietors as the selling price of coal continued at the maximum of l4/- per ton.
In 1879 an aggregate meeting of Miners was held at Lambton, presided over by William Davies, District Chairman. The 700 miners present adopted a resolution approving of the Vend as the only means of giving each colliery a legitimate share of the trade and avoiding ruinous competition. It was affirmed that to implement the Vend, all collieries of the district should be united in one body.
During the following year, 1880, the price of coal was forced down, the agreement collapsed and the first major strike since 1873 marked the end of the extended period of industrial stability. In the mines of Wallsend and Plattsburg, this stability had been largely due to the efforts of James Fletcher and John Young Neilson. A popular and efficient manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co, Neilson came from a similar background to Fletcher. In the 1850s he was employed as a coalminer by the A. A. Co., after which he left to manage the Tomago Coal Mining Co. This was around the time of Fletcher’s first involvement with the Co-operative Colliery. Neilson went from the Tomago mine to Newcastle-Wallsend Colliery, first as under manager. There were parallels between the two men also with their involvement in local government. When Fletcher became first Mayor of Wallsend, Neilson was a council alderman. After the division of the Councils, When the Municipality of Plattsburg was formed, Neilson became Mayor of Wallsend Council. He retired from local government in 1880, much the same time as Fletcher. He too resided in a stately mansion, “Woodlands”, on Lake Road, Wallsend.
Towards the end of his career Neilson wrote to the directors of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co: “I detest strikes and l can without egotism say that from 1873 to 1884 Mr. Fletcher and I settled more disputes and prevented more local strikes than we will ever get credit for …” Neilson died in 1889 whilst aboard a steamer heading for China.
On November 22, 1880, James Fletcher was elected to the Legislative Council as Member for Newcastle, after which his eldest son James Jnr. stepped into his shoes as Manager of the Co-operative Colliery. James Fletcher Jnr. resided at Maryland Cottage, purchased by his grandfather James Birrell from the Brooks Estate. It was situated opposite the Co-operative Coke Ovens and at the present time Wallsend High School is reputed to be on the site of the screens. Minmi Road, on the school boundary, proceeds through the old house paddock which once surrounded Maryland Cottage. There are several large trees still marking the site of the old garden.
In 1885 an advertisement appeared in an English newspaper, The Morpeth Herald, advocating emigration to Queensland, and advising that 500 coal miners, mechanics, farm labourers and others were required. Immediate employment on landing at the highest rates of pay was available. Board and lodging was provided free on arrival until employment was found. Assisted passages were granted at £5 for an adult on a sailing vessel and £7 by small steamer.
The importation of labour from “the old country” had always been a thorn in the side of district miners. They were of the opinion that sufficient labour was already available, especially in view of the intermittency of work. They now seldom averaged a full week’s pay due to stockpiling of coal, lack of orders, or insufficient shipping in the harbour. Commenting on the immigration debate, The Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners Advocate stated that When emigrant miners arrived in Queensland it was only too evident that there was insufficient work available.
Their only option was to seek employment in other parts of the colony, many ultimately arriving on the Newcastle coalfields and creating a labour glut. It was estimated that in 1885 there were between 300 and 400 coal miners whose passages had been paid by the Queensland government. Many of these unfortunate men had to leave their wives and families in Queensland to be supported by charity while they travelled overland without a shilling in their pockets, searching for work because none was available in the state to which they were sent. The article also mentioned “… that those who favour assisted immigration do so for the purpose of reducing wages, and the miners certainly agreed with this opinion.
There was a downturn in the economy during 1888, when the selling price of coal fell, so the mine proprietors sought to lower the hewing rate. This resulted in a bitter 12 week strike with 4000 district miners out of work. At this time a short-lived Newcastle newspaper, The Newcastle Evening Call – writing under the banner of “Faithful and Fair, Fearless and Free” – published a letter written by “An Englishman,” regarding the strike: “What is being done by that so-called miners’ advocate who has made so many empty promises in the past and acted so inconstantly… ? The working man’s friend. Does he so soon forget that the working men of this district saved him from ruin some time ago (referring to the court case Brown v Fletcher)…? Has he not the manliness to return the compliment now and save many a harder working man than himself from being crushed by this cruel strike? I suppose he thinks his plausible tongue will serve his purpose yet … He has about run the length of his tether”.
During the strike a letter written by George Lonsdale was printed in the Newcastle Evening Call, with further criticism of James Fletcher Snr: “Both he and his paper have, of late years, been gradually weaning themselves away from our side.” Lonsdale said he had known Fletcher for many years and that in 1862 Fletcher was a leader who said “follow me – and the obedient sons of toil have stuck to him through thick and thin till he has climbed the ladder to wealth and fame.” Now, in the 1888 strike, Fletcher was “among the capitalists as their principal spokesperson”. Lonsdale further maintained that censorship was being practised by The Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate. He continued: “I hope I shall hear no more of ‘the Miners’ Friend’ and the relation of capital and labour. I have lived 58 years and all I see is a readiness to squeeze out of you as much work for as little pay as possible. Lonsdale – “an honest man who courts the smiles of none and does not fear the frowns of any” – said that a similar letter forwarded to the Herald, was not published.
As the strike continued, Neilson, manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Colliery, complained bitterly to the proprietors: “the miners are earning higher wages than ever they have earned for 28 years … masters having for the sake of peace conceded all that honourable men can do. Yet still the miners come out on strike”.
The Great Northern Colliery at Teralba (later Pacific) was leased during the strike by J. C. Ellis and continued production. Non unionists were brought from Sydney to work the district mines under police and military protection. There was the usual opposition from striking miners and their wives. Mainly due to the mediatory skills of of James Fletcher and the miners’ secretary, James Curley, work was resumed after 12 weeks, with wages much the same as previously.
Strikes, trouble and strife
Improvements were implemented at the Co-operative Colliery in 1889 with the opening up of another tunnel, about half a mile to the south east, mainly to shorten the distance of underground haulage and to develop another section of the estate. The tunnel was driven into the hill in a westerly direction with headings going off in all directions. The full skips were drawn by horses to the main engine and then attached to a wire rope powered by a 45 horsepower engine at the tunnel mouth. A train of 45 full skips, each containing 12 to l4 cwt (cwt stands for hundredweight, each of which equals about 45.4kg.) was hauled on a rail line 22 inches wide right from the workings underground to the screens, over l 1/2 miles, by a thin wire rope controlled by three engines. The ground was undulating and both a main and tail rope were used to pull coal trains. When reaching the screens the coal was tipped onto four common sloping parallel iron bar screens, the small going through and the large passing over onto the railway wagon beneath. The small coal was stored in a 750 ton capacity hopper.
The main colliery buildings were still the original ones from the early days of the Co-operative Colliery and nearby there were now, in 1889, 45 beehive coke ovens which, when in full production, could turn out 150 tons of coke each week. The underground workings were ventilated by two furnaces at the mouths of the air shafts, One 150 feet. deep and the other 40 feet deep. The mine was fairly free of water, the pumping System being most effective. The Borehole seam was still being worked, although in the new workings it was only 5 ft. 9 ins. thick, as compared to the old tunnel where it was 9 ft. thick. The mine was worked on a similar pattern to others at the time, with bords of 8 yards and pillars of five yards. An analysis of the coal revealed: moisture 2.45%, volatile hydrocarbons 34.38%, fixed carbons 58.24%, ash 4.20%, sulphur 0.73%, specific gravity 1.310%. The percentage of coke was equal to 62.44 of the whole.
Production figures for the Co-operative Colliery were high and had only been exceeded by two other collieries. When in full production output was 1000 tons of round and 250 tons of small coal daily. Trade was mainly interstate, with the major portion going to Victoria and South Australia. The colliery owned 229 steel hoppers and wooden wagons and coal was hauled 7 ½ miles to the ships side.
The following year the Northumberland miners were once again on strike, the “Great Strike of 1890,” which lasted for three months and was the most serious labour upheaval that had occurred in Australia. The refusal of employers to negotiate with the Mercantile Marine Officers’ Association during a dispute, owing to its affiliation with the Melbourne Trades Hall, resulted in the Maritime Strike. This soon spread as coal miners, transport workers, shearers and station hands all came out in support as they considered employers were trying to destroy the cohesiveness of the union. On a local level, during October strike pay of £1 was distributed to each man in an effort “to keep the wolf from the door,” but mainly owing to the depressed financial climate nationwide, the strikers experienced a humiliating defeat.
James Fletcher Jnr. managed the Co-operative Colliery from the time his father entered parliament until 1891, the year James Snr. died. A few months after his father’s death James Jnr. reslgned and left the district to take up a partnership with a railway contracting firm in Sydney.
The next manager of the Co-operative Colliery was James Barr, a most experienced man who, when less than 21 years of age, had been in charge of a colliery in Scotland employlng 250 men. He left Scotland to work in America for the Pennsylvania Coal Mining Co. and then came to New South Wales to the Hartley Vale Coal Shale Mine which he managed for 10 years.
Barr first came to the Northumberland district to manage the Monkwearmouth Colliery (Seaham No. 1) at West Wallsend, and transferred from this to the Co-operative. He sank four new bores on the Co-operative property, proving commercially workable seams and also opened up the Rhondda Colliery at Teralba for W.G. Laidley, where the Great Northern Seam was worked. Barr continued to manage both the Rhondda and Co-operative Collieries for many years.
The changeover of management did not proceed too smoothly and production problems arose. The months of July, August and September, 1891, brought near-starvation to many of the Co-operative miners who only worked 21 days in 11 weeks. It became evident that during the latter years of management under James Fletcher Jnr. quality control problems had arisen, resulting in many dissatisfied customers. On investigation miners’ representatives found that “Co-operative coal is thrown pell mell into the ships and then mixed with any other coal, good, bad or indifferent.” The Co-operative miners had been accused of filling skips with stone, but this evidence exonerated them from blame.
Extensive improvements were planned for the colliery, with new hoppers and screens and other equipment to facilitate the export of coal. Money was now expended on much needed modernisation, including an electrically driven prime mover – the first to be used in a colliery in New South Wales – to operate a pump capable of 5700 gallons per hour against a 130 ft. head of water.
The depressed economy of the early 1890s had made inroads on the coal industry where the selling price had fallen and demand was low. There was continual industrial unrest and in June of 1893 James Barr gave 14 days notice to miners and other hands employed at the Co-operative Colliery. The mine was not paying and there was talk of closing it down. However, this was avoided, although employment was on a reduced level.
In January of 1893 William Laidley, as proprietor of the Co-operative Colliery, was one of 14 signatories of Associated Masters to an agreement regarding the hewing rates and wages for mine workers. This was an updated version of the Vend and Sliding Scale and a hewing rate of 4/2 per ton of clean round coal was now to be paid when the selling price of coal was 11/- per ton. Many conditions were imposed by the Associated Masters in the agreement, one of which was the appointment of a referee for hearing disputes in the Referees Court.
Intermittency of work continued at the Co-operative Colliery and hewing rates were again lowered, resulting in a strike during February of 1894. Scabs (blacklegs) known by management as – free labourers – were employed and this led to riots in Plattsburg necessitating additional Police from Sydney and Maitland being brought to the town. Relations between the striking Co-operative miners and the scabs deteriorated, motivating William B. Fletcher (a son of James Fletcher) employed as a law clerk by Wallsend solicitor Thomas Cronin, to send a telegram to Mr. R. Edden, MLA for Northumberland. It read: “Twenty police and three plain clothes constables arrived in Wallsend today. Everything passed off quietly until police drew their batons and used them … Women and children were mercilessly ill used. Inspector Duffy and Constable Grainger first to cause disturbance. Men and women only boohooing … Police provoked disturbance. Three men arrested for riotous conduct. They did nothing other than hoot. Constable Grainger struck woman on nose. Rendered insensible. Have attention of Premier drawn to the matter. People intensely disgusted (with) police as everything quiet except a little tin kettling by the women. Surely police ought to be withdrawn. Get labour party to intercede for the miners.”
However, the Premier Sir George Dibbs, although an old friend of William’s father, was quite unimpressed and thought the sending of this telegram was as cowardly an act as had ever been heard of in the House, harsh criticism indeed. Strictly speaking, young Fletcher had misrepresented the facts. The scabs commenced working the mine on Friday February 9, and by the following day summonses had been served on 10 of the striking Co-operative miners by the scabs, the result of a “disagreement”.By Monday February 12 extra police had been brought to Plattsburg to guard the scabs who, on their way home from work, were heckled and abused when 3000 men, women and children crowded the streets, the women With the usual tin kettling implements. Some scabs were intimidated and gradually many others capitulated, influenced by remarks to the effect that they were “taking the bread out of little childrens’ mouths,” and with sons accusing fathers of being scabs etc. Stones were thrown during the melee and Reginald Laidley, a son of the proprietor, narrowly escaped injury. During the disturbance police wielding batons handcuffed Hewett Banfield and Gomer Davies and took them to the lockup where they were charged with riotous behaviour. They were soon released on bail, but a potentially explosive situation prevailed with about l000 people gathered around the Wallsend Police Station. A casualty was young Elizabeth Wilson of Plattsburg who, while nursing her baby, was struck with a baton, as was Mrs. Briggs, a miner’s wife. On the same evening Mrs. John Thom, the wife of an engine driver working at the colliery, took her husband’s dinner to him and on the way home she was attacked by women and children. During the time she was absent from her home at Back Creek, the windows were broken and the fence destroyed. When she tried to enter her house she was attacked by two women. The following day old Mr. Frith, a surfaceman at the Co-operative Colliery, was attacked by some youths and pushed into the creek.
Police reinforcements were now brought to Plattsburg and about 40 policemen patrolled the crowded area near the Colliery. “There were more people in Macquarie Street than at the Maitland Races,” quipped one policeman. In all 15 people were summonsed for riotous behaviour in Macquarie, Hannah and Clarke Streets, Plattsburg.
Reginald and Shepheard Laidley advised their father to close the mine to prevent further bloodshed. However James Barr wanted production to continue so he advertised for miners, stating that he was willing to re-employ the Co-operative miners, but at the reduced hewing rate of 2/9 a ton. The men rejected this offer as other pits were paying 3/2. The mine was closed for four weeks and then resumed on terms more acceptable to the miners.
The depression hit harder as time passed. By 1896 there were over 200 men employed at the Co-operative Colliery, working for a hewing rate of 2/2 a ton. Even though this rate was lower than at Brown’s Minmi Collieries the men preferred to work at the Co-operative. During this period of economic downturn, Laidley was in financial difficulties and royalties ate into his now greatly reduced profit margin. Had it been possible to purchase the freehold in the early days the colliery would have been more profitable. Most other district mines were on freehold property, and even though their profits were reduced, they were not in as bad a situation as Laidley. During this year Laidley signed a new lease, a condition of which was that bords were not to exceed eight yards and pillars were also to be of eight yards. These were requirements of Fitzwilliam Wentworth who was trying to ensure that his surface land was not ruined by subsidence.
William George Laidley, son of the late Commissary General, died on February 14, 1897, at 68 years of age. He had always been considered a fair and reasonable man by the miners and had negotiated with the Union on many occasions. A large group of Co-operative Colliery employees and Plattsburg people attended his Randwick funeral.
Social legacy of the Co-operative mine
With capable James Barr at the helm the bad years were weathered and by 1908 the mine was being opened up to increase production, with an expected maximum output of 2000 tons a day. The Borehole Seam, reputed to be first class for gas, steam and household purposes, varied on the lease from seven to five feet. More than 6,000,000 tons of coal had been extracted from the mine in the previous 40 years of production.
Barr, who resided at Maryland Cottage – purchased by Laidley from James Fletcher Jnr., continued management of both Rhondda and the Co-operative, producing “Laidley’s Blend” of coal. In l908 Wm. Laidley & Co. Ltd. held contracts with 40 of the largest steamship owners in Europe for supplying their bunkering coal when in Newcastle.
When James Barr finally retired in 1925, after 50 years in mining, it was reported that he was the oldest colliery manager in the district. He had managed the Co-operative Colliery for over 34 years and Rhondda for 20. On Barr’s retirement the Co-operative colliery ceased production, after a span of 64 years, although some areas were worked on tribute over the next few years, as was the case with a portion leased by Andrew Sneddon for his Maryland Colliery.
Many of the miners originally connected with the New South Wales Co-operative Coal Mining Co. became outstanding community achievers, espousing social justice and dignity in the workplace.
William Wonders was prominent in the district until his death in 1883. He was regarded as “the father of active social reform,” and whilst employed at the Borehole Colliery was one of the founders of the Mechanics Institute at Hamilton. As well, Wonders is credited with being founder of the first local co-operative store at Hamilton Borehole, and was active in all schemes which he considered of benefit and enlightenment to the community. Known as an active, industrious and sober man, he was unusual for the times in that he did not follow any particular religious denomination. On his death at 64 years of age, his family and friends gathered at the old Wallsend Cemetery on Newcastle Road Where Miss Ada Campbell, at that time a well-known Free Thought lecturer, gave the eulogy.
Prior to his involvement with the Co-operative Colliery, Robert Forrester was instrumental in the formation of the second District Miners’ Lodge. At the time he was employed at Newcastle Coal and Copper Co’s tunnels and early in 1857 men at the Glebe, following the example of men at the Borehole, decided to form a Lodge. (This date is taken from an article printed in l902, but the late mine and union historian, Alexander McLagan, quotes Glebe tunnels first, Minmi second and Borehole third.) The Manager, James Donaldson, was considered by the miners to be a very fair man, but he and under manager William Young both opposed the introduction of the miners lodge. Forrester played a prominent role in the district for many years.
Thomas Alnwick was a staunch supporter of the Co-operative Colliery and remained a loyal and lifelong friend of James Fletcher. He had earlier been employed by John Eales at his Minmi Colliery and after Eales sold out to James and Alexander Brown, Alnwick had wages owing him by the new owners who refused to pay. Alnwick summonsed the Brown brothers for wages owing, but the verdict was found in favour of the Browns. As a result the men went on strike, but the Browns retaliated and evicted a number from their huts, including Thomas Alnwick. This type of treatment did not engender a charitable perception of management and provided motivation for the later concept of Co-operative ownership.
When the first Wallsend Council was formed in 1874, Alnwick was chosen as Town Clerk, and he later became an alderman on the Plattsburg Council. He was Chairman of the Miners’ Union in 1872, and worked hard towards the formation of the Vend and Sliding Scale agreements. It was he and James Richardson who suggested the idea of a district newspaper to John Miller Sweet, the end result being The Miners’ Advocate, first published from Devon Street, Plattsburg. Alnwick later became a prosperous businessman with premises in Nelson Street, and by 1880 was District Registrar, Agent for the Royal Insurance Co., Commission Agent and Manager of the Wallsend Branch of The Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate. Towards the end of the nineteenth century Alnwick went to live in Western Australia, and it was there that he died, in 1904.
James Richardson, born in 1826 at Durham, England, arrived in the Colony in 1843. He resided in Hobart for 13 years, and then came to Newcastle where he was employed at the Coal and Copper Co. tunnels in 1857, when the Miners’ Lodge was formed. The result was that he and nine other members of the Lodge received dismissal notices, but after an eight week strike, the proprietors capitulated due to the strong demand for coal. Richardson was one of the original directors of the Co-operative Colliery and in 1867 became colliery hostler, retaining this position until retirement, after which his son Cuthbert replaced him. Richardson was elected an alderman of the first Wallsend Council in 1874, and after the division, became an alderman on the Plattsburg Council, later serving three terms as Mayor.
James Richardson enjoyed great popularity in the district where he was identified with every progressive movement for advancement of the district and benefit to the community. He was a Justice of the Peace and appointed a Magistrate in 1886. Richardson and his family of three sons and two daughters retained strong ties with the Fletcher family for many years. He died in l904 and was buried in the Wallsend Cemetery.
Richard Youll, who was active in the early formation of the Co-operative Colliery, died in l903, aged 78 years. Born at Newcastle-on-Tyne in the late 1850s, he was employed at Brown’s Minmi Colliery. He was vocal at the early miners’ meeting, and having some scholastic qualifications, was requested by the Minmi miners to teach at the new school. In 1871 Youll transferred to Plattsburg School where he was headmaster until retirement. An active community worker, he preached at the Primitive Methodist Church and was a sunday school teacher, Past District Templar of the Independent Order of Good Templars, and a member of the Sons and Daughters of Temperance. His youngest son, Gibson, became a district mine manager and later left the district to manage the Bulli Colliery.
William Linsley had been employed at the Newcastle Coal and Copper Co. mine in the early years when the Lodge was formed and later became involved with the union movement and the Co-operative Colliery.
He transferred to the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal co. and was employed as check weighman for over 20 years. A man of integrity, he was well respected and highly regarded in the community. Linsley died in 1898 and was buried at the then new Wallsend Cemetery on Sandgate Road.
Alan Wylde (Wilde) and Hugh Walker remained staunch friends for many years after their early involvement with the Co-operative Colliery. They continued in the mining industry and in 1883, in partnership with Henry J. Corden, a Newcastle bank manager, and Joseph Wood, a local Wine Merchant, were proprietors of a coal mine at Throsby Creek. The land was leased from Peter Fleming of Wickham, and the mine held in trust for Wickham and Bullock Island Coal Co. Both men continued to be prominent in mining ventures.
James Swinburn was another old identity who prospered after his early disappointment at the Co-operative Colliery. In 1875 he was manager of the expanding Greta Colliery and by 1879 had became Newcastle Colliery Manager for the Australasian Coal Co. Ltd., a prosperous firm which advertised a capital of £100,000 in £1 shares. (Unfortunately, this company was later to go into liquidation.)
Many descendants of the old stalwarts who formed the New South Wales Co-operative Coal Mining Co. are still to be located in the Newcastle district.
Little remains today of the colliery, founded on the visionary concept of men determined to avoid exploitation by employers, and anxious to improve their situation in life.
PART ONE IS LINKED BELOW
Very interesting – Thanks