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[Illustration: _Frontispiece_: THE MINERS' HALL, DURHAM]




A HISTORY OF THE

DURHAM MINERS' ASSOCIATION

1870-1904

BY

ALDERMAN JOHN WILSON, J.P.

_Corresponding Secretary to the Association, Chairman of Durham
County Council, and Member of Parliament for
Mid-Durham Division_

"A tale should be judicious, clear, succinct;
The language plain, and incidents well link'd;
Tell not as new what everybody knows,
And, new or old, still hasten to a close."

COWPER.

Durham

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY

J. H. VEITCH & SONS, 24 AND 25 NORTH ROAD

1907

_PRICE THREE SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE_




To

MY COLLEAGUES THE MINERS OF DURHAM

   this outline of their associated history is respectfully dedicated by
   one who knows the hardships and dangers of their lives, who
   understands their character and esteems it, who has been with them in
   their struggles for freedom, equality, and a better life, whose
   greatest pride is that from early youth he has been (and still is)
   one of them, whose highest honour is that he is trusted by them to
   take part in the varied and important duties of their association,
   and whose hope is, that avenues of greater good may by their united
   and individual efforts be opened out to them.




CONTENTS

                                 PAGE

PREFATORY EXPLANATION             xi

THE PREPARATION                    1

LAYING THE FOUNDATION             11

REARING THE BUILDING              16

THE LEADERS                       37

OPPOSITION TO THE BUILDING        41

HISTORY                           46

AFTER WORDS                      336

CHANGES                          337

IN MEMORIAM                      346

AU REVOIR                        350

APPENDIX I                       355

    "    II                      356

    "    III                     358

INDEX                            361




INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS

MINERS' HALL, DURHAM        _Frontispiece_

N. WILKINSON     _facing page_    25

T. RAMSEY                 "       40

J. H. VEITCH              "       43

THE FIRST DEPUTATION      "       47

W. CRAWFORD, M.P.         "       99

W. GOLIGHTLY              "      105

J. FORMAN                 "      123

W. H. PATTERSON           "      160

ALDERMAN J. WILSON, M.P.  "      182

J. JOHNSON, M.P.          "      217

T. H. CANN                "      276

ALDERMAN W. HOUSE         "      293

ALDERMAN S. GALBRAITH     "      305

H. F. HEATH               "      337




PREFATORY EXPLANATION


It is necessary that I should set forth the reason why this attempt
has been made to place on record, in a compact form, the rise and
progress of our Association, with the changes which have taken place
in our position. The inception lies in a letter received from one of
our lodges, and addressed to the Executive Committee:

   "Seeing that matters of a definite nature relating to the history of
   the Trade Union movement in the county of Durham, in its social,
   political, and industrial aspects, are difficult to obtain, we would
   suggest to our Executive that it would be opportune at this juncture
   to ask Mr Wilson, on behalf of the Association, to write a short,
   concise history of the movement in the county, giving the social and
   industrial changes that have followed its progress, and that the
   Executive issue the same free or at cost price to lodges for
   distribution amongst the members."

This was considered by the Committee. It met with their approval so
far as the history was concerned, but they, with very generous
feelings, remembered the many things I have on hand. They felt
confident that such a work would be appreciated by our members, but
they were loath to impose more work upon me. Their desire that I
should prepare such a work was expressed in such a kind and
considerate manner--not