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Why coal was so important It was the fuel of the time It was used for heating houses I It generated steam to power railways, ships and machines As time progressed it was used to produce gas for street lighting and house lighting The industrial revolution meant lots of factories needed fuel

Due to the high demand for coal more and more pits were opening all over the country Create a table to show what the main jobs in the mine were and who carried them out. Job titleJob Description Who mainly did this Trapper Bearer Drawer Hewer

The Dangers of working in the mines Roofs caved in ExplosionsFloodsFires Poisonous Gases

Improvements in Mining Using Heinemann page 35 outline 5 ways in which coal mining was made safer between the 1840s and the early 1900s.

1842 Children under 10 not allowed to work in the mines An inspector appointed to make sure mine owners following new rules Each mine had to have safety rules All under ground workers were no longer allowed to work for more than 8 hours a day. Managers had to sit a test to show that they were competent The Davy lamp reduced the risk of fire as did the eventual introduction of electricity Ventilation improved Metal pit props were used to reduce the chance of tunnels collapsing Pit ponies reduced the risks to humans

Coal Mining and WW1 Coal and WW1 To run factories Iron works to make weapons To run ships To fuel homes To power railways

The Decline of the British Coal Industry The British coal industry faced many problems after WW1. Cheap coal was being imported from Poland and Germany. Less coal was being exported (sent abroad). New types of fuel such as oil were being developed. Industrial action during the 1926 General Strike was unsuccessful and workers returned to work with lower pay and a longer working day.