The Henson Journals
Thu 9 January 1930
Volume 49, Pages 70 to 71
[70]
Thursday, January 9th, 1930.
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Brooke Westcott went with me to Seaham for a visit to Lord Londonderry's new pit, which is called the 'Vane Tempest' pit. We went first to the Londonderry Offices, where we found Robin and Dillon, who accompanied us. We were taken to the coal face, and shown the mechanical stone cutters at work – a truly amazing spectacle. The haulage was effected by machinery, though ponies will probably be introduced as the pit developes. The processes by which the coal is prepared for the market are most elaborate. I was surprised at the admirable ventilation of the mine. The men are equipped with electric lamps, and protection against risk of explosion is mainly provided by the visits of inspectors. The seams are about five foot thick, and I was assured that they would be worked for miles under the sea. The coal from this mine is mostly used for the making of gas. It provides the Gas Light & Coke Company, whose works at Beckton in my old parish of Barking were once familiar to me. We took our miner's staves away with us as mementos of our visit.
[71]
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I was very favourably impressed by the men in the mine. They had frank open countenances, a friendly manner, and a freedom of speech which contrasted pleasingly with the fell look, surly demeanour, & rude speech of some of the pitmen. There is something of value in the personal link between employers & employed which – though wearing thin under the corrosive influence of "Labour" politics – is still present in the Londonderry pits. The supersession of private owners by great companies, & the active agitation of the Communists have told badly on the workmen over much of the Durham minefield.
The indispensableness of capital in modern industry is sufficiently apparent in the mine, where an enormous expenditure has to be incurred before the work of production can begin. Dillon told me that little less than a million pounds (£1,000,000) will have been sunk in the Vane–Tempest pit before any coal can be raised. And this is really a venture of faith, for, in the sub–soil, there are many disappointments. Unfortunately men's memories are short, and, as soon as coal is being produced, the claim of the capitalist for some profit is soon forgotten, and the only claimant who commands audience is the pitmen, for whom the capitalist provided the pit.