This blog was written by Peter Connelly who is a third year history student at the University of Strathclyde. Peter has completed a virtual internship at Northumberland Archives and writing this blog was one of his tasks. He also recorded and edited a Northumberland Voices podcast using oral histories from the 1920s that are held at Northumberland Archives.

Being locked out can be a horrible experience, the panic, the 24-hour locksmith and not to mention the cost. However, being locked out of work, school, or university; that’s a different story, one that most would openly welcome. However, this was the unfortunate situation that the hard-working miners of Northumberland in 1921 found themselves in.  

When you think of Northumberland you think of two predominant things; a strong working class and an even stronger community spirit. In the 1920s this was no different.  

In 1921 places like Benwell and Lemington rose to the occasion to help with the community. In Benwell, the community came forward with overwhelming support for the miner’s wives and children in the form of goods and donations. Lemington’s community group, the Comrades of the Great War, helped feed the hungry miner’s children. In just three days over 1450 meals were provided to the children and local tradesmen also supplied goods and money. Lemington’s glassworkers also helped feed over 250 children.  

In Scremerston and Haltwhistle, there were also crisis funds and food relief schemes in place to help the coal miner’s wives and children. In Amble, alone, by the 16^th of May, the village had provided over 12,472 meals to the children of the miners. But why was this incredible community spirit even needed I hear you ask? Don’t worry I’ll get there.  

It all started in March 1920 when Government control of the mines ended and the mines returned to private industry. As a result, wages were cut and hours were extended, high levels of unemployment at the time meant that mines owners had leverage on the miners as they couldn’t simply find new jobs. Also, the coal industry became under pressure from foreign competition after the First World War. The mine owners argued that cuts in wages and extended working days were the alternatives to closing the least economically viable mines down altogether. 

In order for the miners to keep their current wages and conditions, coal mining trade unions looked to call upon their allies’ support in striking. Their allies were the transport workers (NTWF) and railway workers (NUR) unions. The three were better known as the Triple Alliance. A coal strike could be broken easily by importing foreign coal so the miners relied on their allies in order for their strike to be successful.  

Strikes broke out on the 15 April 1921 across the country. However, their attempt was sabotaged by their counterparts of the triple alliance after they abandoned the miners’ cause. Better known as ‘Black Friday’, 15 April saw the miners and the miners strike alone after the NTWF and NUR did not join in with the strikes. The railwaymen and transport workers felt the miners had not negotiated enough and also were concerned that they had not been included in negotiations.  

This is when the lock out comes in. Coal owners locked out the miners and demanded they accept the cuts in wages and extended working hours. In South Shields more than 10,000 miners found themselves out of work. Miners across the county found themselves locked out of work with no money coming in.  

The miners of the Hazlerigg Colliery in Newcastle found themselves out of employment for over nine weeks and only received benefits of 10 shillings which came from the Northumberland Miners’ Association.  

Part two to follow….

We often receive enquiries about workhouse records. Unfortunately, we only hold a small number of documents for Northumberland as a large percentage of them were destroyed during World War Two. For Morpeth workhouse, the only surviving records are a Guardians Minute book for the years 1902-1905 and a General Ledger for 1923-1930. 

However, among our collection of Morpeth Borough records are papers & plans which were found under the foundation stone of the workhouse when it was demolished in 1951. Included are a full plan of the proposed workhouse building, elevations, contemporary newspapers and a parchment roll naming the Guardians, Workhouse Master and Doctor. The roll also states that the foundation stone was laid on Wednesday 21 February 1866 by Lady Elizabeth Grey.  

On 24 February 1866, the Morpeth Herald reported that the new workhouse had been designed by F.R Wilson who was an architect from Alnwick. It was to occupy the site on which the old workhouse and some adjacent property, recently purchased stood. Lady Elizabeth Grey laid in a cavity in the stone, a jar containing copies of the Newcastle daily papers, the Morpeth Herald, Alnwick Mercury, drawings of the buildings and a parchment roll bearing the names of the officials.

It was also reported that Lady Grey was presented with the silver trowel she had used to lay the foundation stone. The trowel was obtained from Mr Stanley, a Silversmith from Morpeth. The inscription upon it read, “Presented to Lady Elizabeth Grey, by the Guardians of the Morpeth Union, on the occasion of her laying the foundation stone of the new Union Workhouse, Morpeth, Feb. 21, 1866.”

In the afternoon, Lady Grey treated the inmates to an excellent dinner of roast beef and plum pudding.  The room in which they dined was tastefully decorated with evergreens, flags and banners. Three banners bearing the arms of De-Merley, Howard and Grey were hung in prominent places.