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Letters from the curator of St Vincent Botanic Gardens
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Series
Coal Division, Early Correspondence and Papers
Catalogue reference: POWE 16
What's it about?
POWE 16
Files selected from a number of defunct registered series and certain groups of unregistered papers to illustrate various aspects of coal mining. They contain papers and correspondence relating to production, marketing, manpower, subsidence,...
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- POWE 16
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Title (The name of the record)
- Coal Division, Early Correspondence and Papers
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1896-1953
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Description (What the record is about)
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Files selected from a number of defunct registered series and certain groups of unregistered papers to illustrate various aspects of coal mining. They contain papers and correspondence relating to production, marketing, manpower, subsidence, drainage and war emergency measures; also included are a few files dealing with metalliferous mining.
The records are mainly of the Mines Department, with some earlier files of the Board of Trade (BT) Coal Mines Department and the Ministry of Munitions and some later ones of the Ministry of Fuel and Power and the National Coal Board (1942 to 1945). Also included are a number of earlier papers inherited from other departments.
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Related material (A cross-reference to other related records)
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For 1917-1920, Printed orders and memoranda of J.L. Groom, Inspector, Board of Trade Coal Mines Dept, for papers relating to the coal transport re-organisation scheme and for L. and N.W.R. notices to passengers during the coal strike of 1920 see PRO 30/26/167 PRO 30/26/168
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
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- Board of Trade, Mines Department, 1920-1942
- Home Office, Industrial and Parliamentary Department, 1896-1913
- Home Office, Mines Inspectorate, 1843-1920
- Ministry of Fuel and Power, 1942-1957
- Ministry of Munitions, 1915-1921
- National Coal Board, 1946-1986
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
- 539 files and volumes
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Subjects (Categories and themes found in our collection (our subject list is under development, and some records may have no subjects or fewer than expected))
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Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
- The Home Office Industrial and Parliamentary Department was responsible forissues such as employee rights, training, absenteeism, wages, workingconditions etc for people working in the mining sector, among others. The MinesInspectorate was a division of the Home Office. Inspectors of mines were, until1920, appointed by the Home Office and post 1850 had the power to inspect theconstruction and safety of mines. In December 1920 the Mines Inspectorate, theMining Records Office, and the Board for Mining Examinations were absorbed intothe new Mines Department (part of the Board of Trade) who took overresponsibility for ensuring that basic statutory regulations were being met.Prior to WW1, munitions supply was largely a matter for the individual militaryservices, but by 1915 the need for reliable/consistent munitions supply becameimperative so the Ministry of Munitions was set up on the 9th June 1915. Fromits establishment, the ministry furnished the War Office with light and heavyarms, ammunitions and explosives. They also began to supply other things suchas aeroplanes, engines etc as the war progressed. After the war, the ministry’svarious responsibilities were transferred to other departments, like the AirMinistry and Board of Trade, until it eventually became defunct on the 31stMarch 1921. In 1920, the Mines Department was set up within the Board of Trade.The department was set up in order to ensure ‘the most effective developmentand utilisation of the mineral resources of the United Kingdom and the safetyand welfare of those engaged in the mining industry’. During WW2, the MinesDepartment was also responsible for researching methods by which coalconsumption could be constricted in order to help the war effort. In 1942 theMinistry of Fuel and Power was established. This new ministry took on the Boardof Trade duties relating to coal, gas, electricity, petroleum, mines, andquarries. Due to this the Mines Department was dissolved. The National CoalBoard was established in 1946 with the remit of running the UK’s nationalisedcoal mining industry. Coal reserves were initially nationalised during WW2 andthe Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 enabled 958 Collieries to beacquired by the NCB, with compensation being given to the original owners.
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C11833/
Catalogue hierarchy
Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
23,053 records
Within the department: POWE
Records created or inherited by the Ministry of Power, and of related bodies
You are currently looking at the series: POWE 16
Coal Division, Early Correspondence and Papers
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