Mining history resources

Other links are in the Library resource guides.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) – Engineering history
ASME encourages public understanding of mechanical engineering, fosters the preservation of this heritage, and helps engineers become more involved in all aspects of history. The site has biographies and descriptions of important engineering artefacts.

Bal Maidens & Mining Women
Explores the many different roles which women and girls have undertaken at mines around the world. Particular emphasis on Devon and Cornwall.

British Geological Survey

BGS provides expert services and impartial advice in all areas of geoscience to government, industry, academia and the public. Services include OpenGeoscience providing a wide range of freely available geoscience information that allows viewing of maps and downloading of data, scans, photos and other information. This includes non-coal mining plans.

Coal Authority

The Coal Authority manages the effects of past coal mining, including subsidence damage claims which are not the responsibility of licensed coal mine operators. It deals with mine water pollution and other mining legacy. The Coal Authority interactive map viewer shows selected coal mining information, for example, finding out if a property is affected by coal mining or checking for coal and mine entries on or near the surface.

Coal Mining in Britain
The story of British coal mining, told through BBC radio and TV broadcasts from the last 70 years and a gallery of images from the 1930s.

Coalfield Web Materials
Provides a unique insight into the social, political and cultural life of the South Wales Coalfield during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Coalmining History Resource Centre
Mines location maps; National database of mining deaths in Great Britain; disaster lists and reports; 1842 Royal Commission reports; poems; miscellaneous publications; photographs – people, banners, collieries, etc.
[This is an archived copy of the website as it is no longer maintained.]

Collieries in Northumberland and Durham
A list on the GENUKI geneaology site.

Durham Mining Museum
This website covers mining in Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and the ironstone mines of North Yorkshire. There is a small physical museum in Spennymoor. Main content: lists of mines and managers; maps; company information; statistical data; employment records; members of the mining engineering institutes; minerals; disaster reports; names of people in disasters; memorials; photographs; posters; coal industry bibliography; family history guide; links to other sources.

Institution of Mechanical Engineers – archives and artefacts.
Guides to the history of the Institution and of mechanical engineering .

Engineering timelines
The website links the engineering works in the UK that surround us today with the past out of  which they were born.

Heroes of mine (Mines rescue)
Rescue teams, disasters, gallantry awards.

Laxey Mines Research Group
Information on mining history on the Isle of Man

Mining History Association (MHA) 
Organization of individuals interested in the history of mining and metallurgy, based in the USA.

Mining History Network
Professor Roger Burt’s mining history collection, including the Mining History discussion list and bibliographies.  Hosted by Exeter University.

National Association of Mining History Organisations
Namho was formed in 1979 to act as the national body for mining history in the UK and Ireland. There are now over 70 member organisations, including societies, museums and companies. The list of members links to their websites.

National Mining Memorabilia Association
For collectors of memorabilia – lamps, badges, tallies, etc – but with many links on mining history in general.

North Staffs Miners
“The price paid in death and injury by the miners of North Staffs in winning the coal from the bowels of the earth for the benefit of the Nation should never be forgotten.”

Northern Mine Research Society
The Society is dedicated to the preservation and recording of mining history. The website includes journals lists and information including a bibliography. It publishes the British Mining series of research papers.

Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
Best site for starting to research your family’s mining links in the North East.

Panel for Historical Engineering Works (PHEW)
The panel identifies historical engineering works that are worthy of recording, promoting, and in some cases, preserving for posterity. It helps to organise groups of civil engineers in the regions who are interested in the history of their profession, and publishes a quarterly newsletter, regional guides and leaflets on the subject.

Scottish Mining Website
Collieries, accidents, housing, leisure, health and disease, etc.

Slate Industry of North and Mid Wales
General introduction to the Welsh slate industry.

Trevithick Society
The Society aims to encourage an interest in the industrial archaeology of Cornwall through lectures, outings and other meetings and by publishing the results of individual research through its website, journal and other publications. It encourages the preservation of engine houses and other industrial buildings of worth as a significant part of Cornwall’s heritage.

Welsh Coal Mines
Collieries, including accidents, poems, forum

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