The Pit Sinkers of Northumberland

Shaft sinking for the extraction of minerals has taken place for centuries. Coal mining has been carried out using various methods of sinking from shallow bell pits to deep shafts. Newcastle and the collieries along the banks of the River Tyne had a tradition of exporting coal to London. Following the invention of steam engines, sinkers were quick to use them in coal mining, and these innovations were to benefit many engineering developments. However with deeper mines, explosive gases were to cause the death and injury of many miners. Miners had always lived in close communities, and this was especially so for the sinker families in the north-east. The sinkers were recognised as being the "elite of miners." With previously unpublished photographs, this book is a must for those interested in the region’s industrial heritage.