Guide to Carrying out your own Research Project

Introduction

At some stage in a mining historian's life, they face the decision whether to remain a passive reader of other people's research or whether to do something on their own. There is no set period of "apprenticeship" before they are capable of this and it is far better to make an early start since they can only improve their techniques with experience. Even persons who have an academic reputation already have made mistakes in their time and will be the first to admit that they are not infallible.

There is no academic qualification for mining history and the vast majority of published research in Britain has been carried out by "amateurs" such as ourselves. Archaeological research today is an exact science but all that is needed is the patience to gather facts, put these together in a logical sequence and make reasoned assumptions from them. There will often be gaps in our knowledge but these can be filled by making suggestions based on comparisons with other areas, etc. It is important, however, to draw the distinction between theories based on fact and those based on supposition. Anyone is capable of such methods with a little practice. The idea that archaeology is the preserve of gentlemen is a complete fallacy. The so-called gentlemen archaeologists of the 19th century were little more than grave robbers!

The whole philosophy of mining history must be based on the desire to acquire and disseminate information as widely as possible. I have little time for people who are only interested in the advancement of their personal reputation or in financial gain. I have often found that the published research of such people is biased towards that end and they write according to what they think their potential readers want rather than advance the knowledge of mining history. Beware also of labelling a writer as an "expert" (a term much-loved by the press) and assuming that their research is the last word. There are few established facts in this subject, only theories. We should always welcome any new ideas proposed, however bizarre, since it may turn out that these are nearer the truth. How long, for instance, did people believe the world to be flat! We should always be prepared to discuss any new theory in a rational manner and weigh up the pros and cons. Conversely, if you have a new theory then don't be afraid to advance it and argue your case against the opposition.

Choosing Your Subject

Having decided to do something, the next question is WHAT? You must be realistic about your capabilities to begin with but don't be afraid to tackle something new, you can only learn through experience. There is sometimes an unfortunate tendency to separate the "cavers" and "academics" but mining history is a unique blend of both and each is complementary to the other. Having said this, there is no reason why you can't concentrate on just one aspect if you wish. If you like exploring underground, then digging into a mine and doing a survey is a valuable basis for someone else to work on the history. Conversely, you can research the history of a mine without venturing underground and this might encourage someone else to tackle the underground survey. There is nothing like the satisfaction of tackling all aspects of a site but it is just as valuable to lay the groundwork for someone else to continue. You could also share a project with others, each perhaps tackling separate aspect.

You will find it useful to read the published reports of other people's projects since these will indicate how they set about it and what aspects they covered. The usual method is to take a particular site or area and carry out detailed research on that location alone. Some have tackled more general subjects which are not confined to specific places and these are just as valuable, albeit more difficult. One possibility is to compare a certain type of feature at a number of different sites and draw conclusions. There are a great many smaller mine sites in Shropshire that have never been properly looked at - they are just waiting for you. You may even choose a subject related to mining, eg if you are interested in railways then you could deal with the transport of materials from site.

You can obtain valuable experience by assisting ongoing projects carried out by others. They will always welcome your assistance and can pass on useful tips. When you have decided on your project, it is vital that you notify others in the Club so that they don't unknowingly duplicate your work. Another advantage of doing this is that they can pass on information that they may come across. I have always done this in my own research projects and have received many invaluable items of information in this way that I would never have otherwise discovered. It is also useful to publish regular situation reports in the newsletter to let other members know how you are progressing. By doing this, you may encourage other members to tackle their own project. Such items do not need to be detailed and will not detract from your final published report.

Planning Your Project

Take time at the beginning to work out what aspects you intend to cover and how these can be tackled. Don't be tempted to rush things in order to finish, since some projects take years to complete. You will find that information comes in fits and starts - there are depressing periods when nothing new seems to be available and then suddenly you will come across a valuable item that sets you off in all sorts of directions! Patience is an essential commodity.

The first thing is to find the landowner(s) of the area you will be working in and to obtain full permission to carry out your work. This should be done initially by a letter in which you explain exactly who you are, the area in question, the work you wish to carry out and the reasons why. Never put people on the spot by calling "on spec" since it is good manners to give them time to consider all the implications of granting permission. The letter can be followed up by telephone or a personal call at a later date if necessary. You will find that most landowners will be willing to allow access for serious historical research if asked beforehand. Remember that all land belongs to someone and even public property belongs to local councils. If access is refused, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES carry on. Not only do you risk the possibility of prosecution for damages but you will also damage the reputation of your club and mining history in general. It is always possible that access may be negotiated on your behalf by one of the Club's officers or that someone else might be more successful. There is no place for "midnight trips".

If you intend to carry out digging operations on the surface or underground, it is vital that you tell the landowner exactly what you intend to do. Again, if he refuses permission then respect his wishes. If he is worried about liability then you may be able to solve this by arranging for him to be covered under the Club's liability insurance scheme. In any negotiations, be calm and diplomatic and never try to browbeat a landowner into agreement. Most will have little to gain by granting access and it may even interfere with their business activities. Remember that it is far less trouble for them to fill in an entrance permanently. Where you fail, others might be successful.

Once you have obtained permission, keep the landowner informed of how you are progressing and give him a copy of your final report. Most have at least some interest in what is under their land and may supply information of use to you.

Also check to see if there is any restriction on the site under investigation. If it is a Scheduled Historic Monument or a Site of Special Scientific Interest then you MUST obtain permission from English Heritage or English Nature respectively before carrying out work on the site. If it is a bat hibernation site, then it is protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act and access is only allowed under certain circumstances. If you carry on without permission, you are committing an offence.

Surface Survey

One of the first things to undertake is a surface survey of the remains on site. You will find it useful here to obtain copies of old Ordnance Survey maps, which are usually held by the local reference library. These were first published around 1860 with revisions made around 1896, 1910 and 1936. The best ones are the large scale 25 inch to 1 mile maps (known as the County Series). Copyright for OS maps only lasts for 50 years from the date of publication so the library will allow you to photocopy the whole of maps older than 50 years. For maps less than 50 years old, you can take one A4 photocopy from each map for study purposes only. Aerial photos are useful in showing up ground features and may be held by libraries. Another possible source is the Footpath Officer of the County or District Council. The most complete set of old aerial photos is held by the National Monuments Record who will supply copies for a fee. Details from Air Photographic Section, National Monument Record, Fortress House, 23,Savile Row, London W1X 1AB.

Geology

It is useful to be aware of the geology of a site since this can give useful clues as to the type of feature underground and why certain working methods were adopted. You will need to give a brief synopsis of the local geology in your final report but you won't need any formal qualification to do this. The British Geological Survey has published a geological survey of every part of Great Britain. These consist of books relating to relatively small areas and the local ones should be held by the local library. The survey will supply the geological information you require and, if you are lucky, it may refer to the mining operations.

Digging Operations

If your project will involve digging through a collapsed entrance then you must pay attention to safety considerations. It is recommended here that you do not carry out such work yourself until you have assisted at a dig elsewhere. Bear in mind that you must have somewhere to deposit the material you are excavating and this must be agreed in advance with the landowner. He may not be overjoyed at the prospect of a large mound of rubble or unsightly rubbish left lying on the surface and you may have to make arrangements to merge it with the surroundings or even take it away. A more important factor is to ensure that any excavation you make does not become a danger to others. From the outset, you will have to install a safe cover over the entrance to prevent others (especially children) from gaining access. If someone else is injured as a result of your negligence then you may be prosecuted. It is not sufficient to erect a sign - there must be an effective barrier. If you decide to abandon a dig then you must make it safe, even if this means filling it in again.

The easiest dig is one where a level entrance has been backfilled with earth or rubbish. In such cases, the mine passage itself is usually stable and it is only a case of digging out the infill. Where a level has collapsed, it usually means that the rock is unstable and this will have to be shored up as you proceed. Never dig out the infill and shore up behind you since it may collapse onto you before you have finished! The safe way is to use "forepoling" where you force horizontal timbers into the fill at roof level. As they become exposed through digging, you support them with vertical timbers. Timbering is an art and you can never make it too safe. Once a dig is completed, you can consider making a more permanent entrance by inserting strong oil drums or concrete pipes.

Digging in shafts is the most difficult, especially where the top has collapsed. Again, you must ensure that the sides are timbered as you proceed downwards. You can never know how far the fill extends since it may only be jammed a few feet down. It is thus vital to lifeline anyone working in the shaft. All spoil has to be wound up the shaft and it is useful to install a pulley system and headgear at surface. Make provisions to ensure that the bucket does not accidentally tip spoil back down onto the digger.

Once you have access to a mine, you have a responsibility to ensure that it does not become a danger to others. The best method is to install a lid or gate which can be locked, possibly leaving a key with the landowner unless he wishes someone else to control access.

Underground Survey

The adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is particularly true with mine workings. Even a simple survey is better than attempting to describe mine passages with words. Surveying techniques are fairly easy to learn but you can get another member to carry out a survey if necessary. Once done, it forms a permanent record which is particularly useful if access is subsequently lost.

Photographic Record

When it comes to writing up your report, it will be far more attractive if you can include photographs. These should not only include the actual features themselves but also general location scenes to place the mine into its surroundings. If you come across old photographs of a site then get permission to take copies, even if these are not subsequently published. Many invaluable photos held in family albums are lost because subsequent generations do not appreciate their value. The classic case of this was the pioneer photographer J C Burrow, who took hundreds of underground photos of the Cornish mines in the 1890s. When he died, the majority of his glass negatives ignominiously ended up as panes of glass in a greenhouse!

If possible, take two copies of each scene - one as a black & white print and one as a colour slide. The former will be used to illustrate your report since colour prints do not always reproduce effectively in monochrome. The latter will be useful if you give a subsequent slide talk.

Preparing To Research

You will be very lucky if you find records belonging to the mine itself, eg account books. What you must do is build up a jigsaw of facts from all kinds of sources until these begin to form a picture. Even then there will be gaps which you must attempt to fill with guesswork. The best thing is to keep a file in which you enter all the information as it is found, including items which only seem of minor relevance at the time. It is surprising how even a minor item can assume major importance at a later date when linked with fresh information. There is nothing so frustrating as trying to think where you saw something in the past but didn't bother to note it down!

How much detail you keep depends on how much you are prepared to spend on your project. The ideal thing is to take photocopies of everything that might be relevant so that you can quickly refer to them in your file. This tends to become expensive, however, so you might compromise by making manuscript extracts from items you know will not be of relevance. What to note is something you can only learn from experience but always note the full title (and archival reference if appropriate) of any book or item you check in case you need to look at it again. This list will eventually be of use in compiling the reference section of your final report.

Before you set out on your archival research, check to see what has already been written on the subject of your site or similar ones. This may save you duplicating work and may provide references to material you will find of use. Just because someone quotes from a source, don't assume that this is the only information contained in that source. They will only be concerned with items relevant to their own research and there is often other snippets of other information in that source which could be of use. The moral is - ALWAYS READ THE ORIGINAL SOURCES YOURSELF. In addition, always check the references section of any book you read and list items worth checking. This leads to a chain reaction since those items may provide further sources. Be prepared for disappointment, since you will often find nothing of value in a book, but patience will eventually reveal an invaluable item somewhere along the chain.

Source Material

There are two types of source material, viz

a) "Primary" - original mine leases, daybooks, etc. which are held in record offices, museums or private Collections

b) "Secondary" - books or articles written by mining historians.

You should always begin by checking if anyone else has already carried out research into your area of interest. This may save a great deal of duplication and their work can act as a springboard for your own research. This is not as easy as it sounds since their work may appear in some obscure journal or may not even be published! Try reading:-

Bibliography of the History of British Metal Mining by Roger Burt & Peter Waite, 1988, University of Exeter/NAMHO

Cave Science Indices from British Cave Research Association

These may direct you to published sources about your area of interest and these in turn, like a chain reaction, may suggest even more sources. Keep a list of potential sources to which you can add to from the bibliographies of books that you read. You may find that many of these have no relevance but sometimes you strike it lucky. Always check quoted sources yourself, since a passage copied from the original work may be condensed or omit information. There are several journals which are worth checking for information :-

Business History

Economic History Review

Historical Metallurgy.

Industrial Archaeology.

Industrial Archaeology Review

Mining Journal

Newcomen Society

Northern Mine Research Society (British Mining)

Peak District Mines Historical Society

Trevithick Society (Cornwall)

Yorkshire Geological Society.

A further avenue to try is to publish an appeal for information in the newsletter of your local mining history society. The National Association of Mining History Organisations Newsletter also publishes such appeals and this allows you to reach individuals throughout the country. This method can unearth a great deal of information, especially where it is unpublished. To discover which societies and museums cover your area, you should consult:

"Mining Heritage Guide", Rob Vernon, 1997, NAMHO Your local mining history society can provide a good idea of where to start looking for source material on your area of interest. As well as telling you if material has already been published in their journal, they can also put you in touch with individuals who may have knowledge or unpublished notes of interest to you. Many also have their own archival collections but access to these is not always allowed for non-members.

Once you have exhausted these sources, your work begins in earnest and there are now several places you can visit. Although you may not be able to visit all the places listed below, you should try to include as many as possible. In this way, you can be sure to have covered as much ground as possible to obtain information.

The Reference Library

Having arrived at the local reference library, do you know how to use it to the full? What are those numbers on the shelves? Can they be of use or did the librarian just have a lot of dymo-tape? Who are those people behind the counter - can they assist?

Where do I start?

The most obvious way is to ask the person behind the counter. Since, however, most people can only visit a library when it is busy, the assistant is likely to be rushed off their feet - dealing with two queues, looking for lost tickets, answering the telephone. Although your project is very important to you, it will come a long way down their list of priorities at the moment you arrive!

With that in mind, the following is a very elementary introduction to the Dewey Decimal System of library classification - the numbers which librarians put on book spines and catalogue cards to enable them, and you, to find books quickly. It is a sort of map reference.

To those of you who have worked it out for yourselves, we apologise for wasting your time. To the rest of you, we hope that it doesn't make you more confused than ever ...

Introduction to Dewey

Melville Dewey was an American who lived in the last century. This is why some of his priorities seem somewhat strange and why his allocation of classification numbers to certain subjects seem over-generous or sadly too few. In the society he lived in, it would seem logical to allocate 100 numbers each to PHILOSOPHY and RELIGION and only 10 numbers to the whole of ENGINEERING. His idea was to separate books into 10 main groups according to subject as follows:

000-099 General Works

100-199 Philosophy

200-299 Religion

300-399 Social Science

400-499 Languages

500-599 Pure Sciences

600-699 Applied Sciences

700-799 Arts

800-899 Literature

900-999 Geography/Bibliography/History

Each group was then split into 10 again (and again and again and again!) to give narrower and narrower subject groups, until eventually specific numbers were allocated to specific subjects and not just chosen at random by a librarian. For example, the class number for COAL MINING is 622.33 which is made up as follows:

600 Applied Sciences

620 Engineering

622 Mineral Industries

622.3 Mining

622.33 Coal Mining

Class numbers for other types of mining are:

622.343 Copper Mining

622.344 Lead Mining

622.3452 Zinc Mining

622.3453 Tin Mining

622.362 Quarrying

622.80902 Mines Inspectorate

Mining History has its own classification and its reference will usually be further refined according to the county as in the following examples:

622.09 MINING HISTORY

622.094235 Mining History of Devon

622.094237 ditto Cornwall

622.094245 ditto Shropshire

622.094251 ditto Derbyshire

622.094274 ditto Yorkshire

If you can find nothing at these numbers, don't despair, for Dewey also allocated ones for the economic history of mining and these are as follows:

338.27 ECONOMIC HISTORY OF MINING

338.272 Economic History of Coal Mining

338.2741 ditto Gold Mining

338.2743 ditto Copper Mining

338.2744 ditto Lead Mining

338.27452 ditto Zinc Mining

338.27453 ditto Tin Mining

338.2751 ditto Limestone Quarrying

Information on difference aspects of mining may also be found in books at other classification numbers. These include:

309.142 Industrial Revolution - Social

330.942 Economic History of Britain

331.7622 Economic History of the Working Classes

331.7622344 Lead Miners in the Northern Pennines

331.88 Union History

338.0942 Industrial Revolution - Economic

385 Railway History and Economics

385.5 Narrow Gauge Railways

553 Economic Geology

554 Geology of Specific Areas

609 History of Inventions

609.42 Industrial Archaeology of Britain

658.922 Mining Business Management

The Library Catalogue

Many libraries have a catalogue which is available to the public. This can be on cards, micro-fiches or a computer and has a separate entry for each book. It does not often help in tracing an article, however, unless you know the exact name and volume of the publication in which it appeared. Specialist bibliographies, such as that published by NAMHO, are invaluable in this respect.

The card index is usually divided into two sections:

(1) An alphabetical series of authors which sometimes includes titles. These often ignore words such as The" and "A" and sometimes words such as "History" and "Geography" are re-positioned so that "A History of the Yorkshire Dales" may be found under "Yorkshire Dales, a History of". Sometimes it might appear as "A History of the Yorkshire Dales" (filed under 'H' because this is the operative word).

(2) A classified section. This sometimes follows the Dewey System (ie the order in which books may be found on the shelves), in which case there should be an alphabetical subject index. Alternatively the classified section may be in alphabetical order of subjects, eg GEOLOGY, METALLURGY, YORKSHIRE, with the cards arranged alphabetically by author under each subject. As with the Dewey System, however, you must try several possibilities, eg PALAEONTOLOGY - see FOSSILS.

Micro-fiches are arranged very similarly to the card index but are more likely to use the Dewey System, rather than an alphabetical subject listing, for the classified section. For convenience, micro-fiches are updated by supplements which should also be referred to.

Computer indexes, where available, offer the advantage of being able to search rapidly through several fields (eg author, title or subject) and allowing "key word" searches. Some computer indexes contain details for all libraries in the county and they may show that your book is held by another branch. In this case, you can often arrange for it to be sent to your branch on loan for you to refer to.

Not all books are kept on the shelves, some may be in the stack which is not open to the public. In this case, the catalogue entry will be marked accordingly. Finally, where the library doesn't stock the specific book that you want, the inter-library loan facility allows it to be borrowed from other libraries in the UK. There is usually a charge for this service and the librarian will need full details for it to be traced, ie Author, Title, Publisher, Date of Publication and ISBN if known. The fact that it has a red/green/purple cover doesn't matter to anybody!

Things to Look For

Census Returns - are usually kept on microfilm and are only available 100 years after the census. They indicate the name, address and occupation of residents and can be used to identify mine owners and miners.

Trade Directories - were annual publications listing the names and locations of businesses. They can be used to identify those with mining connections and the life span can be calculated from when entries start and finish.

Geological Memoirs - were produced by the Geological Survey of Great Britain and also by some individuals. The earlier volumes gave useful information on working and abandoned mines.

Local Histories - often written by local historians and seldom contain much of mining interest, although you may be able to glean something of general interest. The Victoria County Histories vary in usefulness but some may hold useful information.

Newspapers - old editions of local papers sometimes give a useful insight into the social history of the mines. It is hard work going through all editions but try looking during a period when you know the mine was working.

"General View of the Agriculture of the County of ..." - this was a series of books published during the early 19th century. Some contain valuable information on mines.

Local Society Journals - there were many local history and naturalist societies in Victorian times and their interests were varied. Articles on mining sometimes appear.

Donated Collections - this is a long shot but it has paid dividends in the past. Check to see if donated material refers to mines, eg cuttings, photos, notes, etc.

Bibliographies - these are sometimes prepared to cover specific topics and, if you are lucky, you may find one relevant to your research, eg "Derbyshire Lead and Lead Mining" published by Derbyshire County Library.

Ordnance Survey Maps - The various editions of Ordnance Survey maps are often of particular value in tracing the development of a site. The modern sheets are indispensable for their inclusion of the National Grid, from which the site's co-ordinates may be obtained. Contour lines are shown on all but small scale maps, with those on the pre-1970s editions given at intervals of 25 feet whilst more recent ones have been metricated. The first 1/10560 (or 6" to one mile) maps were surveyed and published during the 1840s and 1850s, with revised editions around 1880, 1910 and 1930. The 1/2500 (or 25" to one mile) maps were first produced early in the present century and carry a wealth of detail but only cover areas which have been enclosed. Many metalliferous mines, in remote areas of moorland, are, therefore, not always covered. Later editions of O.S. sheets are also available and, in urban areas, it may be possible to find very large scale maps.

When maps of different ages are compared, a problem which sometimes arises is that they do not align properly. The main reason for this is that County Sheets were surveyed from a north-south meridian in each county, from which corrections for distortions caused by the Earth's curvature were also calculated. This is the reason why the neighbouring county is left blank at their common boundary. National Grid maps, on the contrary, were surveyed from a common base line, which diverges from geographical north, from which adjustments were made.

When comparing maps of different ages, you may find that they do not align properly. The reason for this is that the County Sheets were surveyed from a north-south line in each county, from which the distortion caused by the Earth's curvature was calculated. This is why the neighbouring county is left blank at the common boundary. Modern maps, however, are surveyed from a common base line, ie the National Grid.

The Local Studies Library

Most county library headquarters have a local studies section containing items of county interest. Many old books are more likely to be found here than in local branches.

Things to Look For

Ordnance Survey Maps - a collection is usually kept for the whole county with all types of edition and scale.

Tithe Records - usually kept on microfilm, dating from around 1840. They show field boundaries, ownership and land usage. Field names may also give a clue to previous mining use, eg "Mine Pit Shaw". They are in two parts, viz. the map itself and "Apportionments" which give accompanying detail.

Gentlemen's Tours - it was common practice in the 19th century for 'gentlemen' to tour areas of the country and write about their experiences. Some contain excellent descriptions of working mines.

Geological Guides/Donated Collections - a wider selection may be available.

Mine Abandonment Plans - it was a legal obligation from 1872 for a mine to prepare a plan of the workings as they stood at abandonment. The plans for metalliferous and miscellaneous mines used to be kept by the Health & Safety Executive but have now been distributed to the relevant Local Record Offices.

The County Record Office

This is where you are likely to find examples of primary sources which are unique and need specialist storage. Check the on-line lists of officers for :-

England

Wales

Scotland

Some offices insist that you book a seat in advance and many now have an identification card scheme. Telephone first and take some personal identification. There are extensive catalogues and you will have to complete a request form for items (normally limited to 3 at a time). Most offices have their own "Notes for Enquirers" but you should always obey the following rules:

a) NEVER use ink or biro, use only HB pencil

b) Ask permission before tracing maps or plans. Cover documents with transparent sheets (Melinex or Perspex) before tracing

c) NEVER lean on documents or write on notepaper resting on documents

d) Ask staff to assist if a document is in danger of being damaged whilst being opened or handled

e) Keep documents in the order and condition in which they are found. Ask staff for assistance if experiencing difficulty in re-tying.

Things to Look For

Estate Papers - these can contain leases, maps, daybooks, etc which relate to mining

Maps - many old maps refer to mining sites.

Remember also that some mineral owners lived outside the area and their estate papers may have been donated to a record office in another county. Try advertising in the NAMHO Newsletter to see if other mining historians have come across material relating to your area.

The Historical Manuscripts Commission can provide a list of record offices with various details, not only for the UK but overseas as well. It also includes the National Register of Archives indices, based on the lists which record offices send on to them. It's a bit old-fashioned and difficult to use, and is very incomplete in its coverage, but is particularly good on records of famous people. The manorial documents register is much easier to use and is very good on Wales as a result of a recent project to describe all Welsh manorial records, wherever they are kept.

Other Archival Collections

a) BRITISH LIBRARY

This is situated in London. You need a reader's ticket which can be obtained by producing personal identification. Items of particular interest are Geological Memoirs and Reports of HM Inspectors of Mines. Items can be seen at your local reference library via the inter-library lending service.

Things to Look For

British Parliamentary Papers - Mining Accidents (Kinnaird Commission), Mining Districts, Mining Royalties and Children's Employment

Mineral Statistics 1845-1913

Mines Inspectorate Reports - The annual reports of the District Inspectors contain accidents and production data. There are also annual lists of mines, giving details of the mine name, its situation, manager's name, workforce, accidents, developments and mineral worked

Mining Journal.

b) NATIONAL ARCHIVES

This is at Ruskin Ave, Kew, Richmond, Surrey. You need a reader's ticket which can be obtained by producing personal identification. There is a vast amount of primary source material and you should get the following leaflets which will direct you to various indexes: You can also search on-line via their website.

No.82 Coal Mining Records

No.83 Sources for the History of Mines and Quarries.

c) NATIONAL MONUMENTS RECORD

The record office is at Fortress House, Savile Row, London and it also holds the Ordnance Survey Archaeological Records. There is also a separate library of aerial photographs at National Monuments Record Centre, Great Western Village, Kemble Drive, Swindon which can be useful for picking out surface features. Aerial photographs provide a valuable aid to industrial archaeologists. They often have a nominal scale of 1/10000 but, owing to factors such as ground slopes and lens distortion, this cannot be relied on. As an aid to infilling detail, local scales may be calculated by means of measurements taken in the field, or from maps, between distinguishable features, such as wall corners. Often, it is possible to detect features which are, at best, difficult to distinguish on the ground. Linear features stand out particularly well and may be transferred onto maps with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

d) NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SCOTLAND

This holds old records for Scotland and there are two search rooms at 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh and Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. The archives of Scottish Oils (a group of companies mining oil shale) were transferred by BP to the Scottish Record Office. In addition they hold about 25,000 Scottish mine plans.

e) OTHERS

National Library of Wales - has many documents relating to Welsh mines.

HM Inspectorate of Mines has a record office at St Annes House, University Rd, Bootle that contains original records of inspections, etc.

Church Commissioners have a record office at Millbank, London that retains many old deeds, maps, reports, etc relating to mining activity on church lands. You must write in advance to book a visit.

British Geological Survey have a record office at Keyworth, Nottingham which holds original surveyors' notebooks containing much information omitted from published memoirs.

There is also a BGS office in Edinburgh that contains :-

- microfilm copies of all the plans for Scottish mines held by the Coal Authority

- original abandonment plans (about 600) for minerals other than coal or oil shale in Scotland

- other non-coal plans (about 500) for small mines with less than 12 employees.

Queries about these should be made to

Richard Gillanders, BGS, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LA.

Tel: 0131 667 1000 / Email: rigi@bgs.ac.uk

Coal Authority - keep plans for all coal mines abandoned since 1872, as well as a register of old shafts and workings. Where a mine worked more than one mineral, if this included coal it is likely that the plan will be lodged with them. Their Mining Records Department is at Bretby Business Park, Ashby Rd, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs DE15 0QD. Any specific queries about abandonment plans should be made to

David Clarke, The Coal Authority, 200 Lichfield Lane, Berry Hill, Mansfield, Notts NG18 4RG

Tel: 01623-427162 / Email: davidclarke@coal.gov.uk

From 1950, abandonment plans and related records for oil shale mines were preserved by Scottish Oils Limited under an agreement with the Minister of Power. When Scottish Oils ceased trading in the 1960s, about 200 plans held by Scottish Oils were transferred to the National Coal Board and they eventually found their way to the above Coal Authority record office at Bretby

Mineral Valuers hold details of economic assessments and production. Under the Freedom of Information Regulations, interested parties have a right to inspect certain material.

Local Information

A lot of information can be obtained by talking to locals but, as time goes on, it is becoming rarer to obtain a first hand account. Second hand accounts can be useful as long as you take care to filter out embellishments. Try talking to the local farmers first or write to the local newspapers asking for information. Quite often, people will direct you to others with information. Rumours will be rife but take note if you hear them from several different sources. There is a grain of truth in every rumour - the difficulty is in deciding what it is! Talking to locals can be a very time consuming job, especially with older people. They have a tendency to wander off the subject and you can offend them if you keep butting in. Develop patience and the art of bringing them back to the subject with carefully worded questions.

Publication

The difficult decision is when to publish. Research can carry on for years and still not find out all the answers. We all want to produce a complete package but there is no reason why you cannot publish a later supplement when new information has come to light. You will eventually arrive at the point where you know that hardly any new information will come to light and you have exhausted all your sources. This is the time to sit down and put together the jigsaw puzzle.

It is impossible to produce a good report by just sitting down and typing out facts as they come to you. You must decide in your mind how the report is to be set out and consider whether the available facts are sufficient to make positive theories or mere conjectures. Don't be afraid to admit to conjectures, this is acceptable practice as long as you identify them as such. You wording should reflect this so that known facts can be described as " the facts suggest that" or "it is known that". If you are guessing, use "it is possible that" or "it can be conjectured that".

There is a fairly standard format for setting out a report and, although it is not obligatory, you may find it easier to adopt this at first.

The INTRODUCTION should briefly describe what the report is about and put the mine into its context with the surrounding area. Remember that your reader may not be familiar with the area so include a location map, showing nearby landmarks such as towns.

The GEOLOGY of the area will explain what the predominant local strata are, as well as any special features which have affected mining operations, eg faults.

The SURFACE FEATURES describe the site as it appears today, including any visible remains. A surface plan is necessary, identifying the location of any entrances with their national grid reference.

The UNDERGROUND FEATURES describe the presently accessible mine workings and their condition, together with any artefacts found. A survey is necessary, even if only a simple sketch plan.

The HISTORY will probably form the bones of the report unless records are non-existent. Most writers use a chronological sequence, describing the various periods of working from commencement to closure. Any subsequent use of the site can be included at the end.

The BIBLIOGRAPHY is a vital part of your report. Here you list all sources of information with the author, full title, date of publishing and publisher. If available, include the ISBN number. Other sources such as plans, documents, etc should include where they are held and any identification number. Other researchers may use your bibliography in their work and full details will save them time.

The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS is the section where you list all the people and organisations who have helped you in any way. Included here should be anyone who has allowed access and any library/record office used. It is often difficult to decide which people have helped more then others. The obvious answer is to list them in alphabetical order and to stress this.

You will probably change your mind about things while writing up your report. This is normal and it happens to everyone so write the first draft and leave it a few days before reading it through. You will be coming back to it fresh and reading it almost as your intended readers will. It is surprising how you will note grammatical errors and badly phrased sentences that you missed first time. This is the time to correct any errors.

Have your draft proof read by at least one other mining historian before sending it for publication. They will have an independent mind and can make suggestions for improving the grammar, as well as commenting on the text itself. If you don't know anyone to proof read your report, the editor of the journal will gladly do this. To allow the editor (or proof reader) to enter comments, leave a wide margin and a space between each line. Include references in the text to diagrams, photos, etc and number these accordingly. Most publications have their own "house style" so don't be offended if the editor changes your report slightly to fit in with this.

Conclusion

I hope you will see from the above that some kind of project is not beyond the capabilities of anyone. Research into mining history has a certain excitement and there is nothing like the satisfaction of finding out all the answers for yourself. It is up to you to decide how much time is spent on a project, you can start small and build up.