Miner's contract, Nelson Pit, Poynton 1855

Miner's contract to work for ten weeks at the Nelson Pit, Poynton, dated April 13th 1855. It is signed by the colliery agent, Thomas Ashworth, John Hadwen the colliery manager, and Thomas Mattocks the undermanager. Enoch Fielding of Worth was unable to write his own name and consequently made his mark which was, by the look of the handwriting, then noted in red by Thomas Mattocks. The rest of the document appears to have been completed by Hadwen.

Ashworth stood firm against a number of strikes during his stewardship from 1834 to 1857 and was strongly against trade unionism. In 1857 he stated his position in his final annual colliery report to Lord Vernon:

'The Pitmen are engaged under written contract, for various periods of 6 months and upwards at uniform prices & at various dates, so that it would be impossible for them to strike or turn out without rendring themselves liable to imprisonment for breach of contract - they are consequently quiet and much more easily controlled.'

Document courtesy of David Arnold.