| |
|
|
Miner Farmers, pt.2
The farms were rarely owned by the miner themselves. They usually rented them from the large landowners, such as the
mining companies themselves or the Church of England's Ecclesiastical Commissioners. As a result, the multitude of
small farms often produced a patchwork quilt effect across the upper dales landscape.
The miners were able to work their farms 2-3 days per week. In the 17th and 18th centuries the miners generally
worked about 6 hours a day in the mines, for 4-5 days a week. By the 19th century they typically worked up to 18
hours a day, although this was short when compared to some other industries.
If the miner lived too far from the mine to walk, they would live away during the week, organising their shifts to
finish early on the Friday morning so that they could return home for a long weekend. In these situations, then
the miner's wife and family worked on the farm as did any older men in the family who could no longer work in the
mines.
Given the poor condition of the soil in the upper dales, many miner-farmers used the plentiful limestone to improve
the quality. Family groups would often build small lime kilns in which they burnt limestone quarried by themselves.
If they did not build a kiln they would often place a lump of limestone on the fire at night so they were able to
spread it on the fields in the morning.
Learn more about miner farmers or jump to:
|
|
|
 |
