The ‘Pit Brow Lasses’ Of 19th-Century Coal Mines
In the depths of the 19th century, amidst the coal fields of Lancashire, a remarkable group of women emerged, challenging the societal norms of their time. With the ban on women working underground in mining communities, a new breed of female workers surfaced – the Pit Brow Lasses.
Dressed in breeches under rough skirts, donning thick boots and kerchiefs tied around their heads, these resilient women defied Victorian conventions and forged their own path in a male-dominated industry.
On 4th July 1838, a deluge of heavy rain descended upon a coalfield in South Yorkshire, leaving workers stranded deep within the Huskar Pit coal mine. As the rain poured relentlessly, a group of trapped children attempted to find an alternate route out of the mine. However, their escape was thwarted by a nearby stream that had burst its banks, flooding the shaft. Tragically, 26 children, aged between 7 and 17 years old, perished in the disaster.
The harrowing incident ignited a wave of public outcry regarding the working conditions endured by children in British mines. Prompted by this tragedy, an inquiry was launched, leading to the release of the Report of the Children’s Employment Commission in 1842. This comprehensive report not only featured testimonies from children as young as five years old but also shed light on the appalling realities faced underground. Shockingly, it revealed that in the cramped and sweltering conditions of the mines, some women toiled alongside male miners, often working without shirts. This revelation incited fury among the public, serving as damning evidence of the immorality inherent in the working arrangements of the time.
Later that year, the Mines and Collieries Act was enacted, prohibiting the employment of females of any age and boys under the age of ten from working underground in mines. This legislation dealt a significant blow to many mining families, who relied on the additional income from such labour. For some women, mining had been their sole option for employment. Consequently, new communities of female workers began to emerge around the pit heads. In Lancashire and parts of the North, they were dubbed ‘Pit Brow Lasses’, while in South Wales they were referred to as ‘Tip Girls’, and in Staffordshire they became known as ‘Pit Bank Women’.
“These were women who weren’t afraid of hard work,” explains Angela Thomas, curator of an exhibition at the Mining Art Gallery in County Durham that commemorates the often-overlooked contribution women made to the 19th-century coal industry. “They had previously worked alongside men underground, hauling coal tubs with chains wrapped around their chests,” she elaborates. “Moving above ground, they continued to haul tubs, sort coal, and move stones – often after trekking miles to reach their workplace. It was an incredibly physical and demanding job.”
Although records of working-class women from this era are often scarce due to the nature of class and employment documentation at the time, Thomas sheds light on how the Pit Brow Lasses captivated social commentators of their era. Notably, diarist and barrister Arthur Munby stands out as one such observer. “He meticulously maintained a diary and, quite possibly, unusually for his time, held a deep fascination with women in the workforce, ranging from servants to those employed in mining and match factories,” she explains. “Travelling across the UK, he diligently documented his encounters and recorded their narratives. Munby even sketched these women and later captured their images through photography.”
Photographs like those captured by Munby held a particular allure for the Victorian middle classes, who were both fascinated and often taken aback by the attire of the women and the physical demands of their labour. Despite the transition of their work to above ground, there lingered concerns about the suitability of their tasks for women who were expected to fulfill traditional roles as mothers and wives. “Their occupations contradicted the Victorian ideal of a woman’s role,” remarks Thomas. “Wearing trousers and engaging in strenuous, coal-covered labor didn’t align with the expectations of a Victorian gentleman. However, it's worth noting that such concerns were raised across the board for all working women of the time, whether they toiled in factories or mines.”
As for how aware these women were of challenging social norms and ideas of Victorian womanhood, Thomas is pragmatic. “To be honest, these women didn’t think they were doing anything revolutionary. They were working a job, to make ends meet, in a working-class area.
“Don’t get me wrong, this could be a hard, dangerous job, but given the chance between this and some of the factories of the period, I think it would be preferable to be working outside in the fresh air. We know there was quite a bit of camaraderie between the women above ground. But the Pit Brow Lasses didn’t think they were doing anything untoward or subversive; they were just doing an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”
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