~ The End of the Industrial Era ~

AS THE FIRST cold, grey dawn of the 20th century illuminated the sky over Dalton, no-one could dispute the fact that the town was in a state of decline. The graph (below) clearly shows that the production of ore from the Furness iron mines¹ was steadily falling, with the inevitable result that many miners were losing their jobs. This in turn was the reason why almost every week groups of unemployed miners were given a lively but emotional farewell by their friends, relatives, and often at least one brass band, as they boarded the train at Dalton station to seek employment¹ in distant countries.

Iron ore output from the Furness mines

The Stainton¹ mines² were closed principally as a result of Brogden's bankruptcy in 1884. Longlands¹, Standing Tarn and Highfield mines were all closed by the beginning of the century through being worked out or because the cost of pumping water was too high. Yarlside¹ and Stank mines closed down in 1901, followed in 1904 by Harrison, Ainslie mines around Lindal¹, where high pumping costs, falling yields and poorer quality of ore in depth rendered them unprofitable. Ashburner's mines around Elliscales closed at about the same time. The trouble with the older workings was that the shallow, accessible good quality ore had all been mined first, and as it became necessary to go deeper, the quality of the ore deteriorated and problems with flooding increased. At the beginning of the century, 9,000,000 gallons of water was being pumped daily from the Furness mines, for a corresponding output of less than 200 tons of ore - obviously not a very profitable operation.

Against this picture of pit closures however, the search for new ore deposits continued. The Nigel¹ sop at Roanhead¹ was discovered in 1899, and provided work for many years to come.

Miners at Nigel Pit, Roanhead, 1920s

 

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Dickie Pink's mine was opened at Newton¹ after ore had been discovered there in 1903, and the life of the Park mines³ was extended for a further few years after scientific prospecting had revealed additional ore deposits. The mines at Lindal² were reopened after an injection of capital from London, and a modern power station was built so that the old workings could be drained. At about the same time the mine at Yarlside² was reopened to reach ore lying above the natural water level. Anty Cross¹ mine at Dalton was opened about 1916; until 1927 when it was finally drowned out by an underground stream, it raised both iron and copper ore. The Kennedy mines at Roanhead² closed for good in December 1941, closely followed by Yarlside, and in 1944 by Dickie Pinks. This marked the end of an era in the history of Dalton, and it also marked the end of the Furness Miners and Quarrymen's Union with its 129 members.

Next Part: (Twentieth Century Dalton):- 'Daily Life at Work and at Home'

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