_ New Delaval is
not far from Newsham, but the colliery belongs to another company. Two shafts have been sunk near each other,
one of which is entirely devoted to the working of the yard seam, while the
other descends to a “lower deep still,” and is used for working the lower
seams. The engine houses are of the most
massive description, and the pit gearing, like that of Barrington, is light and
elegant, being made of iron. About 350
or 360 are employed here, but as there are only about 200 cottages built as
yet, large numbers of men and boys reside at Old Delaval, which is some three
or four miles away. A train of carriages,
however, is run between the two places several times during the day, at such
hours as may be convenient for the men going to or returning from work.
The miners’ houses at New Delaval are built in long rows, which are very wide apart, so that, although there are no ashpits in the place, the ash heaps are piled up at a respectable distance from the doors. Delaval has the advantage over Newsham in more respects than one, for in the first place the houses are much newer and loftier. In the second place, there is a well at the high end of rows, which keeps up all the year round a capital supply of the most beautiful water; and in the third place, Delaval has an excellent and well attended colliery school, which Newsham has not.
Newsham, however, has privies, whereas at Delaval the village schoolmaster is the only man sufficiently refined to be allowed such a luxury. One of the New Delaval “raws” is a double one, but it only contains 30 houses, which is a very small proportion of double houses for such a large number of men. Between the double houses and the single or two-roomed houses there, is an intermediate sized “raw,” in which the cottages have each three rooms – two up the ladder and one down.
The fine open situation of New Delaval has placed a considerable quantity of land at the disposal of the owners, and each cottage is most liberally supplied with kitchen gardens. Back-yards, such as are attached to most of the houses in large towns, are unknown in most of our colliery villages; but there are many indications not only at New Delaval, out at every place we have visited, of a desire on the part of the pitman to have something of the sort.
This desire is shown in many ways, but chiefly by the erection of low wooden palings around that part of the space between the two adjoining pantries, which belong to the respective tenants. These erections are all home-made ones, and some of the places of carpentry which one falls in with are of the very roughest description, while some look as smart and trim as though they were the work of professional hands.
The news-room at New Delaval is well attended, and it has no rival on the spot to contend with in the shape of a public house, for there is not one nearer than the Black Diamond at Newsham. The Wesleyans have a monopoly of the religious teaching at Delaval, and the chapel of the denomination is a most respectable, not to say stylish building, it has also the great privilege of being allowed to use the colliery gas at nights during the dark season, and on service nights when it is fully lighted up, it serves as a sort of beacon for miles around.
Having completed our tour of inspection at Delaval, we return again to our starting point at the junction just as the shades of evening begin to fall, and the towering ship masts in Blyth harbour become more and more shadowy and indistinct.
Our friend the station master, who by the way has the snuggest little house in the district, is again to the fore full of energy, and as the train from Blyth glides up to the platform, he is there with his voice and his never failing formula.
“Newsham, all change here. Newsham, all change here.”
3rd June 1873
The miners’ houses at New Delaval are built in long rows, which are very wide apart, so that, although there are no ashpits in the place, the ash heaps are piled up at a respectable distance from the doors. Delaval has the advantage over Newsham in more respects than one, for in the first place the houses are much newer and loftier. In the second place, there is a well at the high end of rows, which keeps up all the year round a capital supply of the most beautiful water; and in the third place, Delaval has an excellent and well attended colliery school, which Newsham has not.
Newsham, however, has privies, whereas at Delaval the village schoolmaster is the only man sufficiently refined to be allowed such a luxury. One of the New Delaval “raws” is a double one, but it only contains 30 houses, which is a very small proportion of double houses for such a large number of men. Between the double houses and the single or two-roomed houses there, is an intermediate sized “raw,” in which the cottages have each three rooms – two up the ladder and one down.
The fine open situation of New Delaval has placed a considerable quantity of land at the disposal of the owners, and each cottage is most liberally supplied with kitchen gardens. Back-yards, such as are attached to most of the houses in large towns, are unknown in most of our colliery villages; but there are many indications not only at New Delaval, out at every place we have visited, of a desire on the part of the pitman to have something of the sort.
This desire is shown in many ways, but chiefly by the erection of low wooden palings around that part of the space between the two adjoining pantries, which belong to the respective tenants. These erections are all home-made ones, and some of the places of carpentry which one falls in with are of the very roughest description, while some look as smart and trim as though they were the work of professional hands.
The news-room at New Delaval is well attended, and it has no rival on the spot to contend with in the shape of a public house, for there is not one nearer than the Black Diamond at Newsham. The Wesleyans have a monopoly of the religious teaching at Delaval, and the chapel of the denomination is a most respectable, not to say stylish building, it has also the great privilege of being allowed to use the colliery gas at nights during the dark season, and on service nights when it is fully lighted up, it serves as a sort of beacon for miles around.
Having completed our tour of inspection at Delaval, we return again to our starting point at the junction just as the shades of evening begin to fall, and the towering ship masts in Blyth harbour become more and more shadowy and indistinct.
Our friend the station master, who by the way has the snuggest little house in the district, is again to the fore full of energy, and as the train from Blyth glides up to the platform, he is there with his voice and his never failing formula.
“Newsham, all change here. Newsham, all change here.”
3rd June 1873
