Coal Mining was a late development in Kent and took place around the Canterbury/Deal area. Because there was little expertise or coal mining tradition before the 1890's miners from all over the country were employed. In the 1920's and 1930's because of Industrial problems, such as lockouts by the mining companies in Wales and the depression of the 1920's and 30's men and their families came from Wales, Durham, Yorkshire, Midlands and Scotland. Many walked hundreds of miles to find work in Kent. The story of mining in Kent is the story of the hardship and poverty of many of our ancestors and families but also of their spirit and determination to overcome adversity.
Though there were no coal mines in the NW Kent area as time went on some of the families of the Kent Miners married and moved to other parts of Kent and London. If you had a Kentish Miner in your family these sites might help you find out more about them and their lives. All are free to search and view the records/details.
Betteshanger Pit-1928 The History of the Pit and the Miners.
Snowdown Colliery 1907 Snowdown Colliery and the story of the Miners Statue.
Coalfields Heritage Initiative Kent History of the finding of coal in Kent, history of all the Kent Coal Mines, details of the housing for miners and many photographs.plus a selection of the Kent Coal Oral History Collection.
Women and the Pits It is sometimes forgotten that women were also employed in the coal mines this site has a lot of useful information including Female Mining Deaths and Injuries 1851 - 1919 (some from Kent)
Mining History UK has a database of 200,000 entries of deaths and injuries including incidents in metal mines, fireclay mines and quarries.
Coal Mining History Resource Centre is an invaluable site for Kentish mines as well as for the rest of the UK. There is a database of over 164,000 records containing the names and details of coal mining accidents and deaths in the UK from 1705 to 1979. There are also maps of the locations of coal mines, including Kent, in the UK.
North West Kent Family History Talks for March 2012.
The 3 Branches, Bromley, Dartford and Sevenoaks, hold talks from quest speakers each month. Visitors are welcome (a donation is always welcome).
Bromley Branch: Bromley Methodist Church, College Road, Bromley BR1 3NS.
17 March 2012, 9.45am, Pat Mortlock The 1851 census - portrait of a market town & Annual Meeting.
Dartford Branch: Dartford Technology College, Heath Lane, Dartford.
3 March 2012, 9.45am, Norman Hopkins The Huguenots in Kent (with a brief reference to links with London).
8 March 2012, 7.15pm, Ian Currie Frost Fairs.
Further details of meetings can be found at NWKFHS Meetings Before travelling to a meeting please check the website or with the Branch to see if there have been any changes.
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