Catalogue description Coal Division, Early Correspondence and Papers

Files selected from a number of defunct registered series and certain groups of unregistered papers to illustrate various aspects of coal mining. They contain papers and correspondence relating to production, marketing, manpower, subsidence, drainage and war emergency measures; also included are a few files dealing with metalliferous mining.

The records are mainly of the Mines Department, with some earlier files of the Board of Trade (BT) Coal Mines Department and the Ministry of Munitions and some later ones of the Ministry of Fuel and Power and the National Coal Board (1942 to 1945). Also included are a number of earlier papers inherited from other departments.

For 1917-1920, Printed orders and memoranda of J.L. Groom, Inspector, Board of Trade Coal Mines Dept, for papers relating to the coal transport re-organisation scheme and for L. and N.W.R. notices to passengers during the coal strike of 1920 see

PRO 30/26/167

PRO 30/26/168

Board of Trade, Mines Department, 1920-1942

Home Office, Industrial and Parliamentary Department, 1896-1913

Ministry of Fuel and Power, 1942-1957

National Coal Board, 1946-1986