jan 1, 1486 - barrower

Description:

These were occupational terms for the men who conveyed coal away from the face in barrows, part of a team that included face-workers and banksmen. As early as 1486 the workforce at Cortworth consisted of ‘3 picks, one barrow-man and one bankman’ (YAJ12/236). The wage rates later reflected the perceived importance of their work and in 1648 <i>noe filler or barrower of coales</i> was entitled to above 6d <i>for his wages by the day without meat and drinke </i>(QS4). This compares with 8d for the banksman and 10d for the collier. The word remained in use long after barrows had been replaced by other means of conveyance. Goodchild quotes: 1729-31 <i>for getting and barrowing six dozen of corves at 15 to the dozen, </i>Swillington (CKY37). Wright defined a barrowman as a ‘putter’, one who pushes the tubs of coal from the working places to the flats or stations (EDD) and in The Compleat Collier (1708) barrow-men were described as labourers who ‘take the hewed coals … filling the Corves … which are set when empty upon a Sledge of Wood’, and so hauled to the bottom of the shaft (CC28).

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