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ALDERMAN JAMES EVANS J.P. LORD MAYOR - CITY OF STOKE ON TRENT 1966-1967

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ALDERMAN JAMES EVANS J.P. LORD MAYOR - CITY OF STOKE ON TRENT 1966-1967 Born in Burslem in 1904, second of eight children - Son and grandson of miners. Left school at 13.   Entered Coal mining industry.   Went underground at 14 years of age.   Worked at every job from: Pony Driver, Door Trapper, Haulage Hand, Coal Face and Charge Hand official. At age of 18 became interested in Trade Union activities and realised the need to improve my education.   Attended Wedgwood Institute, Burslem, studying English and Mathematics.   Gained 2 first class certificates in each subject.   At same time joined the political wing of the Trade Union Movement and became active in the Labour Movement. At age of 21 was elected as collector and canvesser for my trade union.   Appointed to Branch Committee at 22 years of age and over next 21 years filled every office in the Sneyd Branch of the N.U.M. (Chairman, Secretary and Delegate. For 12 years was ...
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Friends of Chatterley Whitfield Newsletter

Friends of Chatterley Whitfield chatterleywhitfieldfriends@gma il.com Newsletter April 2013. Chairman Don Munro 01782 536566 e-mail:jean.munro@virgin.net Vice Chairman Jim McPhillips 01782 637963 Secretary Alex Cope 01332 862710 e-mail: chatterleywhitfieldfriends@gma il.com Treasurer Geoff Oakes 01782 533576 e-mail:geoff_oakes2000@yahoo.co.uk Welcome to a very delayed Winter/Spring Newsletter for which I apologise. As you can see from the above at our AGM in November there were a number of changes to the committee. After many years Jim asked for personal reasons if he could step down as Chair and Don superbly stepped up and was voted in as our new Chair. For almost the same reasons Mick stepped down as secretary and Alex stepped up and took over as secretary. Geoff remains as our Treasurer. I am sure we would all want to thank Jim and Mick for their amazing help in keeping the Friends together and in help making the Annual “Heritage Open Day” ...
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History of Chatterley Whitfield - Part One

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The date at which coal was first mined systematically in the Whitfield area is not known, but there are references to mining in the manor of Tunstall from the late 13th century onwards. A local tradition claims that the monks of the Hulton Abbey came to nearby Ridgeway during the 14th and 15th centuries, to work coal from some of the eight seams outcropping half a mile east of Whitfield. These early workings were known as 'footrails' and were driven down from the surface. Shaw's 'History of the Potteries' tells us that in 1750, Ralph Leigh of Burslem collected coal from Whitfield twice a day. His six horses each carried between two and three hundredweights of coal along lanes which were impassable to wagons. These draughts of coal were each worth about seven pence (3p) and Leigh received one shilling (5p) a day for his services. In 1838, Thomas Hargreaves conducted a survey and valuation of the colliery at Whitfield on behalf of its proprietors, representat...
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