Pit Brow Lasses

‘Ah’d Gaa Back Tomorra!’

Memories of West Cumbrian Screen Lasses

Booklet compiled by Maureen Fisher and Sue Donnelly (2004)

With the support of the Whitehaven Miners Memorial and Living History Project, along with other local councils and organisations, Maureen Fisher and Sue Donnelly were able to speak to a number of surviving ‘screen lasses’ who had worked at coal mines in the Whitehaven area in the mid 1900s, many of whom had been employed at the Haig Pit. Most of those working there were laid off in 1962, but with the final eleven ceasing work in 1970. However, the very last of the women working at the coal screens anywhere in Great Britain, finished work at the nearby Harrington No. 1 Pit, Lowca, in 1972. Maureen and Sue’s work was such a timely intervention when they were able to interview ten of ‘screen lasses’, and four of their daughters. Their booklet ‘Ah’d Gaa Back Tomorra!’ was published in 2004 and was ‘Highly Commended’ in the Lakeland Book of the Year Awards for that year.

Their interviews cast a light on work at the screens at Haig Pit, William Pit and at Lowca from about 1935 through to 1972. They give details about the very physical nature of their eight-hour shifts, either breaking up lumps and removing waste from the screens, or ensuring the free-flow of material down the shutes into waiting wagons.

Only one fatality among the Whitehaven area ‘screen lasses’ has so far been discovered; Margaret Ann Skelly (17 years old) died on 27^th July 1906, four days after she was drawn into machinery by her clothing at Croft Pit. (Lancashire Evening Post 24^th, 28^th and 3^rd August 1906). However, there were many other hidden costs of the ‘screen lasses’ work; some actually contracted miner’s lung due to their very dusty working conditions.

Unlike the bal maidens of Cornwall, some of these women were allowed to work after their marriage, and many were working when they became widowed at a young age. However, in exactly the same way as the late 19^th century bal maidens, it seems that they were shunned for their work so that they, or their families, have been reluctant to speak about it. Thankfully, with the passing of time, and a fuller understanding of the importance and skill of their work, attitudes have changed. We now celebrate their contribution they made to their own communities and beyond, and there is a fitting memorial to these ‘screen lasses’ at Whitehaven Harbour (see image).

‘Ah’d Gaa Back Tomorra!’ is now out of print, but should be available in libraries around the Whitehaven area. But meanwhile here is a list of the names of screen lasses interviewed or mentioned in the booklet. (H = Haig Pit, L = Lowca Pit, W = William Pit)

Name	Pit	Age	Notes
Aitkin, Maggie	H		Bath attendant
Bainbridge, Mary Ellen	H,W	16 yrs	b. 1929, worked 8 yrs + until married
Bainbridge, Rose	W		Worked with sister Mary Ellen
Bates, Mary	H		Photo 1950s, 1962
Bell, Maggie née Williamson			b. 1906. Working for 14 yrs
Blaney, Dora	H		‘Grub’ House.
Bramwell, Nellie	H		Photo 1960s.
Brannon, Hannah	W		Worked with Frances Curran. Photo.
Brown, Mary	H		Photo 1962.
Chambers, Sarah Gracey			At screens when husband invalid after WW1.
Coulthard, Hannah	H		Photo 1962.
Coyles, Rachel	H		Photo 1962.
Crawford, Elizabeth	H	16 yrs	Clearing conveyor belt from 1935.
Curran, Frances/Corran Fanny	L,W		Worked on screens 15-20 yrs, miners lung.
Dixon, Hannah	H		B. 1900. Worked as young woman + widow.
Fell, Sheila née Goodfellow	H		At screens 18 yrs.
Ferguson, Annie née Sharp		16 yrs	B. 1923, working 1939 until married (7 yrs).
Glaister, Harriet	H		Photo 1950.
Gunn, Ellen	H		Worked 23 yrs, last 2 in office.
Hilton, Nellie	H		Photo 1950s, 1962.
Horrocks, Lena	H		Photo 1962.
Kelly, Jane née Gunn		16 yrs	Worked 1950-56. D. of Ellen Gunn.
Kirkpatrick, Norah	H		Photo 1962.
Lofthouse, Maggie	H		Photo 1962.
Maddison, Martha née Torrance	W,H		Worked after husband and child died 1947.
McCarron, Hannah née Chambers	H,W		B. 1921. At screens from 1937 25 yrs,
McCracken, Isabella née McGrady	H	17 yrs	B. 1934, worked from 1951.
McGee, Ginny	H		Photo 1962.
McGlean, Mrs	H		Photo 1950s.
McGrady, Isabella née Devlin	H		Worked before marriage and children.
McKitten, Mrs	H		Photo 1962.
McNulty, Mary Jane	H		Photo.
Moore, Jane	H		Photo 1962.
Murdock, Mrs	H		Photo 1962.
Muncaster, Agnes	H		Photo 1962.
Muncaster, Mary Lizzie	H		Photo 1960s.
Newton, Jane Anne	H		Photo 1950s.
Oldfield, Bridget	H		Photo 1950s.
Pattinson, Irene née Rothery	H	16 yrs	B. 1936, worked for 10 yrs until children.
Pearce, Marg’t Isabella née Nichol			When widowed – mother cared for children.
Pearson, Elizabeth			Screens c. 1920.
Roberts, Winifred née Bainbrdge	W	16 yrs	B. 1929. Worked more than 8 yrs.
Sharp, ?	L,H		B. Scotland. Working before children born.
Smith, Elizabeth	H		Photo 1960s.
Smith, Mary née Rothery	H		Working 1930s-1962 after husband killed.
Stewart, Madeleine	H		Worked 14 yrs from 1940s, after widowed.
Storie, Edith	H		Photo 1962.
Stuart, Mrs	H		Photo 1962.
Taggerty, Mrs	H		Photo 1950s, 1962.
Walton, Elizabeth née Dodd			Screens c. 1920.
Warrington, Jessie	H		Photo 1960s.
Wilkinson, Anna	H		Photo 1962.
Wilkinson, Jane	H		Photo 1962.
Williamson, Agnes			Working with sister Maggie.
Williamson, Elizabeth			Working with sister Maggie.
Wilson, Maggie	H		Photo 1950s.
Wilson, Violet née Pearce	H,L	17 yrs	B. 1920. 6 yrs at H, then 5 yrs L after children
Woodburn, Mrs	H		Photo 1962.
Woodman, Mrs	H		Photo 1962.
Young, Molly	H		Photo 1960s.

	Screen Lasses Whitehaven