History of Seaham - Stories and remarkable and memorable events in the history of Seaham The Collieries, Brickworks and Ancillary Works Lord Londonderry's letter to Seaham shopkeepers (1844)
The Northumberland and Durham coalfield was in the grip of a crippling seventeen week coal strike in 1844 that resulted in extreme poverty and starvation of 20,000 striking miners, numerous evictions from colliery cottages and the importation of Irish and Welsh labour. The mass evictions of miners and their families led to temporary encampments extending over a mile in the countryside. In July 1844 Lord Londonderry issued an “infamous” letter that striking miners were not permitted to travel to Seaham in his carriages or trains and he warned the shopkeepers of Seaham Harbour not to give credit to anyone not in his employ (ie striking miners). The content of the ill-advised letter to Seaham shopkeepers is shown below: -
Ther Illustrated London News 3rd August 1844
The Globe 25th July 1844
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