Iron Ladies: The Untold Story of Shropshire’s Pit Girls
Uncover the forgotten heroines of Shropshire’s industrial past: the Pit Girls. From coal-dusted faces to London’s fruit fields, these resilient women shaped our county’s history. Discover their untold stories of strength, sacrifice, and sisterhood.
In the heart of Shropshire’s industrial landscape, a group of remarkable women etched their names into the annals of history. Known as the Shropshire Pit Girls, or ‘Shroppies’, these resilient souls played a crucial role in the county’s coal mining industry during the 19th century. Their story is one of hardship, determination, and an indomitable spirit that continues to inspire to this day.
The Daily Grind: Life on the Pit Banks
The Shropshire Pit Girls were a common sight at collieries across the county, their distinctive attire setting them apart from other workers. Clad in trousers covered by skirts and aprons, old flannel jackets or shawls, and headscarves to protect their hair from coal dust, these women braved the elements day in and day out. Their unconventional dress, while practical for their work, often drew the attention of Victorian society, which viewed their attire as unfeminine and even degenerate.
The primary task of the Pit Girls was to pick ironstone nodules from the clay at mine waste tips. This backbreaking work required immense physical strength and endurance. The women would clamber up the waste heaps, sifting through the deposited layers of shale to recover the precious ironstone. It was a labour-intensive process, with only about one ton of ironstone recovered for every ten tons of waste tipped.
One of the most challenging aspects of their work was the use of iron boxes, which they carried on their heads. These boxes, made by the pit blacksmith, were used to transport the ironstone they had collected. The weight of these containers often caused significant discomfort, particularly for newcomers to the job.
The Last of the Shroppies: Anny Payne’s Story
Among the ranks of these remarkable women, one name stands out: Anny Payne. Born in 1887, Anny began working at the Kemberton Pit in Madeley in 1900 at the tender age of 13. Her story provides a vivid glimpse into the life of a Shropshire Pit Girl at the turn of the century.
Anny’s journey to the pit banks was not an easy one. Orphaned at birth and raised by her aunt, she grew up in the mining communities of Lawley Bank and Malinslee. Her early life was marked by hardship, often carrying her crippled brother on her back to school, which inadvertently prepared her for the physical demands of pit work.
Despite her father’s initial reluctance, Anny was determined to join her sister on the ironstone banks. Her first day at work was a baptism of fire. She recalled the pain of carrying the iron box on her head: “I did have a stiff neck, I cried when I put the box on me head and put the stone in, oh it did hurt me, oh it did make me have a stiff neck”.
A Day in the Life of a Pit Girl
The daily routine of a Shropshire Pit Girl was gruelling. Anny and her colleagues would set out from Lawley Bank at about 5:30 am, walking between old pit mounds to reach Kemberton Pit. The sound of their singing and the clank of their boots would announce their arrival, a tribute to their resilience and camaraderie in the face of hardship.
Work began at 6:00 am sharp, with the women divided into two groups: carriers and pickers. The pickers had the arduous task of scrambling up the waste mounds to extract the ironstone, while the carriers transported the collected stone to be ranked. Anny noted that it took a long time to progress from carrier to picker, with the latter role commanding higher pay due to its increased difficulty.
Beyond the Pit Banks: Seasonal Work in London
The story of the Shropshire Pit Girls extends beyond the coal fields of their home county. Each year, from May to September, many of these women embarked on a remarkable journey to London to work in the fruit and vegetable gardens. This seasonal migration, which began as early as 1820 and continued until the 1870s, provided the women with an opportunity to supplement their income.
The work in London was no less demanding than their duties at the pit banks. The women would spend the spring weeding crops in vegetable gardens before moving on to carry strawberries from Hammersmith and Isleworth to Covent Garden Market in June. Later in the season, they would transport vegetables. The baskets of strawberries they carried could weigh between 40 to 60 pounds, and the women would cover up to 30 miles a day.
This practice, while providing additional income, was not without its critics. An observer in 1846 described it as ‘unparalleled slavery’, highlighting the harsh conditions these women endured. Despite the challenges, the extra money earned often went towards a dowry for marriage, making it a crucial part of many Pit Girls’ lives.
The Decline of the Shropshire Pit Girls
As the 19th century drew to a close, the number of Shropshire Pit Girls began to dwindle. The diminishing iron trade in Shropshire from the mid-1870s onwards led to fewer girls being employed on the pit banks. By 1912, only a handful remained, marking the end of an era.
However, the legacy of these women lived on. Some, like Anny Payne, found work in other industries. Anny retired from being a pit girl at the age of 23 when she married, going on to work in service at the Commercial Inn in Coalbrookdale. Others found roles in the offices, canteens, and medical centres of larger mines after the Second World War.
The Lasting Impact of the Shropshire Pit Girls
The contribution of the Shropshire Pit Girls to the local economy and industrial heritage cannot be overstated. At their peak in the early 1870s, over 1,000 pit girls were producing about half a million tons of ironstone per year. Their work was crucial to the success of Shropshire’s mining industry, providing the raw materials needed for the county’s ironworks.
Furthermore, the resilience and determination of these women challenged societal norms and paved the way for future generations of working women. Their ability to balance the demands of hard physical labour with family responsibilities and seasonal migration demonstrated a level of independence and adaptability that was rare for women of their time.
The story of the Shropshire Pit Girls is a powerful reminder of the often-overlooked role of women in shaping our industrial heritage. It serves as a reminder of the strength and resilience of Shropshire’s working-class women, whose contributions have too often been relegated to the margins of history.
As we look back on this remarkable chapter of Shropshire’s past, we are reminded of the importance of preserving and celebrating these stories. The Shropshire Pit Girls may be gone, but their legacy lives on in the strength and spirit of the county’s women today.
Bob Lynn / 19-Sep-2024
