The West Riding Miners and Sir William Garforth

In 1909 more than one million men and their families rejoiced. A solution—breathing apparatus—had been found by W.E. Garforth which would stop thousands of men and boys being killed by underground explosions annually. However, it was to be many years before he persuaded the mine management to introduce it. This book tells the story behind the determination of William Garforth and his family, not only to introduce that solution, but also to improve the working an social environment of the British working classes. Bryan Fraser is one of the last generation of miners. Here he tells the significant story of William Garforth, along with the West Riding miners’ own memories of working down the pits. Complemented by original photographs and ephemera, this account records an important way of life, now gone, for future generations.

Bryan Fraser grew up in the mining town of Normanton. After following generations of his family working down the "pit," he researched the history of mining. This led to him to publish articles and books on the subject, and also to give talks to local groups. He previously compiled Normanton and Normanton: The Second Selection.