Research Projects
Bevin Boys
by Anne Wright
Years into the Second World War, it was realised that this Country’s manpower had been wrongly utilised.
The “call-up” of men had been only concerned with the needs of the armed forces, and the requirements of the essential industries neglected.
Britain employed almost one million men in the coal-mining industry, and produced almost 260million tons of coal per year. Coal was the principal energy provider, supplying both electricity, and fuel for strategic industries.
As war related industries reached a peak in 1943, it was realised that the military call-up had left the mining industry some 40,000 men short of its requirement. Under the emergency War-time Act 40,000 of the men who were due for enlistment into the Armed Services were called up into the Mining Industry, and trained to work underground. These recruits were to take the name “Bevin Boys” after the organiser of the whole operation, Ernest Bevin, the then Minister of Labour.
An extract from The Times, dated Friday December 3rd, 1943 stated, “Bevin boys dig for victory, Ernest Bevin, Minister of Labour, announces that 1 in 10 conscripts will go down the mines.”
Bevin Boys came from all over Britain to work in the Northern Coalfield, failure to comply to call up papers and report for duty could result in six months in prison, or a �100 fine, or both. Most men compiled, and reported to various training centres in the north, before being sent to work in the collieries.
Training periods varied from four days, to four weeks. Training consisted of: -
Half a day down the pit
Half a day Physical Education (P.E.)
A full day in the classroom
Half a day Physical Education (P.E.)
Half a day working in the pit yard
A full day in the classroom
(Half a day was spent down the pit out of the four days)
Bevin Boys were trained for various jobs down the mine, and were taken into the pits to allow local miners of eighteen years, or over to go onto piece work, when their time came, and the Bevin Boys usually stayed on datal work, the lowest jobs on the pay scale.
“Bevin Huts” were built in various mining communities, to house the influx of Bevin Boys.
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© 2004 Wright, Anne
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