Ron Summerson P2

Ron Summerson's Mining Ancestor J L Watson

The Hole in the Wall Gang

My uncle Les Watson, think he was a deputy at the pit (a Cecil Chipperfied may have worked there too, he was my uncle Les's son in law) also work there, I also noticed John Lumsdon was involved with a roof fall accident at Wardley Pit, my dad was a casualty of a roof fall accident there, I wonder if it was the same one,

This photo was taken at Wrekenton or Springwell, Gateshead which were mining communities next to each other, the man on the photo top right hand corner named James Leslie Watson is my great grandfather on my mothers side of the family.

He was a coalminer, born at Springwell, worked at Springwell Colliery and lived behind the Springwell Inn pub in Wrekenton.

I’ve know idea who the other people are, they could be part of his family as there were quite a few Watsons working at Springwell Colliery or my great grandfathers friends or they could be workmates, coalminers wearing there "Sunday Best" it looks like a special occasion picture as 5 of the men are wearing a flower in the button hole of there jackets, the picture has an interesting background, looks like a building built from rocks and a big old door, much like a cave with a door?

I’ve always called the photo "The Hole in the Wall Gang" as it has a wild west look about the photo and all that is missing is their guns, would be interesting to see if you get any feedback as to what the place is or was

Many thanks

Ron Summerson

From: Ron Summerson
Sent: 24 February 2007
Subject: Mining history/ Shot Firing Certificate

Hi Fionn
Its been a while since you heard from me, just like to say thanks for all the work you’re still doing on your site. As you know my to main interests, online, are mining and my family tree, so the other day when I put the name Summerson in the Google search engine and clicked images, low and behold there was a photo of my dad on your website for the world to see and it appeared on the first search result, wow, that made my day to see the memory of my dad lives on and not forgotten, many thanks Fionn.

I’ve had a surprise just now, your site has grown so big since I last looked and you are still requesting any information, I’ve also noticed you include mining certificates, I’ve a copy of my dads Shot Firing Certificate, its from the 1960's, my dad was first certified trade was a Trepanner Operator. “When I was a boy I remember my father had a book from the NCB which described his occupation as a "Trapanner Operator", I wasn't sure what a Trapanner was at the time. He explained to me it was a coal cutting machine". I’ve just checked it out Fionn, its actually a coal reamer.

http://uk.geocities.com/durminingcoal/html/mod_mining01.html

Here’s a little bit of my family history with Coal.

Great Great Great Great Grandfather Robert Summerson-occupation not know yet
Great Great Great Grandfather Robert Summerson-Coalminer
Great Great Grandfather Thomas Summerson-Coalminer
Great Grandfather Thomas Summerson-Coalminer
Grandfather Joseph Richardson Summerson-Coalminer
Father- Ronald Summerson-Coalminer
There’s at least 200 years of mining history in my direct family line

Great Grandfather, Grandfather and father had all worked at times at Leasingthorne Colliery County Durham, my great grandfather Thomas Summerson born in Ludworth Durham used to take my grandfather down the pit with him when he was a little boy, I’ve got back to about 1760 with my Summersons all in Durham and have yet to find one that wasn't a coalminer.

Some of my ancestors emigrated to Pennsylvania USA and worked the coalmines in Pittsburgh a long time ago, one person who was related to my cousins through marriage, an English coalminer who settled in Pittsburgh lost a leg due to an accident, they carried him home and laid him on the kitchen table and cut off his leg without an anaesthetic, he survived, this was in the 1930's, so coalmining goes a long way back in time and across the sea, I wonder if coal dust is in my DNA Fionn? I would not be surprised.

Well Fionn time I closed for now.

Best wishes

Ron Summerson

I’m not sure if I sent you this picture before, it must have been taken in the 1950's, it looks like a Miners day out, or a Miners Gala, the man with the "circle" around his head is my dad,

The men to the right and left of dad are relations from my mothers side of the family, they are all most likely Wardley Colliery coalminers and maybe Springwell Colliery, Gateshead, coalminers also

From: Ron Summerson
Sent: 2 March 2007
Subject: Miners Day Out

This must have been taken in the 1950's, it looks like a Miners day out, or a Miners Gala, the man with the "circle" around his head is my dad. The men to the right and left of dad are relations from my mothers side of the family, they are all most likely Wardley Colliery coalminers and maybe Springwell Colliery, Gateshead, coalminers also. Ron

Glossary of Terms