James Stoddart (1767 - ?)
James Stoddard was born in around 1767 most likely in StubhillNewbattle, Midlothian. He was is identified as one of eight known children of John Stoddard and Margaret Bowman. Unfortunately we have been unable to find baptismal records for 6 of those children - not including James at the point.
owned by the Marquis of Lothian. Until 1775 colliers were effectively serfs sold by a collier proprietor to his successor and prevented from taking services with any other master without written permission from their owner. In 1775 an Act of Parliament nominally freed them from bondage, but it wasn't until a second act in 1799 fully freed them.
As the son of a coal mine James would probably have most have been put down the pit around 7 years old, working as a as a putter - who dragged coal carts in a harness - or a trapper - who opened the airflow and ventilation doors. At about 14 he would have graduating up to a miner or hewer. I child would have early about 4d a day.
The Newbattle mine had a daily minimum wage - a darg - of between 21d a day and 5s a day, depending upon the demand for coal. Piece rates were paid after the darg had been reached. Deductions were made for house rent, school fees, lights, tool sharpening and for the doctor. Coal was supplied free but the men had to supply their own tools and provide labour - usually their wife and children - to get coal to the shaft bottom. For this reason people often married young and moved from mine to mine in extended family groups.
Wages were paid fortnightly on 'Pay Friday'. The Benefits Society would - for an annual subscription of a few shillings a year - pay a small weekly wage in the event of being off work for illness - as long as it wasnt drink related - and pay funeral expenses. Membership was restricted to men under 38. Collier families in Newbattle seldom applied for poor releif, generally able to support their ill or aging through their own efforts or through subscription to a Friendly Society. That said, children in mines often has a smaller stature, with the deficiency of ultraviolet light contributing to slow and abnormal bone growth, and illnesses such as black lung took many members of collier families before the age of 50.
On Apr 6 1792 James married Martha Miller at Cockpen in Midlothian. Martha was the daughter of Alexander Miller and Martha Hislop. James and Martha had at least eight children, but there are only baptismal records for four of them
- Alexander Stoddart Born 1793 Died 1823
- John Miller Stoddart Born 1795 Died 1854 Married Janet Kerr
- Helen Stoddart Born 1797 Died ? Married ?
- Margaret Stoddart Born 1801 Died 1874 Married ?Married Peter Currie 1823
- Christian Stoddart Born 1803 Died 1853 Married George Steel Hood
- David Bowman Stoddart Born 1805 Died 1851 Married Violet Hood
- Christian Stoddart Born 1803 Died 1853 Married ?
- 1831
- Martha Stoddart Born 1808 Died ? Married ?
- James Stoddart Born 1811 Died 1889 Marred Isabella Brown
There are several different potential death records
1828 James Stodard in Newton - Parish/Ref 696/60 184
1842 in NewbattleThe demand for coal miners rose dramatically in the late 1700s with increasing adoption of James Watts steam engine driving the demand for coal. Wages increased and the miner - who signed annual contracts with mine owners - would often move between mines in search of the best salary. Many mine owners offer substantial bounty payments to encourage colliers to sign longer contracts - up to two years - to work at their pits. It appears - based on baptismal records - that James and Martha were relatively mobile during this period. They were
- in Newbattle in April 1793
- in Temple in November 1803
- in Inveresk and Musselburgh in October 1808
- back in Newbattle in January 1812
The end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815 led to much unemployment in Britain and made the recruitment of men into coal mining much easier, the bounties disappeared and workers tended to commit to single mines again.
We have been unable to confirm a year of death for either James or Martha, however we see his sons and daughters living and working in Penston and Inveresk after about 1825, so it is likely that they are deceased by this point
Related Documentation
Formal Records
- 176? James Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1792 James Stoddart - Marriage
- 1793 Alexander Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1803 Christian Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1808 Martha Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1813 James Stoddart - Baptism PR
- 1823 Alexander Stoddart - Burial PR