A Coal Fuelled Hunter: Establishment & Effect of a Coal Industry

A Coal Fuelled Hunter: Establishment & Effect of a Coal Industry

Angel Bendeich Ben Martin Charlotte Ayres Ethan Cranfield ARBE2203: History & Theory in the Built Environment 2 Dr. Jasper Ludewig September 10, 2021

A Coal Fuelled Hunter: Establishment & Effect of a Coal Industry

Angel Bendeich Ben Martin Charlotte Ayres Ethan Cranfield

Voices of the Hunter The ‘Voices of the Hunter’ Collection, located within the Hunter Living Histories website, contains a variety of photography, audio and documented interviews conducted by historian John W. (Jack) Delaney. The audio files, originally recorded on cassette tapes, were held by the Coalfields Heritage Group (now Coalfields Local History Association Inc) but have since been digitised and stored in the Cultural Collection section of the University of Newcastle Library. The audio files contain conversations Delaney had with habitants of the Hunter coalfields during the 1970’s to 1980’s. Delaney interviewed people from all types of occupations including soldiers, farmers, teachers, retail workers, photographers and especially mineworkers.1 As the extraction of coal at the time had led to extensive development of towns, molded around the mines within the coalfields. The collection is an archive of primary and secondary sources that provide personal accounts of these historical events within the Hunter. Creating a foundation for a deeper investigation of modernity within the Hunter regions industrial development. Which had blossomed in the 20th Century due to the mass production of coal that fuelled the rapid development and expansion of architectural industrial forms.

1. The University of Newcastle. “Voices of the Hunter.” Living Histories, January 28, 2021. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/56157?keywords=voices%20 of%20the%20hunter&highlights=WyJ2b2ljZXMiLCJodW50ZXIiXQ==&lsk=eff5173e016b5e8ad1bf84b797580f0f.

Figure 1: Jack Delaney, Vincent St Cessnock, 1978, Photograph, Living Histories, https://livinghistories. newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/60014

A Coal Fuelled Hunter

Discovery The article ‘The Convict Coal Mines of Newcastle’, found in the Hunter Living Histories page, discusses the discovery of coal, and provides quotes from early settlers of NSW. The article addresses how coal was unofficially discovered in the year 1791, by a group of escaped convicts. Providing a quote from James Martin, one of the 11 escaped convicts, that stated “After two days sail reach a little creek about 2 degrees to the northward of Port Jackson there found a quantity of fine burning coal”. The article continues to explain how coal wasn’t officially discovered and harvested until 1799.2 The article ‘The rise and fall of the coalfields’, found on the Cessnock city council website, provides a brief understanding of how the city of Cessnock was developed due to rapid settlement, triggered by the discovery of coal in the Hunter.3 Both articles reflect how the discovery of coal in the hunter has led to settlement and the division of land, leading to urbanisation (fig. 1.) and exploration of international trade. Coal's discovery marked the beginning of the rapid spread of industrial modernity and architectural construction throughout the Hunter.

2. uoncc. “The Convict Coal Mines of Newcastle (Coast Series 3 Filmshoot Backgrounder).” Hunter Living Histories, April 15, 2016. https://hunterlivinghistories. com/2016/04/15/convict-mines/. ‌ . Cessnock City Council. “Local History- the Rise and Fall of the Coalfields.” Cessnock 3 City Council. Accessed August 27, 2021. https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/Council/ About-council/Local-history#section-3.

Figure 2: Jack Delany, Portion of the PM Shift- Rothbury Miners, Unknown, Photograph, Living Histories, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/88853

A Coal Fuelled Hunter

‌Opportunities The discovery of coal presented a number of opportunities for the Hunter region and for growth in the area. The paper “Coal Production in New South Wales” by John Wilkinson, found on the NSW Parliament website, elaborates on this through the use of statistical data. This paper details how between the years 1861 and 1890, the amount of coal mine workers grew from 979 to over 10,000. New job opportunities for coal miners, also became available for coal mine managers, steam engine companies and builders who constructed buildings for both industrial and residential use.

The growth of the coal industry consequently powered the growth of electricity, gas and steel production, supporting the development of the Hunter Region.4 The domino effect which was brought on by the first discovery of coal led to rapid expansion of the coal empire and ultimately brought on the development of more coal towns, generating even more job opportunities. The “Voices of the Hunter” collection allows us to gather insight into how these opportunities expanded, created jobs and communities (fig. 2). These opportunities that came as a result of the discovery of coal, lead to the modernization of the Hunter Region through the growth of industrialization.

4. John Wilkinson. “Coal Production in New South Wales”. NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service. 1995. https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/coal-production-in-new-south-wales/Coal%20Production%20in%20New%20 South%20Wales.pdf

Figure 3: Jack Delany, Hebburn No. 1 Colliery, n.d, Photography, Living Histories, https://livinghistories. newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/68401

A Coal Fuelled Hunter

Rapid Expansion The paper “Coal Mining in Newcastle, 1801-1900” written

by J.W Turner discusses the inception of the Hunter’s coal export trade through the correlation of ownership and globalisation. Turner explores how global supply and demand influenced the foundation of Newcastle’s frangible coal industry, as mine proprietary and export responsibility changed hands from governmental ownership to The Australian Agricultural Company’s privatised monopoly and further into more diversified private ownership. The paper describes 1847-1867 as the period in which Newcastle established itself as an accomplished coal industry, experiencing ‘rapid growth’, and fulfilling ‘old hopes for a large export trade’.5 The globalisation discussed by Turner was naturally followed by the modernisation of export infrastructure. In the paper “History of Coal Shipping in the Port of Newcastle”, D.F Gray recounts the drastic changes in the coal market from the 1930’s, when coal produced was primarily used domestically, through to the late 1980’s, where the majority of coal processed went to export markets.6 Although one man’s recollection, Gray attributes the success of Newcastle’s coal industry to the modernisation of infrastructure, specifically ‘rail transport of coal to the port’ (fig. 3.) and ‘the installation of modern ship-loading facilities’. Both articles explore an intricate relationship of globalisation and modernisation and how this relationship propelled the need for contemporary architecture in the form of infrastructure.

5. J.W Turner, “Coal Mining in Newcastle, 1801-1900.” Newcastle Region Public Library.

Accessed August 28, 2021. https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Newcastle/media/LocalStudies-images/Local-Studies-documents/Coal-Mining-in-Newcastle-1801-1900-edit-2. pdf 6. Maureen Wilson, “History of Coal Shipping in the Port of Newcastle.” University of Newcastle. Accessed September 1, 2021. https://downloads.newcastle.edu.au/library/ cultural%20collections/mh/pdf/A7466A(vii)_Gray.pdf

Figure 4: Jack Delaney, Underground Miners Operating a Coal Cutter, 1970-1980, photograph, Living Histories, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/56162

A Coal Fuelled Hunter

Slow Death of Coal Coal, a key component in the creation of thousands of jobs across the Hunter. Offered a new start, bringing wealth to the region through trade. The ‘John Turner Collection’, found through the Living Histories page, contains numerous photos of archaeological finds and evidence of hand mining coal. The excavation of coal, the lifeblood of the hunter, was improved through the introduction of machinery (fig.

4). Machinery improved the speed and efficiency of coal extraction, allowing for greater income and in turn helped fund the growth of the hunter region. The wealth brought in by the coal industry fuelled the development of other industries, such as the steel industry employed by BHP, started in 1915 through until 1999, and created around 13,000 jobs.

The coal industry began to become less important as other manufacturing industries began to form within the Hunter region. The increased growth of manufacturing industries ushered the need for new rapidly constructed architecture to accommodate for each industry’s needs.

7. The University of Newcastle.“John Turner Collection” Living Histories, September, 1998. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/73 8. The University of Newcastle.”First truck load of coal to Coal Handling and preparation Plant.” Living Histories, July 5, 1985. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/ view/32235?keywords=coal&highlights=WyJjb2FsIl0=

List of Figures Cover. Unknown, Mining Properties Plan, Unknown, Photograph, Living Histories, Maitland NSW, https:// livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/assets/ pic/86277 Figure 1: Jack Delaney, Vincent St Cessnock, 1978, Photograph, Living Histories, https://livinghistories. newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/60014 Figure 2: Jack Delany, Portion of the PM Shift- Rothbury Miners, Unknown, Photograph, Living Histories, https:// livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/88853 Figure 3: Jack Delany, Hebburn No. 1 Colliery, n.d, Photography, Living Histories, https://livinghistories. newcastle.edu.au/assets/pic/68401 Figure 4: Jack Delaney, Underground Miners Operating a Coal Cutter, 1970-1980, Photograph, Living Histories, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/ assets/pic/56162

Reference List Cessnock City Council. “Local History- the Rise and Fall of the Coalfields.” Cessnock City Council.

Accessed August 27, 2021. https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-council/Lo cal-history#section-3.

Turner, J.W. “Coal Mining in Newcastle, 1801-1900.” Newcastle Region Public Library. Accessed August 28, 2021. https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Newcastle/media/Local-Studies-imag es/Local-Studies-documents/Coal-Mining-in-Newcastle-1801-1900-edit-2.pdf The University of Newcastle. “First truck load of coal to Coal Handling and preparation Plant.”

Living Histories, July 5, 1985. https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/32235?key words=coal&highlights=WyJjb2FsIl0= The University of Newcastle. “John Turner Collection.” Living Histories, September, 1998. https://li vinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/73 The University of Newcastle. “Voices of the Hunter.” Living Histories, January 28, 2021. https://livin ghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/56157?keywords=voices%20of%20the%20hunt er&highlights=WyJ2b2ljZXMiLCJodW50ZXIiXQ==&lsk=eff5173e016b5e8ad1b f84b797580f0f. uoncc. “The Convict Coal Mines of Newcastle: Coast Series 3 Filmshoot Backgrounder.” Hunter Living Histories, April 15, 2016. https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2016/04/15/convict- mines/.

Wilkinson, John. “Coal Production in New South Wales.” NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service. 1995. https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/coal-pro duction-in-new-south-wales/Coal%20Production%20in%20New%20South%20Wales.pdf Wilson, Maureen. “History of Coal Shipping in the Port of Newcastle.” University of Newcastle.

Accessed September 1, 2021. https://downloads.newcastle.edu.au/library/cultural%20collec

tions/mh/pdf/A7466A(vii)_Gray.pdf