Unsung Heroes: Pit Pony Drivers (1871-1921)

Moor Row, nestled in the heart of West Cumbria, was once a thriving hub of iron ore mining. While we often laud the brave "hewers" who extracted the "Red Gold," it's easy to overlook another crucial figure in the dark labyrinth below: the Pit Pony Driver.

These were the boys, often barely teenagers, who spent their days navigating treacherous underground tunnels, guiding sturdy ponies that hauled heavy tubs of iron ore to the pit shaft. Based on census records, we can finally name some of these young workers.

Living predominantly in the "Red Rows" of Scalegill Road and Penzance Street, these lads were often the sons of miners, destined to follow their fathers into the depths. In the 1881 and 1891 records, boys as young as 13 were frequently found underground.

"Imagine young James H. Pascoe, just 13 years old, descending into the darkness of the Montreal Mine, his only companion a sturdy pony and his only light a flickering candle."

For the lads living on Penzance Street and Scalegill Road, the journey into the "Red Gold" mines was more than a job - it was a rite of passage. While the world above saw teenagers, the Montreal and Jacktrees mines saw "Gallow Drivers," the essential heartbeat of the underground haulage system.

The Language of the Dark

A boy like Robert Kitchen (14 in 1911) didn't just "lead a horse." He had to master a complex, claustrophobic language. Before he could ever pick up a hewer’s mandrel, he had to understand the anatomy of haulage:

• The Limmers: The heavy iron or wooden shafts connecting the pony to the tub. A driver had to be expert at "hooking on" in near-total darkness.
• The Gater: Often an even younger boy who acted as the driver's assistant, opening the heavy wooden "trap doors" that controlled the mine’s ventilation.
• The Locker: A short iron bar the driver would jam into the wheels of a tub to act as a brake when descending a steep "dip" in the Montreal Mine.

The 1911 Turning Point

By the time Thomas William Graham and Joseph E. Thompson started their shifts around 1921, the world of the pit pony had changed. Following the Coal Mines Act of 1911, the welfare of these animals - often Galloways, chosen for their stocky strength against the weight of iron ore - became a matter of law.

For the first time, "Horse Protectors" (blindered headgear) became common to protect the ponies from hitting their heads on low-hanging beams. In Moor Row, the bond between a driver and his Galloway was legendary; the pony often knew the turns of the Jacktrees levels better than the boys did, stopping dead if it sensed a "creep" (movement) in the overhead rock before the boy ever heard a sound.

🔍 Archive Deep Dive

To understand the technical mechanics of underground transport - including the 1842 legislation, the anatomy of the iron ore "flats," and why ponies were retired earlier in West Cumbria than in the coal fields - read The Archivists full historical analysis:

Read: The Role of Pit Ponies in Subsurface Haulage →

The "Graduation"

The census records show us a clear "Shadow Career" for the village's youth. Take James H. Pascoe, a 13-year-old driver in 1891 living at 3 Penzance Street. By the 1911 census, James had "graduated." He was no longer navigating ponies through the slush and ore of the haulage ways. Like most drivers who reached their late teens, he had "gone to the wall" - becoming a full-fledged Iron Ore Miner (Hewer).

Age	Role	Responsibility
12-13	Gater / Trapper	The "entry level" role; opening ventilation doors.
13-17	Pony Driver	Managing the Galloways and hauling ore to the shaft.
18+	Hewer	The "Master" role; working the face to extract the ore.

"The boy who once talked to his pony to keep his courage up in the dark was now the man wielding the pick, responsible for the very ore the next generation of drivers would haul away."

The Census Roll Call

1921: The Final Generation

Name	Age	Address	Mine / Employer
Thomas William Graham	15	15 Scalegill Road	Montreal Mine
Joseph E. Thompson	14	10 Scalegill Road	Postlethwaite’s
Albert Edward Mossop	16	21 Penzance Street	Moor Row Mining Co.
William Henry Rule	15	19 Scalegill Road	Montreal Mine
John Richard Bell	15	8 Dalzell Street	Jacktrees Mine

1911: The Peak Years

Name	Age	Address	Role
John Kelly	14	15 Scalegill Road	Pony Driver
William James	15	32 Penzance Street	Pony Driver
Joseph Richards	16	37 Penzance Street	Pony Driver
Robert Kitchen	14	22 Penzance Street	Pony Driver

1881 & 1891: The Cornish Pioneers

During the late 19th century, many families migrated from Cornwall. Their sons often took the role of "Gallow Driver," handling the Galloway ponies used for the heavy Cumbrian haematite.

Name	Age	Year	Address
James H. Pascoe	13	1891	3 Penzance Street
John H. Bray	13	1891	1 Penzance Street
Thomas Polkinghorne	14	1891	12 Penzance Street
William J. Moyle	16	1881	20 Scalegill Road
William Roberts	14	1871	Scalegill (Early Row)

The Bond of the Mine

A pony driver’s day lasted roughly 10 hours. The bond between a boy and his pony was profound; they were partners in the dark. At age 17, these boys would usually "go to the wall," graduating from drivers to become full-time miners (hewers), continuing the village's industrial legacy.

Typical Pony Names

In West Cumbrian pits, names were almost always short, sharp, and one or two syllables so the drivers could shout them over the roar of the iron ore tubs. Common names recorded in the area included:

• Bute: A very common name in the North for ponies pulling "bogies" or tubs.
• King and Duke: Lead ponies often received "noble" names to denote their status and intelligence.
• Jet or Coal: Referring to the dark coat of the pony (though they were often covered in the distinct red dust of the haematite mines).
• Star: Often given to ponies with a white patch on their forehead.

The Weight of the 'Red Gold'

While the bond between a boy and his pony is often romanticised in local folklore, the reality for the lads of Moor Row was one of immense physical and mental strain. Descending into the Montreal or Jacktrees mines at 6:00 AM meant leaving the daylight behind for ten hours at a time. In the winter months, boys like James H. Pascoe or Thomas William Graham might not see the sun from Sunday until the following Saturday.

The air was thick with iron dust and the pungent scent of the stables, and the "roads" were often knee-deep in ochre-coloured slush. Every shift was a gamble against the 'creep' of the earth and the unpredictable temperament of a frightened animal in a confined space. These were not just 'jobs'; they were lives spent in the service of an industry that built our village but took the youth of its children in exchange.

As we look at the names on the census today, we see more than data points. We see the "Unsung Heroes" who, before they were even old enough to shave, were carrying the industrial weight of West Cumbria on their shoulders.

Disclaimer: Census Data and Transcription Accuracy

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, please be advised that census transcriptions are subject to inherent errors and omissions. These records are secondary interpretations of historical documents and may contain inaccuracies resulting from:

• Original Enumeration Errors: Mistakes made by the original enumerator, including phonetic misspellings, incorrect ages, or the omission of household members.
• Legibility Issues: Difficulties in deciphering archaic handwriting, faded ink, or degraded parchment.
• Interpretation Discrepancies: Modern transcription errors where letters (such as 'S' and 'L' or 'u' and 'n') have been misinterpreted.
• Indexing Omissions: Systematic gaps caused by missing pages or damaged sections of the original returns.

This data is provided for research purposes only. Users are strongly encouraged to consult the original digitised images of the census returns to verify any critical information. The Archivist accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or subsequent conclusions drawn from this transcribed material.

 

Pit Pony Driver Illustration