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    Home > British Landscape and Culture > Black Gold: A History of How Coal Mining Made Britain
    Black Gold: A History of How Coal Mining Made Britain

    Black Gold: A History of How Coal Mining Made Britain

    £10.99
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    Description
    Where would Britain be without coal? In brilliant social history, Jeremy Paxman tells the story of how the black stuff has shaped every aspect of Britain. Coal is the commodity that made Britain. Dirty and polluting though it is, this black rock acted as a midwife to genius.

    It drove industry, religion, politics, empire, trade. It powered the industrial revolution, turned Britain into the first urban nation and is the industry that made almost all others possible. In this brilliant social history, bestselling author and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman tells the story of coal mining in England, Scotland and Wales from Roman times, through the birth of steam power to war, nationalisation, pea-souper smogs, industrial strife and the picket lines of the Miner's Strike.

    Written in the captivating style of his bestselling book The English, Paxman ranges widely across Britain to explore stories of engineers and inventors, entrepreneurs and industrialists, and the aristocrats such as the Marquises of Bute whose wealth ballooned after the discovery of coal seams beneath their blessed acres. But whilst the rich inevitably became richer, the story told by Black Gold is first and foremost a history of the working miners - the men, women and often children who toiled in appalling conditions down in the mines; the villages that were thrown up around the pit-head; the brass bands, nonconformist religion and passionate horticulture that flourished in mining communities. And the development of trade unionism and the Labour movement as tight bonds of comradeship were formed underground.

    'The two greatest industrial strikes of the 20th century - both detailed here - were both about coal. Down the mineshafts, conditions were appalling with little or no time spent on safety. Multiple and tragically frequent pit tragedies including Aberfan are catalogued here.
    DELIVERY

    We offer free standard UK delivery on all orders over £50.

    Orders up to £30 are charged a flat fee of £4.95

    Orders between £30.01 and £50 are charged a flat fee of £6.95.

    Usual UK delivery timescale (excluding custom prints) is between 5 and 7 working days from the date of dispatch. Please allow up to 14 working days for delivery. For custom print delivery pricing and timescales see below. These timescales may vary especially when we have online sales and in the weeks before Christmas. Christmas 2024: The last recommended order date for UK orders is 14 December. The last recommended order date for all international orders is 23 November.

    Delivery Worldwide

    We can also ship to selected countries worldwide. 

    For full details, including prices, click here.

    Custom Prints

    Your prints and frames will be handmade by King & McGaw at their Sussex workshop.

    Unframed orders are shipped within 5 working days (normally shipped next day).

    Framed orders are shipped within 20 working days.

    Further information on delivery timescales for custom prints can be found here.

    RETURNS

    If you are not completely satisfied with your item you may return it within 28 days for a refund.

    For further details on returns click here.

    Unfortunately we cannot offer a refund on custom prints unless they are faulty or we have made a mistake. Custom prints are exempt as they are made to order.

    Manufacturer/Publisher: William Collins
    Binding: Paperback
    Author: Jeremy Paxman
    Pagination: 320p

    SKU: 9780008128364

    Description
    Where would Britain be without coal? In brilliant social history, Jeremy Paxman tells the story of how the black stuff has shaped every aspect of Britain. Coal is the commodity that made Britain. Dirty and polluting though it is, this black rock acted as a midwife to genius.

    It drove industry, religion, politics, empire, trade. It powered the industrial revolution, turned Britain into the first urban nation and is the industry that made almost all others possible. In this brilliant social history, bestselling author and broadcaster Jeremy Paxman tells the story of coal mining in England, Scotland and Wales from Roman times, through the birth of steam power to war, nationalisation, pea-souper smogs, industrial strife and the picket lines of the Miner's Strike.

    Written in the captivating style of his bestselling book The English, Paxman ranges widely across Britain to explore stories of engineers and inventors, entrepreneurs and industrialists, and the aristocrats such as the Marquises of Bute whose wealth ballooned after the discovery of coal seams beneath their blessed acres. But whilst the rich inevitably became richer, the story told by Black Gold is first and foremost a history of the working miners - the men, women and often children who toiled in appalling conditions down in the mines; the villages that were thrown up around the pit-head; the brass bands, nonconformist religion and passionate horticulture that flourished in mining communities. And the development of trade unionism and the Labour movement as tight bonds of comradeship were formed underground.

    'The two greatest industrial strikes of the 20th century - both detailed here - were both about coal. Down the mineshafts, conditions were appalling with little or no time spent on safety. Multiple and tragically frequent pit tragedies including Aberfan are catalogued here.
    DELIVERY

    We offer free standard UK delivery on all orders over £50.

    Orders up to £30 are charged a flat fee of £4.95

    Orders between £30.01 and £50 are charged a flat fee of £6.95.

    Usual UK delivery timescale (excluding custom prints) is between 5 and 7 working days from the date of dispatch. Please allow up to 14 working days for delivery. For custom print delivery pricing and timescales see below. These timescales may vary especially when we have online sales and in the weeks before Christmas. Christmas 2024: The last recommended order date for UK orders is 14 December. The last recommended order date for all international orders is 23 November.

    Delivery Worldwide

    We can also ship to selected countries worldwide. 

    For full details, including prices, click here.

    Custom Prints

    Your prints and frames will be handmade by King & McGaw at their Sussex workshop.

    Unframed orders are shipped within 5 working days (normally shipped next day).

    Framed orders are shipped within 20 working days.

    Further information on delivery timescales for custom prints can be found here.

    RETURNS

    If you are not completely satisfied with your item you may return it within 28 days for a refund.

    For further details on returns click here.

    Unfortunately we cannot offer a refund on custom prints unless they are faulty or we have made a mistake. Custom prints are exempt as they are made to order.