Hello List Does anybody know exactly what a 'coal agent' was/did around Wigan in the 1840s and 50s. Sometimes it's even just 'agent' and in later years it becomes 'coal proprietor'. I don't think it's a coal merchant, so what is it? Could it be somebody who employs workers for the mines? Ged

Hi Ged, I too have coal propietor in the 1851 census Bickershaw Lane, Abraham Ackers Head, 54 years, Coal propietor. Land owner (in firm of 4). Empl 179 men. Farming 120 acres. Emp. 5 farm labourers, b.Rainhill He was a joint owner of Bickershaw Colliery, Abram. I understand there were also some Rigbys involved in that colliery. Allan Finland Does anybody know exactly what a 'coal agent' was/did around Wigan in the 1840s and 50s. Sometimes it's even just 'agent' and in later years it becomes 'coal proprietor'. I don't think it's a coal merchant, so what is it? Could it be somebody who employs workers for the mines? Ged -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 157 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Thank you for the information, I would never have guessed. Does anyone know if there are records of the employees in any of the pits around Wigan? Best wishes Norman Sharples Interested in SHARPLES, CARLIN, BALDWIN and CUSANI in the Wigan area -----Original Message----- From: eng-lan-wigan-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:eng-lan-wigan-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Allan Scotson Sent: 29 November 2007 07:19 To: eng-lan-wigan@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [WIGAN] Coal Agents Hi Ged, I too have coal propietor in the 1851 census Bickershaw Lane, Abraham Ackers Head, 54 years, Coal propietor. Land owner (in firm of 4). Empl 179 men. Farming 120 acres. Emp. 5 farm labourers, b.Rainhill He was a joint owner of Bickershaw Colliery, Abram. I understand there were also some Rigbys involved in that colliery. Allan Finland Does anybody know exactly what a 'coal agent' was/did around Wigan in the 1840s and 50s. Sometimes it's even just 'agent' and in later years it becomes 'coal proprietor'. I don't think it's a coal merchant, so what is it? Could it be somebody who employs workers for the mines? Ged -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 157 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len ~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ Each poster owns his/her own post. Before forwarding someone else's message to another list, be sure to receive permission from the author. ~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-LAN-WIGAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message