I've now got a little more insight into my Ancestor, still not found where he's buried though. We think his 2nd wife might have thrown him in the river! I don't remember them coming around the streets with coal, probably my mum would. I remember the 'pop' man though :Op Glad you've found out some good information Ged, Peter is excellent. He always knows the answers. Regards Susan in Dubaips I'm still transcribing Skem Peter :O)> Coal mainly! An agent is someone who acts on behalf of the owner of> property/goods/commodoties to sell/purchase/negotiate deals etc (think> estate agent). So, a coal agent was a middleman, presumably contracted by> coal owners (proprietors) to sell their coal. He would not have been the> man with a horse and cart going around the streets selling coal to> customers, but would have been involved in wholesaling, and possibly other> dealings for the colliery company not necessarily directly involving the> black diamonds themselves.> > Peter Wood

Hi Susan, How are you? I missed your initial question, but I have the BMD's for St. Paul's, Skelmersdale, if that is what you wanted. BAPTISM 1817-1920 MARRIAGES 1859-1980 BURIALS 1822-1975 Regards, Eric -----Original Message----- From: eng-lan-wigan-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:eng-lan-wigan-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Susan Davies Sent: 03 December 2007 14:49 To: eng-lan-wigan@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [WIGAN] Coal Agents I've now got a little more insight into my Ancestor, still not found where he's buried though. We think his 2nd wife might have thrown him in the river! I don't remember them coming around the streets with coal, probably my mum would. I remember the 'pop' man though :Op Glad you've found out some good information Ged, Peter is excellent. He always knows the answers. Regards Susan in Dubaips I'm still transcribing Skem Peter :O)> Coal mainly! An agent is someone who acts on behalf of the owner of> property/goods/commodoties to sell/purchase/negotiate deals etc (think> estate agent). So, a coal agent was a middleman, presumably contracted by> coal owners (proprietors) to sell their coal. He would not have been the> man with a horse and cart going around the streets selling coal to> customers, but would have been involved in wholesaling, and possibly other> dealings for the colliery company not necessarily directly involving the> black diamonds themselves.> > Peter Wood ~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ 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 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1165 - Release Date: 02/12/2007 20:34 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1165 - Release Date: 02/12/2007 20:34

>I don't remember them coming around the streets with coal, probably my mum would. I remember the 'pop' man though :Op Hello Susan Sounds like I'm more your Mum's vintage than yours. The coalmen (from the Coop) came around with sacks of coal loaded on a flatbed wagon pulled by a shire horse. The coalmen themselves were generally blacker than colliers on their way home from a shift at the pit (I don't predate pithead baths, the first of which in Britain was opened at Gibfield Colliery in 1913, about half a mile from where I lived). As I remember, they wore a heavy leather back cover with brass-studded horizontal ribs so's they could hoist a hundredweight (half hundredweight?) sack of coal on their backs without too much damage. Then they'd march around to the coal shed at the back and upend it. I can still remember that distinctive sound of their clogs clomping past the kitchen window followed by the crush and clatter of the coal unloading. Peter Wood

Hi Peter, Yes I remember them. Just as you describe. They always seemed to deliver, round our way, on Washing Day. That was when all the housewives had their washing strung across the back street. They had to take their washing in, to let the coal wagon through. There was a lot of cursing and swearing about that. Yours, Bernie Davies, Ottawa, Canada. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Wood" <st.peter@paradise.net.nz> To: <eng-lan-wigan@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 1:55 PM Subject: Re: [WIGAN] Coal Agents > >I don't remember them coming around the streets with coal, probably my > >mum > would. I remember the 'pop' man though :Op > > Hello Susan > Sounds like I'm more your Mum's vintage than yours. The coalmen (from the > Coop) came around with sacks of coal loaded on a flatbed wagon pulled by a > shire horse. The coalmen themselves were generally blacker than colliers > on > their way home from a shift at the pit (I don't predate pithead baths, the > first of which in Britain was opened at Gibfield Colliery in 1913, about > half a mile from where I lived). As I remember, they wore a heavy leather > back cover with brass-studded horizontal ribs so's they could hoist a > hundredweight (half hundredweight?) sack of coal on their backs without > too > much damage. Then they'd march around to the coal shed at the back and > upend it. I can still remember that distinctive sound of their clogs > clomping past the kitchen window followed by the crush and clatter of the > coal unloading. > > Peter Wood > > > ~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ > > 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