Mining, People and the Environment > Enviromine > BOOK REVIEW: The West Riding Miners, Bryan Fraser

Enviromine

Remembering a safety pioneer
Today, miners around the world owe their lives to William E. Garforth, although many may not even recognise his name.

In the early 20th century, Mr Garforth, owner of the West Riding Colliery in Yorkshire, UK, was a pioneer in the field of mine safety. This led him to develop underground safety procedures and, crucially, the Garforth safety lamp, which is still in use today.

Exactly 100 years after he designed and developed the WEG safety apparatus (named after the inventor) – breathing
equipment to allow rescue teams to work underground – a new book reveals more about the personal history of Mr Garforth and the miners who dedicated their lives to improving mine safety for future generations.

Written in a familiar narrative style and drawing on first-hand accounts, The West Riding Miners takes the reader back to the turn of the 20th century when mining in the UK was a dangerous and often deadly business.

Bryan Fraser tells the story not only of Mr Garforth and his personal struggle to improve safety for the men who worked for him, but also of the local community who relied on the West Riding mine to survive.

This book is not a technical guide to the development of mine safety over the past century, and will not appeal to a reader looking for technical detail.

Instead, it provides a fascinating insight into what drove one of the mining industry’s great pioneers to develop equipment that would lead to a fundamental change in how the industry viewed safety.

The West Riding Miners is available from The History Press, priced £12.99. www.thehistorypress.co.uk