Seaham Colliery

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents

I have pleasure in mentioning here the establishment, by the Marchioness of Londonderry, of a most excellent and laudable scheme of a District Nursing Association at the Seaham and other collieries belonging to the most honourable the Marquess of Londonderry. The objects of the Association are to provide a body of trained and skilled nurses to nurse the sick and those who may receive any accident, at their own homes, and to raise the standard of nursing by all means in its power.

Briefly, the affairs of the Association are administered by a council and an executive committee.

The council consists of not less than 24 members, who are to be elected annually, and are to hold meetings quarterly. Special meetings may be held on the requisition of seven members, nine members to form a quorum.

The executive committee consists of one president, 12 vice-presidents, treasurer, secretary, four medical officers, and 12 members. The president and honorary officers of the Association are to be elected annually, and they shall be members of both council and executive committee.

The president shall be chairman of the council, and the executive committee shall elect its own chairman ; their powers being laid down in a code of byelaws for the management of the Association generally. Seven members to form a quorum.

The committee of management will be appointed chiefly from the workmen and those most interested.

A code of rules, for the duties and guidance of the district nurses, has been drawn up and agreed to. The nurses will be required to wear a uniform dress adopted by the Association, and they will also be required to act strictly in accordance with the instructions of the medical men.

The cost of each nurse is about £85 per annum; this includes salary of nurse, furnished house, and attendance. Lord and Lady Londonderry have generously promised to subscribe £25 per annum to the scheme at each of his Lordship's collieries, in addition to a free house, with furnished rooms, for the nurses; the workmen's subscriptions will not exceed one halfpenny per week each.

The scheme is already in full operation at Seaham Harbour, Seaham and Silksworth Collieries, where it is much appreciated, and is now about to be established at the Rainton and other important collieries.

I consider the scheme a most excellent one, and calculated to do much good, by alleviating pain and suffering, particularly amongst the working classes, and it has my best wishes for its success.

Having lived for many years in the colliery districts, I have frequently come across cases where the assistance of such nurses as these would have been a boon to the sufferers, who perhaps from unavoidable calamity and misfortune were totally unable to help themselves, and I feel sure it only requires to be made known to be adopted generally in all our large colliery villages.

Source: 1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.