Jack Anson 1921 - 2001

My father, intelligent, well-read, with a compendious memory and a real mathematics whizz, worked in coal-mining from the age of 14 for the next 22 years, eventually leaving the industry in 1962. Yet it still got him. He developed 'miner's lung' much later in life and was invalided by it several years before it finally killed him in 2001.

I have two treasured, fragile, yellowing letters he received formally acknowledging his bravery in saving the life of a man who had had his arm ripped off in machinery underground.

2003 - The final betrayal...
My family finally received formal notification of the adjudication of the claim for my father's illness (and death) from the agency responsible. The claim could only be allowed for the period from 1956 to his leaving the pits in 1962, they said.

1956 was the date set down by the government legislation and seems arbitrary to say the least.
Dad was assessed 82% disabled by the disease but, as he had been a smoker, (like almost everyone of his generation), it was decided that this was a major contributory factor and that, therefore, the claim would be reduced proportionately. I shan't bore you, suffice it to say that it was calculated that Dad ought to pay back £4,500 of the interim payment he had received but the agency magnanimously suggested that it would be unlikely that repayment would be demanded! I wish they had, it's three years after his death....maybe we should have invited them to contact him!!!

It's not the money for us, although Dad died thinking he would be leaving us a substantial legacy, eventually. For me it is the cold, analytical way this wonderful man's life, prolonged illness, and death - a life of exemplary service and incredible bravery and humanity - has been reduced by some faceless anonymous, pen-pushing, number-crunching suit in London to an accounting exercise!!!
I'm glad Dad never lived to suffer this final insult!!!

Yours faithfully,
David Anson MA Hons
Edinburgh

Hi,
Could you please tell me if you know of any organizations in Derbyshire for ex-miners with breathing problems.

Thanks.
Eddie Ratcliffe
Adviser

Hi
I don't know if you could help or not. My mum and her brother have been told that they can claim compensation for their now deceased father who worked in the mines. His name was Harold Thomas and he worked at West Cannock 5s in Staffordshire.
My mum has been sent loads of forms to complete and we need to know the date that the mine went from private to NCB and whether they used respiratory devices.
Have you any idea who I could contact to gain this information?

Many thanks for your help.

World war two brought partial state control to the industry but day-to-day control remained with the individual owners. Policy making was placed in the hands of a National Coal Board, on which owners and unions were represented in equal numbers, and in each region there was a Regional Coal Board similarly constructed. The staff of these bodies formed the nucleus of the staff of the new National Coal Board which took over the mines on behalf of the nation on 1st January 1947.

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