>Dancing the Culm, Culm - it is the fine gritty
>dust by product of anthracite mining which was used as domestic and
>industrial Fuel. Culm itself could only be used as a domestic fuel when it
>was made into balls or bombs. People developed techniques of making these
>balls which were burnt in special grates. Part of the way the Culm was
>worked up was by getting a heap and dancing on it to ensure suitable mix,
Of course, the use of culm in this manner is not confined to Ireland. In
Pembrokeshire, the source of much of the anthracite burnt in Ireland, there
was a similar practice. But no special grate was used, although some fires
were kept burning year in year out. The use of anthracite as a domestic
fuel really took off in the early 20th century when specialist stoves were
developed - very popular in Canada, a major export destination for
Pembrokeshire anthracite in the 1920s and 30s.
As to culm being 'fine and gritty', not so fine at 3/8th of an inch or less
for small coals or culm, and not so gritty at up to 96 percent carbon. Culm
can refer to anthracite of any dimension although there is a statutory
definition for small coals, of less than 3/8th inch, in C127, 56 Geo. III,
'An Act to reduce the Duty ....' (1 July 1`816), which compares 'small
coals' with culm. However, earlier Acts , cf. C15, 33 Geo. II, 'An Act for
rendering the Exportation of Culm from the harbour of Milford in the County
of Pembroke', refer to Culm without definition.
Peter
______________________________________________
Peter Claughton, Blaenpant Morfil, Rosebush, Clynderwen,
Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. 01437 532578; Fax. 01437 532921; Mobile 07831 427599
University of Exeter - School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies
(Centre for South Western Historical Studies)
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
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