At 15:21 03/11/99 +0000, Iain Wright wrote:
>
>I know this is opening up a closed subject (and I don't think anyone
>mentioned it before) but I have discovered some documents in the PRO which
>would appear to be relevant. Whilst searching for something totally
>different in the website catalogue I came across RAIL 527/1071 "Mineral
>Statistics (This includes origin and meaning of the words boll, keel,
>fother, chaldron, etc)". This is a record of the pre-nationalisation
>railways in this case the N. E. Railway Company from 1854 - 1925.
>
>I hope this is of use to the coal miners out there!
>
Yes indeed, very interesting. It also reminds me of a query I have on this
subject:
I have been doing some work on C18 Port Books for the north Norfolk ports
of Blakeney/Cley which in those days received regular coal shipments from
Sunderland and N Shields, these being measured of course in
Chalders/Chaldrons which I was given to understand represented 53cwt at
that time, even though originally a measure of volume.
My problem is that some ships brought in mixed cargoes of coal and
"cynders" (presumably coke). Was there a larger chalder built to contain
53cwt of "cynders" or was the same volumetric measure used and taken as a
different weight?
Thanks
Richard Kelham
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