> Chambers (above version) which also
>says that a chaldron is an old coal measure holding 36 heaped bushel
To take a blanket dictionary definition for a volume measure used in the
coal trade is statistical suicide. They all vary from place to place. The
chaldron (or chalder) is a prime example which we discussed at length some
time ago - go to the list archive at
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/mining-history.html and search for chaldron
or chalder. At 36 bushels heaped the above is the London chaldron, vastly
different from that used at Newcastle, it was frequently used for coal
shipped coastwise and, if you are lucky, would be defined as London measure
in the portbooks.
I would not encourage attempts at conversion to weight measure for coal
production. Give the output in the measure used at the time. Then try and
define the measure, i.e. so many bushels (then define the bushel as Mike did
in an earlier message), perhaps giving a current metric equivalent for
comparison.
If you must, I suggest reading Hatcher, The History of the British Coal
Industry, Vol. I, Before 1700: Towards the Age of Coal, (Oxford, 1993),
where he provides equivalents for three versions of the chaldron. The
medieval Newcastle chaldron at 25 cwt, the Newcastle chaldron post 1694 (
the only time a coal measure was defined by weight) at 53 cwt, and the
London chaldron at 28 cwt.
But be prepared to tie yourself in knots.
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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