Leadhills Mines rules and regulations

GENERAL RULES,

binding between the

LEADHILLS MINING COMPANY AND THEIR WORKMEN

LEADHILLS LEAD MINES.

There will be held at these mines one or more Bargain Days in each Quarter, and all men employed shall be subject to the following rules.

1. Every man, who takes a bargain, will be required to work it regularly, for the full time specified in his contract, or should he think proper to give up his contract, he shall forfeit all work done in the said bargain; and every man, who does not commence his work at the time appointed, or leaves it before his specified time is expired, shall be fined 2s 6d for each offence.

2. One man from each partnership, shall attend at the store-houses at or before three o'clock on each Monday after noon , throughout the bargain, to obtain Candles, Gunpowder, Oil, Grease, Steel, Iron, and such work-tools as may be required during the ensuing week; no materials will be delivered at any other time than as specified above, excepting timber, which will be given out by the agents when required. Anyone taking wood or other materials without orders from the Agents, shall be fined 2s 6d for each offence.

3. All contracts to be per ton of ore, or per fathom of ground, or per certain sum for the work performed, Levels and Drifts per lineal fathom of 6 feet, Headings and Stopes per fathom of 144 feet, viz; 6 feet in length by 6 feet in height and by vein width or (of) 4 feet. Should it be necessary to work out of the vein more than 4 feet in width, the extra width over and above 4 feet will be paid by cubic fathom at the same rate.

4. All levels must be driven seven feet high by four feet wide, and at a gradient of 1 in 300 unless otherwise specifies in the bargain, and shall be properly secured where timber may be required. All workings for ore shall be carried out in a proper manner, and agreeably to the Agents directions and every part of the ground where practicable, shall be left open for examination and measurement before the Bargain day. Should the Agents discover that any marks necessary for measurement have been concealed or removed, the takers shall forfeit half the amount of their Bargain for the first offence; and for the second shall be excluded from working in these Mines, and forfeit to the Lessees all monies due to them at the time.

5. All men working for ore will be required to properly separate the Bouse from the deads, and draw the same separate. Should they neglect to do so, or leave any ore in the workings, they shall forfeit to the Lessees of these mines for the first offence 2s 6d each, and for the second, the full value of the ore either left in the workings or drawn to the bank along with the deads.

6. If any man be known to take ore from another person, or from any other heap or place than where he is working, or has a Bargain, he will be excluded these Mines, and shall forfeit to the Lessees all ores and monies due to him at the time of the detection.

7. All Takers will be required to clear their ground of ore and deads at the end of every bargain, or whenever directed by the Agents. Should they neglect or refuse to do so, to the injury of the Mines, or inconvenience of others, they shall forfeit to the Lessees double the cost of clearing them out.

8. No shots to be fired at anytime, without proper warning being given, and on the measuring days, no blasting to be allowed in workings of any partnership, until the ground of that partnership is measured off, under a fine for each offence of 2s 6d.

9. Any workman, leaving open any trapdoor, or wilfully doing any other thing, by which the ventilation of the Mines may be impaired, shall forfeit 2s 6d for the first offence, 5s for the second, and for the third will be discharged these Mines, and forfeit all monies due to him.

10. All partnerships, whose workings are dependant upon the Pumping engines, will be required in their turns to assist the engineers in changing the buckets, without any remuneration, and also to assist when any repairs or alterations are required, to the Pumping or Drawing engines, or other Machinery in connection with their workings, whenever called upon by the Engineers, under the following conditions, viz: if the time occupied is under three hours, to attend gratis; if three hours and upwards, to be paid at the rate of 4d. per hour. Any one refusing to attend as above when required, will be fined for each offence 2s 6d.

11. All Work-Tools and Materials of every description, required by workmen at these mines, shall be paid for by them, excepting Timber, Wagons, Hurleys, Kibbles, Barrows, Ropes, and Rails. Anyone wilfully or carelessly damaging any of the above excepted articles, shall pay the cost of repairing the same.

12. Any man, known to take coals, wood, or other materials of any description, to carry to his house for fuel or other purposes without leave, shall be prosecuted as the law directs. And should the wife or children of any of the workmen take coals, wood, or other materials, as above mentioned, the man will be excluded these mines, as though he had done it himself.

13. All surface workmen and boys shall work as follows:- Joiners, Blacksmiths, and Washers, shall work ten hours per day for five days per week, and six hours on Saturday, commencing at 7 o'clock A.M., with an hours interval at Noon, and leaving at 6 o'clock P.M., on each day, except on Saturday, when they shall work continuously from 7 o'clock A.M., to 1 o'clock P.M. Masons, Surface Labourers, and Carpenters, shall work Ten Hours on every day they are employed, commencing at 7 o'clock A.M. with an hours interval at Noon, and leaving at 6 o'clock P.M. Anyone not being ready to commence work when the Bell rings, will lose a quarter day, and if anyone should leave before the full time is expired, he shall forfeit double value of the time lost.

14. All Surface Workmen and Boys, as well as those underground working by day or shift, will be required to give in their work weekly, between the hours of 4 and 6 P.M. each Saturday at the Office, when attendance will be given for that purpose. Anyone neglecting to give in his work at the above mentioned time and place, shall forfeit the same.

15. Subsistence at the rate of 2s per day or shift will be advanced on the first Saturdays of the last two months of the Quarter, and the balance paid on the second Saturday succeeding the end of the Quarter, between the hours of 1 and 3 o'clock P.M. As a list of the order in which each Partnership or Workman is to come into the Office for payment will be put up for reference, any man not appearing in his proper order, shall wait till all other parties are paid. Those not coming to the Pay-table between the hours of 1 and 3 o'clock P.M. on the day appointed, shall at the discretion of the Manager, not receive their money until the following pay day

16. Any workman found drunk or disorderly in the village, or coming into the Office, Store-houses, Workshops, or Mines, in a state of intoxication, shall be fined 5s for the first offence, 10s for the second, and for the third will be excluded these Mines.

17. Any man using uncivil language to any of the Agents, will be immediately discharged.

18. All fines will be duly kept in a box, and handed over at the end of each Quarter to the Treasurer of the Sick Fund, to be applied by the Committee, as they think proper.

19. No Workman or any other person will be allowed to enter the Work-shops, Wood-yard, Washing-floors, Smelting Works, Sheds, or other erections, except on business, or with leave from the Agents.

20. In order to guard against accidents, all workmen will be required to point out to the Agents, any part of the Mines, Way-gates, Shafts, &c, where they are working, or have to pass through to or from their work, that is in a dangerous condition or out of repair, so that the same may be put right with as little delay as possible.

By Order of the Leadhills Mining Company,

Leadhills Mine Office,

April 1st. 1864.

John Nevin, Manager.